The Cambodian government has announced that it will provide cash assistance and free vocational training to Cambodian workers returning from Thailand, provided they hold valid equity cards or identification indicating they are from vulnerable households.
Speaking on August 5, Chorn Narith, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Secretary-General of the National Social Protection Council, said recently returned workers from Thailand are eligible to register for training under Cambodia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training programme, or TVET, if they possess the required documentation.
Chorn Narith said the government does not want workers to worry about unemployment, and added that Cambodia currently has a high demand for skilled labour. He noted that a recent reduction in US tariffs on Cambodian goods, now set at 19 percent, may help attract further foreign investment, potentially creating new job opportunities for Cambodian workers in the future.
Soeng Senkaruna, head of the Cambodia Democratic Movement based in Australia, welcomed the government’s support measures, including vocational and technical training for returnees from Thailand. However, he raised concerns about access to the programme, saying many returning workers may not have the required equity cards due to being away from their home villages for many years.
Soeng Senkaruna called on the government to find alternative ways to allow those without proper identification to enrol in the training programme. He said this would give returnees a better chance to earn a living and care for their families, rather than migrating again once the country stabilises.
The TVET programme was officially launched on November 14, 2023. It provides free vocational and technical training for young people from poor or at-risk households. Participants also receive a monthly stipend of 280,000 riel, or about 70 US dollars.
According to estimates from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, nearly 400,000 Cambodian workers returned from Thailand between July 24 and July 28, 2025. The ministry reports that approximately 1.2 million Cambodians are currently working in Thailand, most of them employed in agriculture, construction, fisheries, and manufacturing sectors.
