Retroactive Fees Dropped During April For Work Permit Applications

Foreigners employed in Cambodia who missed the March 31 deadline to register for a work permit have been given a remarkable reprieve by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training providing they submit their application this month, either at the Ministry, through an agent or via the new online system (www.fwcms.mlvt.gov.kh).  

B2B reported yesterday on the one-month extension to the deadline on work permits announced by the Ministry. However, it has now been confirmed that foreigners registering for a work permit during the month of April can do so without having to make retroactive payments for all the years they have worked here without a valid work permit. 

This news has understandably infuriated those who met the deadline and have already paid their retroactive fees, but it has delighted others who missed the deadline but have managed to take advantage of the new policy and avoid substantial charges, around $100 for each year employed in Cambodia. 

Fines for late registrations of work permits (reportedly as high as $10 per day) will now come into effect from May 1 onwards. “The Ministry will strictly apply fines for owners and directors of enterprises who do not follow this law upon this announcement,” read an unofficial translation of the official Khmer-language document, dated on March 31 and signed by the Labour Minister. 

With Khmer New Year coming up next week and the Ministry and its departments likely to be closed for several days, it may well be easier to apply online via the new website www.fwcms.mlvt.gov.kh, which was setup last September. Some online users have confirmed success via this method, while others have expressed difficulty. 

For more details on work permits, which were previously issued as books but are now issued as cards, as well as employment cards, which are now books, for foreigners working in Cambodia, click here.