Recommendations on overseas worker deployment to be submitted to new government
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Nadi/ Pearl (NP News) - February 20
According to those working in the overseas employment industry, they are preparing to submit recommendations to the new government regarding sending workers abroad.
Although these agencies submitted job offers in accordance with the policies set by the Ministry of Labor last year, they have not yet been allowed to send workers to Japan. Only job offers submitted before May are allowed to be sent, meaning that only about 400 workers are being sent each month.
Similarly, due to difficulties in sending workers to other countries, including the lack of OWIC cards, there are reports of illegal travel to Thailand through the Tachileik border gate in Shan State and then to third countries through Thailand.
“New demands have started on the 2nd of May since the launch of new SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). They have not been released yet. Not a single demand has been released from the SOP system. What is being released now is old ones from the previous year. I don’t know if there will be any changes if the new government takes office in April. Currently, we are having a lot of difficulties. We have to submit them again. It takes at least 11 months to go abroad from start to finish. In fact, the limit is set at 1200 workers per month. In fact, the number of people allowed to go abroad is 400 to 500. There are more people who go on their own plans,” a person working in the overseas job search industry told The Statesman.
A workshop was held recently among agency entrepreneurs, and based on the discussions, recommendations will be submitted to the incoming new government to amend the number limit and time frame for sending workers abroad.
“All the agencies have gathered and conducted a workshop. There are suggestions to amend the SOP. The main thing is that the Ministry of Labor has time frames for each step. Now, there are no time frames, and everything is in trouble. For example, it used to take one or two weeks from submitting a request to receiving a forwarding letter. Now, it takes five months. We have discussed what needs to be submitted for each country. The main issues are the number limit and the time frame; how long the process will take and how many people will be allowed to be sent each month. These points are also included,” he said. –