Crackdown on overseas employment agencies for delayed deployment of workers

The Labour Department has issued a stern warning to licensed overseas employment agencies that fail to fulfil their obligations regarding the timely despatch of workers to their respective countries. Failure to adhere to this requirement will result in the revocation of their licences. This announcement, made on 15 June, comes as a response to several issues, including fraudulent demand letters, upfront fees for training, and failure to deliver workers as promised.
Under the new guidelines, which will be effective from 26 June, managing directors of these agencies are now required to bring three photocopies of the Employment Contract (EC). These contracts should be signed by employers in the destination countries and countersigned by agency directors. This documentation must be submitted to the nearest Township Labour Department office. The agency directors will then proceed to sign individual contracts with the workers. It is crucial to emphasize that the employer-employee agreement should only be finalized after obtaining the approval of the labour attaché, verifying the demand letters with the respective Myanmar embassies, and receiving approval from the Labour Department to proceed with the deployment process.
To complete the contract signing process, agencies will need to provide an authorization letter, a demand letter, and the original and photocopy of the employee’s passport. These requirements aim to strengthen accountability and ensure transparency in the recruitment process. — TWA/CT