PHNOM PENH – Workers in the garment, footwear, and travel goods sector will receive $208 as the 2025 minimum wage after Prime Minister Hun Manet added $2 to the figure agreed by National Minimum Wage Council.

Union representatives had argued for three options for increases — $6, $7 and $10 — on this year’s figure of $204. Employers requested only $2.  

The council set $206 as the minimum wage based on a 46/51 vote at the final meeting on Sept. 19. Hun Manet then added $2 to the figure.

“The increase of minimum wage this year is to help the workers’ livelihood to some extent,” he said.

“Some countries did not consider increasing the wage at all because their economic situation has not improved while the salary is in dollars.

“Not only the dollar value did not rise, but the value also went down compared to late 2023 due to the unstable currency exchange.”   

The minimum wage has increased from $40 in 1997 to $190 in 2020. Because of the pandemic, it then only increased by $2 for two consecutive years, before reaching $200 in 2023.