Khmer overseas workers send $300 million per year to Cambodia

Korean Language Centre which conducts Korean language training to prospective workers.

By Khmerization
Source: RFA

An official from the Labour Ministry said currently Cambodian overseas workers had remitted $300 million annually back to Cambodia. The revelation was made by Mr. Hu Vuthy, Deputy Director of Department of Labour, during a live talkback on RFA program on Friday 15th.

However, the figures were questioned by Mr. Ya Navuth, Director of the NGO Caram, saying that many overseas workers earn roughly about $200 per month and they have to spend for food, clothes, healthcare and repaying debt to employment agencies which have recruited them in the first place. But, he said that in 2007 the World Bank's research had estimated the remittances by Cambodian overseas workers could amount to $322 annually, which represents 4.1% Cambodia's annual GDP. He said that World Bank had forecast that the annual remittances by Cambodian overseas workers could increase to $500 million per annum.

Currently, there are approximately 350,000 Cambodian migrant workers working abroad, mainly in South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, the Middle East and Thailand.