Phnom Penh – Labour migration is a pathway to economic empowerment and resilience for the estimated 1.3 million migrant workers from Cambodia. In 2021, Cambodian migrant workers sent home more than USD3 billion in remittance, a sharp increase from the USD1.2 billion reported in 2020, which accounts for 4.9 per cent of GDP. 

Yet only a small minority of migrant workers receive education on safe migration and any form of skills development, both technical and soft skills training, throughout the whole cycle of their migration journey. This increases their risk of exploitation, poor living and working conditions, debt and low wages. 

To promote the better protection of migrant workers, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), officially integrated a module on safe migration into the national technical vocational education and training (TVET) curriculum – aimed at raising awareness on safe migration among trainees, who are prospective migrants seeking employment opportunities abroad. 

Over 100 key stakeholders involved in the TVET and labour migration sectors – including representatives from the Directorate General for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (DGTVET), 37 TVET institutes, Department of Employment and Manpower, line ministries, association of private recruitment agencies, UN agencies, CSOs and development partners – recently attended the launch in Phnom Penh. 

“The Safe Migration Training Programme shall contribute to raising awareness among current and potential migrant workers of their rights, obligations and options for safe, orderly and regular migration and informing them of the risks of irregular migration,” emphasized Dr. Pich Sophoan, Minister delegate attached to the Prime Minister and Permanent Secretary of State of Labour and Vocational Training, who presided over the launch. 

“The programme will also give all Cambodians the opportunity access to clear information on the benefits and challenges of migration, making labour migration a choice and not a necessity,” Dr. Sophoan added. 

With growing numbers of international migrants globally, it is crucial to promote education and awareness on safe migration among potential migrants and youth in a sustainable and systematic manner.  

To advance the implementation of the module, IOM, in close collaboration with Department of Standard and Curriculum (DSC), organized a training-of-trainers (ToT) on safe migration to trainers from 37 TVET institutes and developed guidelines for the integration to ensure effective and efficient delivery of the module. 

Also speaking at the launch, Kristin Parco, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Cambodia, said: “We sincerely hope that the TVET and relevant institutions, as development partners, will use this document as a compass for successful implementation of the Safe Migration Training Programme to increase the positive impact of labour migration on Cambodia’s development, improving living standards and skills development of Cambodian migrants.” 

“The integration of the safe migration module into the national TVET curriculum will contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact for Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration,” Parco added. 

The curriculum was developed under IOM’s Poverty Reduction through Safe Migration, Skills Development and Enhanced Job Placement (PROMISE) programme in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Thailand, funded by SDC. 

The programme seeks to promote better employment opportunities and decent working conditions for migrants, especially women from Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Myanmar, through safe migration and skills development in partnership with relevant line ministries and provincial authorities, skills development providers, recruitment agencies, civil society organizations, employer associations and other development partners. 

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For media inquiries, please contact: 

Ms. Phoun Phoury, Deputy Director of Department of Standard and Curriculum, Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training at +85512 27 36 46 

Ms. Marta Walkowiak, IOM Cambodia Program Development and Communications Officer at mwalkowiak@iom.int 

Ms. Kao Sokunpharady IOM National Project Officer at +85593 938 789 or skao@iom.int