An estimated 1.6 million illegal migrant labourers are still waiting to get through the immigration processing centres before the end of the month
Thailand started restructuring its labour migration policy in 2014 to regulate the 3.8 million migrant workers that have fueled its export sector for decades, following criticism over human trafficking, forced labour and other abuses.
The country is currently in the process of legalizing all migrant workers, by encouraging them and their employers to undergo the proper registration process, which also involves nationality verification.
Out of about 3.8 million foreign workers working in Thailand, more than two million entered the workforce legally, while the remaining workers are waiting for completion of their national verification process.
The Labour Ministry started the registration of migrant workers on February 5 with a deadline to be completed by March 31. The registration enables migrant workers who have not come to Thailand under MoU (memorandum of understanding) to legally register for two-year work permits.
3.8 million foreign workers are working in Thailand
The Labour Ministry’s One Stop Service (OSS) centres are now processing migrant workers from three neighbouring countries more quickly to meet the government’s March 31 deadline for all of them to be registered.
During a trip organized by the Thailand’s PRD, the foreign press was invited to visit the Samut Sakhon OSS.
There is a massive influx migrant workers in Samut Sakhon and we were the first one stop Center to open four years ago. Samut Sakhon is also known as “Myanmar city” because a lot of Burmese work there in the fishing industry.
SOURCE: Thailand Business News
