Foreign Staff Workplaces Face Inspection

Illegal foreign workers or foreign victims of trafficking found in workplaces will not face prosecution but ringleaders will be held legally accountable. Photo: General Department of Immigration

PHNOM PENH – Authorities are to visit all workplaces where foreigners work to search for illegal employees and crimes such as labor exploitation and human trafficking.



The operation is set to take place from Jan.20. Illegal foreign workers or foreign victims of trafficking found in workplaces will not face prosecution but ringleaders will be held legally accountable.



Minister of Interior Sar Kheng said on Jan. 10 that the inspections will be attended by the private sector and representatives of foreign embassies as well as by state institutions.



“We are not going to attack but ask for all the cooperation. If any problems are found, legal action will be taken,” Kheng said during the opening ceremony of the 5th Forum on Partnership between the government and civil society organizations.



He said no fewer than 1,000 factories and enterprises would be inspected. The first target location will be examined.



This was a clean-up of factories and enterprises. He encouraged employers or owners to run their factories and enterprises well and in accordance with the law.



Previously, authorities have conducted operations to find illegal foreign workers. This operation is an addition to find irregularities in workplaces with foreign workers.



Sar Kheng said the operation will be able to find illegal foreign workers and many more crimes in factories and enterprises. However, he told illegal foreign workers not to be confused and not to be afraid that they would be arrested.



He said prisons were overcrowded with an estimated 37,000 inmates and had no room for them.



However, masterminds who commit crimes by illegally bringing foreign workers into Cambodia or trafficking foreign labor will not be exempt.



In 2022, Cambodia started a large-scale operation to inspect all accommodation of foreigners to detect human trafficking.


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