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Public Disclosure Authorized Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for

STRENGTHENING ACTIVE LABOR MARKET POLICIES TO ENHANCE THE BENEFITS OF MOBILITY Public Disclosure Authorized

Mauro Testaverde

Harry Moroz Public Disclosure Authorized

Puja Dutta Public Disclosure Authorized Contents

Appendix 1 Labor Exchange Offices in Myanmar 1

Appendix 2 Forms used to collect information at Labor Exchange Offices 3

Appendix 3 Registering jobseekers and vacancies at Labor Exchange Offices 5

Appendix 4 The migration process in Myanmar 6

The Myanmar-Thailand corridor 6 The Myanmar-Malaysia corridor 16 The Myanmar-Korea corridor 22 Migration corridors without labor attachés 25

Appendix 5 Obtaining an Overseas Worker Identification Card (OWIC) 29

Appendix 6 Obtaining a passport 30

Cover Photo: Somrerk Witthayanant/ Shutterstock Appendix 1 Labor Exchange Offices in Myanmar

State/Region Name State/Region Name

Yangon No (1) LEO Tanintharyi Dawei Township Office

Yangon No (2/3) LEO Tanintharyi Myeik Township Office

Yangon No (3) LEO Tanintharyi Kawthoung Township Office

Yangon No (4) LEO Magway Magwe Township Office

Yangon No (5) LEO Magway District Office

Yangon No (6/11/12) LEO Magway District Office

Yangon No (7) LEO Magway Township Office

Yangon No (8/9) LEO Magway Township Office

Yangon No (10) LEO Magway Office

Yangon Mingalardon Township Office Office

Yangon Shwe Pyi Thar Township Sagaing District Office

Yangon Hlaing Thar Yar Township Sagaing Shwe Bo District Office

Yangon Hlaing Thar Yar Supervisory Office Sagaing Katha District Office

Yangon South Office Sagaing Township Office

Yangon Office Sagaing KaleTownship Office

Yangon Mawbe Township Office Kachin District Office

Yangon Thanlin Township Office Kachin Bahmo District Office

Mandalay Aungmyethazan Township Office Kachin Moenyin Township Office

Mandalay Office Kayah Loikaw District Office

Mandalay Office Kayin Hpa-an District Office

Mandalay Pyaygyidagun Township Office Kayin District Office

Mandalay Township Office Chin Hakha Township Office

Mandalay Township Office Mon Mawlamyein Distirct Office

Mandalay Yemethin Township Office Mon District Office

Mandalay Township Office Mon Township Office

Mandalay Township Office Mon Township Office

1 State/Region Name State/Region Name

Mandalay Township Office Rakhine Township Office

Bago Office Rakhine Thandwe Townhsip Office

Bago Township Office Rakhine Kyauk Phyu Township Office

Bago District Office Rakhine Ann Township Office

Bago Tharrawaddy District Office Rakhine Kyauktaw Township Office

Bago Township Office Shan Township Office

Ayeyarwaddy District Office Shan Township Office

Ayeyarwaddy Ma-ubin Township Office Shan Office

Ayeyarwaddy Township Office Shan Kyaingtong Township Office

Ayeyarwaddy Township Office Shan Township Office

Ayeyarwaddy tonwship Office Shan Tachilek Township Office

Ayeyarwaddy Township Office Shan Mu-Se Township Office

2 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar Appendix 2 Forms used to collect information at Labor Exchange Offices

Form Name Description Examples of information collected Recordkeeping Form 1 Worker’s Registers internal • Sequence number • Ledger Personal and international • Name • Database Record jobseekers • National registration card Card • Educational qualifications • Suitable occupation (ISCO code) Form 2 Labor Registration card • Labor registration card number • See Form 1 Registration issued to jobseeker • Name Card • National registration card • Fingerprint • Renewal date Form 3 Vacancy Collects information • Vacancy notification letter number • Ledger Notification from employer • Employer name • Database Letter about vacancies • Job title • Keep original record • Skill level in case file with • Number of vacancies serial number and • Job description and experience order number • Job location • Salary and working hours Form 4 Demand Registers demand • Demand letter number • Database Letter letters • Employer name • Form not used • Job title • Skill level • Number of vacancies • Job description and experience • Job location • Salary and working hours Form 5 Jobseeker Asks jobseekers • Jobseeker notification letter • May be recorded in Notification whether they are number ledger Letter interested in a • Name • Database (may not vacancy • Labor registration card number be entered) • Due date • Typically jobseekers are called Form 6 Sending Lists all jobseekers • Name • Ledger Jobseeker who are qualified • Occupation (ISCO code) • Database (may not Form for a vacancy • Labor registration card number be entered) (informs company • Education level • Keep original record of qualified in case file jobseekers)

3 Form Name Description Examples of information collected Recordkeeping Form Jobseekers Note from N.A. • No data entry 6 with Placed employer listing note jobseekers who have been hired Form 7 Employment Card issued to • Demand letter number • Ledger Card jobseekers who • Name • Database (may not have been hired • National registration card be entered) • Occupation (ISCO code) • Keep original record • Labor registration card number in case file Form 8 Letter of Informs employer • Demand letter number • Ledger incompeten- that the Labor cy on send- Exchange Office ing qualified cannot find workers qualified workers Form 9 Employer Collects employer • Employer name • Ledger Registration details upon • Type of business • Database Card registration of first • Type of products vacancy • Training opportunities • Public/Private/Etc. • Number of workers • DICA registration number • Public, private, or joint venture • ISIC code

N.A. indicates not applicable. Source: Authors.

4 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar Appendix 3 Registering jobseekers and vacancies at Labor Exchange Offices

In order to obtain a jobseeker registration • Employer name card, both internal and international • Job title jobseekers must visit a Labor Exchange • Skill level Office (LEO) in person and provide their • Number of vacancies educational qualifications. They can• Job description and experience needed also submit their national registration • Job location card (NRC), although providing an NRC • Salary and working hours is optional. (If the NRC is provided, a household certificate may be requested Employers inform the LEOs when matches to verify it.) Different stamps distinguish have been made with jobseekers, although the jobseeker registration cards (Form 2) this currently cannot be tracked in the issued to local and overseas jobseekers. LEO Management System. Information on Jobseekers can obtain both cards if they jobseekers, employers, and job placements wish. The information recorded about the are collected in a series of forms, ledger jobseeker includes: books, and Excel spreadsheets, and with the exception of job placements, in the Labor • Name Exchange Office Management System. • National registration card (not mandatory) Appendix 2 lists the forms used and the data • Educational qualifications collected in the registration process at LEOs. • Suitable occupation (ISCO code) Although not mandated by law, private- Each jobseeker registration card has a sector employers typically require job unique ID number, which is generated applicants to show their jobseeker every time a jobseeker registers at a registration card; their national registration LEO. It is not possible to check whether card (NRC); a recommendation letter from a worker is already registered at another a ward administrator or a village head LEO or if they have received a jobseeker (obtaining this letter requires the household registration card in the past. All employers registration certificate) or a letter from a must register in-person the first time they sponsor (someone who lives near the job register job vacancies. At that time, private- site) certifying that the jobseeker is living sector employers can obtain a username with them; and a police recommendation and password for the LEO Management letter (obtaining this requires first System so that they can register vacancies obtaining the ward administrator letter). online (they can also continue to register Job applicants without NRCs and formal them in-person). Public employers must addresses sometimes borrow them from register all vacancies in person. The friends, use the household certificates information recorded about the job vacancy of acquaintances, or seek someone’s includes: sponsorship (DIIS 2017).

5 Appendix 4 The migration process in Myanmar

The Myanmar-Thailand corridor

The Myanmar-Thailand corridor is of migrants from Thailand. The ensuing Myanmar’s most important migration labor market shortages prompted the Thai route. A long border, weak enforcement government to reverse course and open capacity, significant demand in Thailand, a registration for irregular migrants. In and political and ethnic conflict have 2017, strict enforcement measures against made irregular migration attractive to irregular migration via the Royal Ordinance prospective migrants. The result is that a on the Management of Foreign Workers large number of undocumented Myanmar Employment B.E. 2560 (2017) prompted migrants now live in Thailand. Several migrants to again flee Thailand, which paths to regular status have been opened again resulted in labor market shortages. for irregular migrants, including those The Thai Government subsequently from Myanmar, through registration and suspended enforcement and opened regularization campaigns. Additionally, a registration for irregular migrants. Since Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), these events occurred, the Thai Cabinet signed by both Myanmar and Thailand in has approved a revised ordinance that 2003, which became active in 2009, and includes improvements, such as reducing another MOU signed in 2016, created a the significant fines imposed on migrants channel for legal migration between the and their employers for irregular migration. two countries. While entry to Thailand via IOM (2019) includes more details about the MOU process has increased in recent recent developments in migration policy in years, the high costs associated with this Thailand. In July of 2019, the Thai Ministry legal pathway mean that irregular migration of Labor relaxed its requirements for still dominates (UNTWG 2019). The renewing work permits; migrant workers registration and regularization campaigns from Myanmar no longer need to return and the MOUs have improved the status to Myanmar to process documentation of migrants in some cases, but have also associated with the renewals. created uncertainty, because policies change frequently and significantly. Even migrants entering Thailand through the Myanmar-Thailand MOU official MOU channel have been found to use unlicensed brokers (IOM 2019). In order to migrate formally to Thailand, employers, licensed overseas employment Overall, migration policy has become more agencies, and migrants must follow certain restrictive in Thailand in recent years, steps. The transmission of documents particularly since the military took power must be done manually, that is, there is no in 2014 (UNTWG 2019). An announcement online system for transmitting, verifying, about a crackdown on irregular migrant approving, or storing documents. Figure workers in 2014 led to a large-scale flight A.1 provides an overview of the process.

6 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar In the first stage of the process, employers attaché visits the employer. The length of and recruitment agencies in Thailand, this process depends on the availability and the overseas employment agencies of the 2 labor attachés in Thailand—who in Myanmar, identify employment have additional responsibilities such as opportunities and have them verified overseeing the Certificate of Identify and approved by labor authorities in both process and attending meetings in countries. Myanmar. • The Myanmar overseas employment • The employer in Thailand applies for a agency transmits (typically in person) quota of migrant workers from the Thai the demand letter reviewed by the labor Department of Employment through the attaché to the Department of Labor in Provincial Employment Office. Nay Pyi Taw. While the labor attaché • Upon quota approval, the employer is supposed to send the reviewed applies at the township Thai Department demand letter to the Ministry of Labor, of Employment to hire employees. Immigration, and Population (MOLIP), in This application process also involves reality, after it is reviewed, the Myanmar the national Thai Department of overseas employment agency obtains Employment. This application must be the demand letter from the labor attaché accompanied by the demand letter, a and sends it to the Department of Labor sample of the employment contract, a to save time. letter from the employer transferring • The Administration Division in the authority to their representative, Department of Labor receives the a letter transferring power to the demand letter, and stamps it with Myanmar recruitment agency, and a a sequenced serial number in the recommendation letter from the Thai registration book. The Administration Department of Business Development Division then transmits the demand letter with the employer’s company profile. to the Migrant Worker Division, which The entire approval process in Thailand stamps it with a new sequenced serial takes more than 1 week. number. The demand letter is recorded • A representative of the Thai employer (at in an Excel file, including the name of the director level or higher), typically a the overseas employment agency, the recruitment agency, visits the Myanmar location of the job, the job title, the labor attaché, who is responsible for number of men and women requested, overseeing migrant affairs in Thailand, the wages, the employment contract, in person with the demand letter. If the and the service fee. The Department migrants to be hired include migrants of Labor reviews the demand letter. In who are currently working in Thailand, most cases, the Migrant Worker Division the demand letter will include their also reviews the demand letter, looking names (the labor attaché already has at wages (such as whether the wages their passports). are consistent with Thailand’s minimum • The labor attaché reviews the demand wage), recruitment fees, the location letter. If the employer is known to the of work, and other factors. The Migrant labor attaché, the attaché will contact Worker Division informs the overseas the employer’s human resources employment agency if any details in the department to verify the details of demand letter are incomplete. Sensitive the demand letter. This process takes cases may be sent to the Director General between 2 and 3 days. If the employer or to MOLIP for review. The Excel file is is not known to the labor attaché, the submitted weekly by the Department

7 of Labor to the Education, Health, employment-contract-signing ceremony and Human Resources Development in this letter. Committee for review. The transmission • The Migrant Worker Division notifies the to the Committee has a cover letter Department of Labor office in Yangon or attached with an order number. Hpa-An that a recruitment agency has • The Education, Health, and Human been authorized to attend the signing Resources Development Committee ceremony of the employment contract.1 reviews the demand letter once officers The office is provided the date, the of the Migrant Worker Division have number and gender of potential migrant presented it for consideration of wages, workers who will attend, and the Thai location of work, worker protections, employer for whom the migrants will recruitment fees, and the total number of work. demand letters received. The Committee meets each Tuesday, and demand Overseas employment agencies were letters must be transmitted to the previously blocked from advertising Committee by the preceding Thursday overseas vacancies in demand letters to be included in the next week’s until they were approved by the meeting. Approval normally takes 2 or 3 Education, Health, and Human Resources days. From receipt of the demand letter Development Committee; however, in by the Department of Labor to approval practice, informal brokers would identify by the Committee typically takes about workers for the agencies before approval two weeks. Approvals seem to be faster was received. Overseas employment for migrants already working in Thailand agencies are now allowed to advertise than for new migrants. The Committee overseas vacancies prior to receiving sends a letter to MOLIP’s Office via the approval of the committee. The overseas Migrant Worker Division with the total employment agencies shepherd migrants number of workers approved, which through the migration process and also includes the order number. ensure that they obtain the necessary • MOLIP’s Office sends the approval to documentation, including jobseeker the Department of Labor. registration cards and passports. • The Department of Labor informs the overseas employment agency by • The potential migrant must obtain an e-mail, with a cover letter, that the overseas jobseeker registration card demand letter has been approved. (The by registering at a LEO. Registration agencies generally know when their requires jobseekers to bring their demand letters will be considered by NRC and originals and copies of the Committee and so are ready for their educational qualifications, and approval if and when it comes.) information about their employment • Once the overseas employment agency history. receives the approval and identifies • The potential migrant must apply for a potential migrant workers, the agency PJ passport. This requires an overseas sends a letter to the Migrant Worker jobseeker registration card, the original Division that a certain number of household registration (plus two copies positions will be filled. The agency of it), and the original NRC (and 2 copies requests a date and location for the of it). The passport costs 25,000 kyat and

1 Potential migrant workers from , , and tend to use Hpa-An because it is closer, while those from the upper part of Myanmar tend to use Yangon.

8 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar is normally received after 10–15 days. approval from the Education, Health, An awareness program had suggested and Human Resources Development obtaining a medical examination prior Committee. The potential migrant signs to obtaining the passport to avoid the employment contract. Required cases in which potential migrants paid attendees at the signing ceremony the passport fee but failed the exam. include the potential migrant workers, However, obtaining a passport does not the Myanmar overseas employment require getting a medical exam before agency (at the director level or higher), application. Overseas employment the employer or the employer’s agencies may gather potential migrants representative—typically a recruitment and help them obtain their passport in agency (at the director level or higher), Yangon. Most potential migrants obtain and a team of the state or region Head their passports in Yangon, Hpa-An, or Officers, a senior labor officer, and an . assistant labor officer. The employment contract must be signed by the potential The signing of the employment contract migrant worker, by the employer or their officially brings all parties—the migrant representative, and by the Myanmar worker, the recruitment agency, the overseas employment agency. Additional employer or their representative, and a signatories include the assistant region Department of Labor representative in Head Officer and two senior labor the form of a LEO officer—together. The officers if the ceremony is in Yangon; necessary approvals for migration include and if the ceremony is in Hpa-An, the four stamps, the first of which is obtained state Head Officer, a LEO senior officer, upon contract signing. and an assistant labor officer must sign.2 The Department of Labor office • The recruitment agency brings to the in Yangon or Kayin keeps a copy of the signing ceremony the demand letter demand letter package for its records, package, which consists of the demand and issues a cover letter head indicating letter verified by the Myanmar labor the number of male and female potential attaché and approved by the Education, migrants recruited, the type of job, and Health, and Human Resources the wages, and stamps the contract list Development Committee and the list of employees; this is the first stamp of of potential migrant workers. This list four needed for migrants to cross the includes the names of each worker, border. The state Head Officer provides their NRC number, their father’s name, the contract list with the cover letter their date of birth, their passport to the Migrant Worker Division. Four number, where they applied for the copies of the employment contract are passport, the date the passport was needed: one for the potential migrant, issued, their address, their overseas one for the Department of Labor, one jobseeker registration card number, for the Myanmar Embassy, and one for their job, the factory name, their salary, the employer. Once the employment and their OWIC number (blank). A contract is signed, the potential migrant labor officer verifies the passport, the is given one month to cross the border. NRC, the approval letter from the Thai Department of Employment, and the

2 Previously, potential migrants were allowed to sign the employment contract in Myawaddy,

9 Upon receiving the first stamp, migrant letter with the contract list to the Thai workers must get a medical examination. Department of Immigration officially requesting visas for the potential migrant • The required medical tests include workers. a blood test, a urine test, and an • The Thai Department of Immigration ultrasound. The medical examination reviews the visa and issues approvals for costs US$8.3 There are clinics in Yangon the immigration officer at Mae Sot and where potential migrants can get tested, for the Thai Department of Employment. and if the employment contract was The Thai recruitment agency generally signed in Hpa-An, the potential migrant goes to the Thai Department of can get their medical examination across Immigration office to collect the visa the border in Mae Sot, Thailand. The approval and provide it to the Mae Sot medical examination, along with results, immigration office. Visa approval can takes several hours.4 take more than one month or even two months. During this period, potential Once the employment contract is signed, migrants generally return to their villages the labor attaché in Thailand and the Thai to await approval (they generally return authorities become involved again as entry home after the employment contract visas are requested. At this stage, migrant signing ceremony). workers may return home while they await • The Thai Department of Employment visa approval. sends a letter to the labor attaché with the visa approval from the Thai • The Thai recruitment agency initiates the Department of Immigration. request for work permits and visas for potential migrants by transmitting the Once the third stamp has been obtained, employment contracts and the contract and the visa request has been approved, list, likely in person, to the labor attaché the migrant must obtain an Overseas at the Myanmar Embassy in Thailand. Worker Identification Card (OWIC) in North • The labor attaché issues the second Dagon in Yangon or at the Migrant Worker stamp necessary for a potential migrant Office in Myawaddy. The office includes to cross the border. immigration and labor officers along with • The Thai recruitment agency obtains the representatives of Myanmar and Thai contract list with the second stamp from recruitment agencies. the labor attaché and transmits it to the Thai Department of Employment. At • The Thai recruitment agency transmits this stage, the Thai recruitment agency the demand letter package, including officially applies for a work permit at the three stamps and the contract list by the Thai Department of Employment, air, post, or car to Yangon or Myawaddy although this application process is so that the OWIC can be obtained. The sometimes begun once the employment recruitment agency contacts the Migrant contract is signed. Worker Division (via e-mail) to request a • The Thai Department of Employment sending order for the potential migrants issues the third stamp. The Thai it wishes to send abroad. Department of Employment sends a

3 Previously, potential migrants were only able to get the medical examination in Mae Sot, Thailand. Potential migrants were issued a 1-day border pass to get the exam. 4 Medical examinations can be undertaken only after the potential migrant receives the first stamp from the LEO officer, but can also be undertaken just prior to migration.

10 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar • The Migrant Worker Division, which has attaché’s approval and the letter from received the contract list from the state the Thai Department of Employment, or region Department of Labor office, and they issue a letter from the Migrant confirms that all documents are in order Worker Office in Myawaddy to the and assigns the recruitment agency overseas employment agency and the a date on which the potential migrant Thai recruitment agency. By signing, the can cross the border to Thailand. The overseas employment agency and the Migrant Worker Division also transmits Thai recruitment agency acknowledge the sending order to the OWIC offices that they are responsible for the potential in Yangon and Myawaddy. migrant worker. The people who sign at • The potential migrant can obtain the this stage must be the same as those OWIC at the OWIC office in North Dagon who signed the employment contract. in Yangon or at the Migrant Worker The letter officially confirms those Office in Myawaddy. Potential migrants workers leaving the country.5 must obtain the OWIC in person and are • The immigration officer provides a required to show their passport to get it. departure authorization. The overseas employment agency must • At the Migrant Worker Office near the show the approved demand letter with border, the potential migrant receives the list of migrants, which is checked training on the “Dos and Don’ts” of against the list provided to the Migrant living and working in Thailand. At the Worker Division office that issues the border, the recruitment agency shows OWICs. The contract list associated the passports of the potential migrants with the demand letter must have three and the contract list in the demand letter stamps. Obtaining the OWIC involves package. an iris scan, fingerprinting, and a photo. Once all of these steps have been taken, At this point, several steps are initiated by the migrant worker can cross the border. the Thai and Myanmar authorities to issue visas and final letters authorizing entry into • The potential migrant worker crosses Thailand. the border. Once across, they obtain their Thai visa at the immigration office. • On the sending order, the Thai • The Thai Department of Employment recruitment agency is informed of the provides a 30-minute orientation to date of crossing, and on that day goes migrant workers at the post-arrival and to the Thai immigration office to request reintegration center just after they cross the fourth stamp. the border. The training is designed to • The immigration officer at Mae Sot ensure that workers are aware of Thai issues the visa and the fourth and final rules and regulations. stamp necessary for a potential migrant • If the migrant worker did not get a to cross the border into Thailand. medical examination in Yangon, the • The Thai recruitment agency brings the migrant worker must get one in Mae demand letter package with the fourth Sot. stamp to the Migrant Worker Office in • The Department of Employment issues Myawaddy. the Electronic Work Permit to the • Department of Labor officers at the migrant worker. Migrant Worker Office verify the labor

5 Previously, these letters were also issued at and Kawthoung, but these offices were closed because of lack of use.

11 Figure A.1 The formal migration process under the Myanmar-Thailand MOU

Source: Authors. Note: Grey shading indicates that the process is the responsibility of Thai actors.

12 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar Registration and Labor, and pay for registration documents, a health examination, health insurance, regularization of a work permit application fee, and a undocumented migrants work permit fee (ILO 2013; IOM 2013). The registration process is costly and As a result of the significant presence opaque, and its benefits are not always of irregular migrants from Myanmar, clear to migrants, because no change in Cambodia, and Lao PDR, Thailand has immigration status results (Holumyong periodically undertaken registration and Punpuing 2014; Natali, McDougall, and programs for these migrants, at times Stubbington 2014). Notably, registration is in coordination with the Government of temporary—with work permits lasting a Myanmar. These are semi-regular and year or two—so registered migrants revert temporary amnesties for irregular migrants to full irregular status if further registrations that protect them from deportation and are not opened. Migrants frequently lack authorize them to work in Thailand but information about the registration process do not grant them full regular status. and are reliant on employers, who must Until the 1990s, low-skilled migration to support applications and pay work permit Thailand was not officially sanctioned, fees. meaning that any migrants who entered were irregular. This changed in the early The Government of Thailand also created 1990s when the Thai Cabinet decided a regularization process on top of the to allow employers first in border areas registration process. This Nationality and certain sectors, and then throughout Verification (NV) process allows migrants the country, to hire foreign workers who from Myanmar who are already in Thailand had gone through a registration process irregularly to obtain a work permit.6 This (Hall 2011). Registrations have occurred process involves verifying migrants’ periodically ever since, for instance in 2014 identities with national authorities in for all workers, in 2016 for workers in the Myanmar, who then can issue passports. fishing sector, and in 2017 following the The NV process has been criticized for Royal Ordinance on the Management of being inefficient because of a lack of Foreign Workers Employment B.E. 2560 personnel and resources relative to the (2017). Registration of workers in the large number of migrants interested in fishing industry has been a particular focus registering (UNTWG 2019). in recent years because of concerns about trafficking, forced labor, and employment The NV process originally involved 13 abuses (DOS 2016; IOM 2015). steps, the first of which was the migrant’s registration at One Stop Service Centers.7 While registration procedures have varied, The process has been simplified somewhat employed migrants generally must obtain in recent years, but as of 2013, it still a temporary stay registration (Tor Ror 38) required significant capacity on the part of from the Thai Ministry of the Interior, as sending and receiving country governments well as a work permit from the Ministry of (Natali, McDougall, and Stubbington 2014;

6 This process was also available to undocumented migrants from Cambodia and Lao PDR. 7 The requirement for registration prior to nationality verification was relaxed in 2013 but reinstated in a later extension of the NV process (Natali, McDougall, and Stubbington 2014).

13 ILO 2013; Holumyong and Punpuing 2014). Kaukthaung (Ranong, Thailand) (Jirattikorn Employers sent migrants’ documents to 2015). Myanmar then opened five NV the Thai Provincial Employment Offices, centers inside Thailand in 2012 in , which verified and forwarded them to the Chiang Mai, Samut Sakorn, Samut Prakarn, Department of Employment, which then and Surat Thani where immigration and sent them to the Myanmar Embassy. The labor officials from Myanmar and Thailand Embassy verified the information, granted issued electronic NVs (Jirattikorn 2015). the passports, and notified the Thai Initially only temporary passports were Department of Employment of the migrants’ issued, but this policy was later reversed names. The Department of Employment and ordinary passports were provided. notified the One Stop Service Centers in Thailand, and the Bangkok and Provincial The ordinary passports were issued to Employment Offices, of the names on the Myanmar workers in Thailand who could list. There, migrant names were checked prove they were Myanmar citizens. The by the Department of Employment, and Department of Labor was the focal point interviews were conducted, passports for the initiative, in which undocumented granted, biometric data collected, and workers would provide their NRC (and work permits submitted by employers. perhaps their household registration) to the Finally, migrants underwent medical passport issuance centers at the Myanmar examinations before their work permits Embassy in Thailand. The process was were issued. Fees were charged at several difficult for migrants who did not have these of these stages. Migrants frequently lacked documents with them and had to acquire information about the NV process and were them, and when different names appeared reliant on employers, who had to support on other official documents (Jirattikorn applications and pay work permit fees. 2015). To verify a person’s citizenship, Migrants also frequently were not able to a team comprised of the Special Police, complete the full NV process, relying on the National Registration and Citizenship further registration campaigns to maintain Department, and the Department of Labor legal status (UNTWG 2019). The NV was formed. The verification process was process originally restricted employment similar to the process of applying for a terms to an initial two-year period, which passport in Myanmar. The teams have could be extended for another two years, been disbanded now, but representatives before a required three-year cooling off from the Department of Immigration and period in Myanmar. However, several the Special Police are still posted at the actions in 2014 and in 2016 permitted Embassy. The 21,206 workers who had migrants to extend their existing work expired temporary passports were issued permits and relaxed the cooling-off period new passports, and 95,663 workers who requirement (IOM 2016b). had the Tor Ror 38 card were also issued new passports at the Myanmar Embassy While officials from Cambodia and Lao in Bangkok. Also, 575,544 workers had PDR travelled to Thailand to undertake the their visas and work permits extended at verification process for migrant workers, the border posts in Myawaddy (Mae Sot, migrants from Myanmar were at first Thailand), Tachilek (Mae Sai, Thailand), and (between 2003 and 2009) required to return Kaukthaung (Ranong, Thailand). to Hpa-An in Myanmar for verification of their documents. Border posts were then In early 2017, Myanmar and Thailand established in 2009 in Myawaddy (Mae Sot, announced that Certificates of Identity (CI) Thailand), Tachilek (Mae Sai, Thailand), and would be issued to those undocumented

14 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar Karasev Victor/ Shutterstock

migrants in Thailand who could provide Temporary and border any form of documentation, such as a household certificate, an NRC, or a proof passes of address. The information was sent Migrants in border areas can obtain back to Myanmar for verification. Migrants temporary and border passes to cross the could apply for a CI at 7-Eleven stores. border (even several times a day) for work in The CIs were then issued in Thailand at Thailand. These can be obtained in Chiang two centers in Maharchai and at centers Rai, Mae Sai district; Tak, Mae Sot district; in Samutparakn, Maesai, Maesot, Ranong, and Ranong (Jirattikorn 2015). Myanmar Chaimai, Nakhonsawan, and Songkhla (Oo and Thailand recently signed an MOU on 2017). The agreement with Thailand has the employment of border migrants who expired, and CIs were no longer issued as can obtain a 30-day work pass. Migrants of July 1, 2018; 397,936 workers had been at times overstay the 30-day terms to stay issued CIs through August 2017. and work in Thailand.

15 The Myanmar-Malaysia corridor

Malaysia is another common destination for Overseas employment agencies were migrant workers from Myanmar—although previously blocked from advertising migration to Malaysia was banned between overseas vacancies in demand letters late 2016 and early 2018.8 That migration until they were approved by the corridor has recently been restored, with Education, Health, and Human Resources existing demand letters reportedly being Development Committee; however, in processed before new ones. practice, informal brokers would identify workers for the agencies before approval was received. Overseas employment Formal migration agencies are now allowed to advertise overseas vacancies prior to receiving In order to migrate formally to Malaysia, approval of the committee. The agencies employers, overseas employment shepherd migrants through the migration agencies, and migrants must take several process: they ensure that migrants steps. Figure A.2 provides an overview obtain the necessary documentation, and of the process. The transmission of they handle paperwork and arrange for documents is done manually—that is, transportation and accommodations as there is no online system for transmitting, necessary. verifying, approving, or storing documents. For the migration process in Malaysia, • The potential migrant must obtain an employers are often represented by overseas jobseeker registration card recruitment agencies or outsourcing by registering at a LEO. Registration companies. requires the jobseeker to bring their NRC and originals and copies of educational In the initial part of the process, employers qualifications, and provide information in Malaysia get approval for their requests about their employment history. for migrant workers; they then submit • The potential migrant must apply for a reference visa applications for those PJ passport. This requires an overseas workers, while overseas employment jobseeker registration card, the original agencies in Myanmar identify workers and household registration and 2 copies, gather the documents necessary for the and the original NRC and 2 copies. reference visa application process. The passport costs 25,000 kyat and is normally received after 10–15 days. • The employer in Malaysia, or their Fifteen townships have offices issuing representative, like a recruitment PJ passports. Potential migrants are agency, applies for a quota at the One supposed to obtain their passport in Stop Centre (OSC) of the Malaysian their local passport office, but overseas Ministry of Home Affairs. Approval is employment agencies often gather based on a labor market test conducted potential migrants and help them obtain by the Department of Labor in the their passports in a single location. Ministry of Human Resources and an • The potential migrant must obtain interview by the OSC. Immigration Security Clearance (ISC),

8 Htwe, Zaw Zaw. 2018. “Myanmar Lifts Worker Ban to Malaysia.” , January 11, 2018. https://www.mmtimes.com/ news/myanmar-lifts-worker-ban-malaysia.html.

16 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar and a biometric security check, at the Compensation Scheme (FWCS) Malaysia ISC center in Yangon. The ISC insurance and health insurance (Foreign is valid for 6 months. This costs US$26. Worker Hospitalization and Surgical • The potential migrant must undergo a Policy or SKHPPA). medical examination. This includes a • The Malaysian recruitment agency blood test, a urine test, a chest X-ray, applies to the Immigration Department and an ultrasound. The examination in the Ministry of Home Affairs for must be at a clinic approved by a Visa with Reference (VDR). This the Foreign Workers Centralized application must include documents Management System (FWCMS), a from the potential migrant worker: a Malaysian company. There are currently copy of the migrant worker’s passport, four clinics: Moe Thee Hospital, Hla 6 passport photos, a medical certificate Min Hospital, Shwe Bon San Hospital, from Myanmar; and the ISC. These and Kone Baung Specialist Health Care documents are e-mailed to Malaysia Centre. All are in Yangon.9 The potential by the Myanmar recruitment agency. migrant likely stays in Yangon while they The application must also include await their passport and undergo the the documents obtained by the medical examination. An awareness Malaysian recruitment agency: the program had suggested obtaining a quota approval, a receipt showing that medical examination prior to obtaining the foreign worker levy has been paid, the passport to avoid cases in which the security bond (Foreign Worker potential migrants paid the passport fee Insurance Guarantee or FWIG), Foreign but failed the exam. However, obtaining Worker Compensation Scheme (FWCS) a passport does not require getting a insurance, and health insurance (Foreign medical exam before application. Worker Hospitalization and Surgical • The Myanmar agency gets a copy of policy or SKHPPA). the potential migrant worker’s passport, • The Malaysian recruitment agency 6 passport photos, the medical obtains the VDR from the Immigration examination certificate from Myanmar, Department and sends it to the labor and the ISC, and transmits them to attaché, along with the notarized quota the Malaysian recruitment agency or approval from the Ministry of Home employer. Affairs, a receipt of payment of the levy, the demand letter, the employment Once the Malaysian employer’s quota contract, the appointment letter and has been approved, and the documents power of attorney letter if an employer for requesting the reference calling visa is using a representative, the position’s application are submitted to them, the salary, an affidavit declaring the employer employer can apply for the visa for the will follow certain terms and conditions, migrant worker. the company registration, a copy of the Myanmar overseas employment • The Malaysian recruitment agency agency’s license, a copy of the Malaysian or employer must pay the foreign recruitment agency’s license, photos of worker levy and the security bond the workplace and hostel, and a copy of (Foreign Worker Insurance Guarantee the employer’s identity card. or FWIG), and obtain Foreign Worker

9 See http://www.imi.gov.my/images/pdf/Senarai_Pusat_Kesihatan_as_at_1Mei2015.pdf (last accessed January 14, 2019).

17 The labor attaché in Malaysia must also While the labor attaché is supposed review the demand letter. This must to send the reviewed demand letter be done before the Health, Education, to the Ministry of Labor, Immigration, and Human Resources Development and Population (MOLIP), in reality, Committee reviews the letter. after review, the Myanmar overseas employment agency obtains the • The labor attaché in Malaysia reviews demand letter from the labor attaché and the demand letter. Particular attention sends it to the Department of Labor to is required in the Malaysian states of save time. The entire package includes Johor and Sarawak. Demand letters the demand letter, the employment for employment in Johor State must contract, photos of accommodations, include at least 5 female workers approval of the Malaysian Ministry of and a representative of the overseas Home Affairs, labor attaché approval, employment agency, or a Myanmar the list of workers, and the VDR. Overseas Employment Agencies • The Administration Division in the Federation (MOEAF) representative Department of Labor receives the must inspect the work site with demand letter, and stamps it with the labor attaché. In Sarawak State, a sequenced serial number in the a representative of the overseas registration book. The Administration employment agency or an MOEAF Division then transmits the demand letter representative must inspect the work to the Migrant Worker Division, which site with the labor attaché. The labor stamps it with a new sequenced serial attaché typically visits employers or number. The demand letter is recorded workplaces that have not hired workers in an Excel file. Information recorded previously. The attaché may investigate in the Excel file includes the name of the hostels where migrant workers the overseas employment agency, the stay to evaluate whether they are location of the job, the job title, the too crowded10 and whether they are number of men and women requested, safe for women. The attaché may ask the wages, the employment contract, other migrant workers they encounter and the service fee. The Department about working conditions. If these of Labor reviews the demand letter. In requirements are not met, the labor most cases, the Migrant Worker Division attaché will give the employer a week to reviews the demand letter, looking at make the necessary changes. wages, recruitment fees, the location of work, and other factors. The Migrant Once all of the documents are in order Worker Division informs the overseas from Malaysia, the Myanmar Department employment agency if any demand letter of Labor and the Education, Health, is incomplete. If the demand letter has and Human Resources Development requested domestic workers (domestic Committee review the documents. work by Myanmar migrants is not permitted in Malaysia), the demand letter • The Myanmar overseas employment will be rejected immediately. Sensitive agency obtains from the labor attaché cases may be sent to the Director General the reviewed demand letter and or to MOLIP for review. The Excel file is transmits it (typically in person) to the submitted weekly by the Department Migrant Worker Division in Myanmar. of Labor to the Education, Health,

10 For example, migrant workers may not be able to live in containers.

18 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar and Human Resources Development • The potential migrant signs the Committee for review. The transmission employment contract, which should to the Committee has a letter attached be in both Myanmar and English. The with an order number. employer generally has already signed • The Education, Health, and Human the employment contract, although in Resources Development Committee some cases, such as manufacturing reviews the demand letter. The factories, representatives of the Committee’s review involves officers of employers visit Myanmar to sign the the Migrant Worker Division presenting employment contract. The overseas the demand letters to the Committee employment agency must provide a for consideration of wages, location of signed employment contract, the calling work, worker protections, recruitment visa, and the original job offer letter to fees, and the total number of demand the potential migrant. letters. The Committee meets each • The potential migrant receives a 3-day Tuesday, and demand letters must be predeparture training at the training transmitted to the Committee by the school in North Dagon in Yangon, which preceding Thursday to be included in can be taken while the potential migrant the next week’s meeting. Approval is obtaining the ISC. The overseas normally takes 2 or 3 days. From employment agency contacts the receipt of the demand letter by the training center to book a training date for Department of Labor to approval by the the potential migrant. Committee typically takes about two • The potential migrant obtains the OWIC weeks. The Committee sends a letter at the OWIC office in North Dagon to the Minister of Labor, Immigration, in Yangon. Potential migrants must and Population’s Office via the Migrant obtain the OWIC in person and are Worker Division with the total number required to show their passport and of workers approved, which includes the approved demand letter from the the order number. Overall, the approval overseas employment agency. Potential process for demand letters for migrants migrants must receive predeparture to Malaysia takes about 3 weeks. training before obtaining the OWIC. • The Minister’s Office sends the approval Obtaining the OWIC involves an iris to the Department of Labor. scan, fingerprinting, and a photo. • The Department of Labor informs • The potential migrant then applies for a overseas employment agencies of 30-day entry visa at Malaysia’s privately approval by e-mail (with a cover letter) run One Stop Centre in Yangon. The that the demand letter has been visa costs US$57. The visa application approved. They may also be notified in involves the assistance of the overseas person. The approval order number is employment agency. valid for one year. (The agencies generally know when their demand letter will be Once in Malaysia, the migrant worker takes considered by the Committee and so are several final steps to obtain a work permit. ready for approval if and when it comes.) • The migrant arrives in Malaysia by air. Once the overseas employment agency • The migrant undergoes a medical receives the approval from the Department examination in Malaysia. of Labor, the agency guides migrants • Once the medical examination is through several final steps. completed, the Malaysian recruitment agency applies for a work permit of the migrant worker.

19 Figure A.2 The formal migration process for Myanmar migrants to Malaysia

Source: Authors. Note: Grey shading indicates that the process is the responsibility of Malaysian actors.

20 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar Somrerk Witthayanant/ Shutterstock

Informal migration without penalty. Malaysian authorities then sought the arrest and deportation Malaysia has initiated regularization of unregistered migrants. Myanmar and deportation programs, including signed a Collaboration Agreement for the of Myanmar migrant workers. The 6P Registration, Legalization, and Deportation program, which launched in 2011, allowed of Undocumented Myanmar Workers with undocumented foreign workers to register Malaysia in 2013. Myanmar has created a with the Malaysian Ministry of Home mobile team to issue passports in Malaysia. Affairs. Undocumented workers were then As in Thailand, Myanmar issued Certificates legalized and given a choice to work in of Identity (CIs) in Malaysia with mobile Malaysia or return home. If they were not teams composed of staff from MOLIP and eligible for legalization, they were deported from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

21 The Myanmar-Korea corridor

Migration to Korea occurs under the examination receive job applications. guidelines of the MOU with Korea that • Potential migrants must apply for a PJ incorporates Myanmar as a sending country passport. This requires an overseas in Korea’s Employment Permit System jobseeker registration card, the original (EPS).11 On the Myanmar side, migration household registration and 2 copies, is overseen by the Public Overseas and the original NRC and 2 copies. Employment Agency (POEA), and on The passport costs 25,000 kyat and is the Korean side by Human Resources normally received after 10-15 days. Development (HRD) Korea. Figure A.3 • The POEA transmits applications to the provides an overview of the process. Korean Ministry of Employment and The transmission of documents is done Labor (MOEL). manually, that is, there is no online system for transmitting, verifying, approving, or While the migrant selection process is storing documents. The migration process underway, employers in Korea apply for a begins each year when the inter-ministerial quota and those receiving a quota select Foreign Workforce Policy Committee in job applicants. Korea deliberates and decides on the migrant worker quota for that year. The • Employers in Korea apply for a quota EPS-TOPIK Korean language test is then from their local public employment announced in the newspaper and other service agency. media. • MOEL processes applications and issues employment permits. Once EPS-TOPIK is announced, migrant • Employers that are issued permits workers take a series of language, skill, examine job applicants and transmit and medical tests to qualify for entry into draft employment contracts to MOEL. the EPS. The tests culminate with a job • MOEL inspects draft employment application that consists of qualifications contracts. and even video clips demonstrating Korean • MOEL delivers employment contracts language ability. for the potential migrant worker’s signature through the HRD Korea office • Potential migrants submit application in Myanmar. forms. • Potential migrants take the EPS-TOPIK The final stage of the process in Myanmar test. begins when the POEA informs selected • Potential migrants passing the EPS- applicants of their acceptance. TOPIK test take the Skill Test and Competency Test. • The POEA informs selected applicants • Potential migrants passing the Skill Test of their acceptance and explains the and Competency Test undergo a medical details of their contract. examination at prescribed clinics. • Potential migrant workers sign the • Potential migrants passing the medical contract.

11 Migration to work in the fisheries sector is done separately from the Employment Permit System via recruitment agencies. See Htwe, Zaw Zaw. 2019. “Myanmar sending fishery workers under contract with South Korea,” Myanmar Times. August 21, 2019.

22 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar • The POEA transmits the signed Finally, the potential migrants depart for employment contract to HRD Korea. Korea. • Potential migrant workers who have signed the employment contract take • The Myanmar labor attaché and HRD predeparture training organized by the Korea greet the migrant workers upon POEA. arrival at Incheon Airport. • Potential migrant workers undergo a • The migrant workers attend 20 hours final medical examination. of employment training (3 days and 2 nights). Korean employers must still apply for two • The migrant workers are sent to their visa documents for each selected potential work site. migrant worker.

• The Korean employer applies for the Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance (CCVI) from the Korean Ministry of Justice. • The Ministry of Justice examines the worker. • The Ministry of Justice issues the Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance (CCVI) to potential migrant workers. • Once the CCVI is received, the POEA assists the potential migrant workers to apply for a visa at the Korean Embassy in Myanmar. • The Korean Embassy issues visas to potential migrant workers.

Potential migrants must receive final documentation.

• Potential migrant workers and their parent or relatives sign a guarantee contract. • The potential migrants obtain the OWIC at the OWIC office in North Dagon in Yangon. Potential migrants must obtain the OWIC in person and are required to show their passport. Obtaining the OWIC involves an iris scan, fingerprinting, and a photo. • HRD Korea notifies potential migrant workers of their departure date and flight.

23 Figure A.3 The formal migration process for Myanmar migrants to Korea

Source: Authors. Note: Grey shading indicates that the process is the responsibility of Korean actors.

24 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar Migration corridors without labor attachés

Myanmar also permits migration to sends the verified demand letter to the several countries that do not have labor Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attachés. The process for migrating to • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs transmits these countries tends to take longer, the verified demand letter to the since there is no designated staff at the Department of Labor. Myanmar embassies to verify the demand • The Administration Division in the for Myanmar migrant workers. Figure Department of Labor receives the A.4 provides an overview of the process. demand letter, and stamps it with The transmission of documents is done a sequenced serial number in the manually, that is, there is no online system registration book. The Administration for transmitting, verifying, approving, or Division then transmits the demand letter storing documents. to the Migrant Worker Division, which stamps it with a new sequenced serial • The overseas employment agency number. The demand letter is recorded submits a demand letter and an in an Excel file. Information recorded employment contract to the Department in the Excel file includes the name of of Labor. The demand letter submission the overseas employment agency, the includes information such as a sample location of the job, the job title, the contract, photos of the workplace number of men and women requested, and accommodations, a profile of the the wages, the employment contract, employer, the overseas employment and the service fee. The Department agency’s license, the salary, and a letter of Labor reviews the demand letter. In from the recruitment agency’s managing most cases, this is the responsibility of director confirming that the migrant the Migrant Worker Division, which looks workers will be treated properly. at wages, recruitment fees, the location • The Department of Labor verifies the of work, and other factors. The Migrant demand letter and transmits it to the Worker Division informs the overseas Ministry of Foreign Affairs. employment agency if any demand • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs transmits letter is incomplete. Sensitive cases the demand letter to the Myanmar may be sent to the Director General or Embassy in the destination country. For to MOLIP for review. The Excel file is migration to the Middle East, the demand submitted weekly by the Department letter is transmitted to the nearest of Labor to the Education, Health, embassy if the destination country does and Human Resources Development not have a Myanmar embassy. Committee for review. The transmission • The Myanmar Embassy verifies the to the Committee has a cover letter demand letter, visiting the employer and attached with an order number. the work site if necessary. Because there • The Education, Health, and Human is no labor attaché, this step can take Resources Development Committee between 2 and 3 months because the reviews the demand letter. The Embassy employees have many other Committee’s review involves officers of tasks. In Japan, the Japan-Myanmar the Migrant Worker Division presenting Association performs the verification the demand letters to the Committee, and obtains the endorsement of the for consideration of wages, location of Embassy. The Myanmar Embassy work, worker protections, recruitment

25 fees, and the total number of demand • The potential migrant must obtain an letters. The Committee meets each overseas jobseeker registration card Tuesday and demand letters must be by registering at a LEO. Registration transmitted to the Committee by the requires the jobseeker to bring their NRC preceding Thursday to be included in and originals and copies of educational the next week’s meeting. Approval qualifications, and provide information normally takes 2 or 3 days. From receipt about their employment history. of the demand letter by the Department • The potential migrant must apply for a of Labor to approval by the Committee PJ passport. This requires an overseas typically takes about two weeks. The jobseeker registration card, the original Committee sends a letter to the MOLIP household registration and 2 copies, Office via the Migrant Worker Division and the original NRC and 2 copies. with the total number of workers The passport costs 25,000 kyat and is approved, and it includes the order normally received after 10–15 days. number. Fifteen townships have offices issuing • The Minister’s Office sends the approval PJ passports. An awareness program to the Department of Labor. had suggested obtaining a medical • The Department of Labor informs examination prior to obtaining the overseas employment agencies of passport to avoid cases in which potential approval by e-mail (with a cover letter) migrants paid the passport fee but failed that the demand letter has been the exam. However, obtaining a passport approved. They may also be notified in does not require getting a medical exam person. The approval order number is before application. Potential migrants valid for one year. (The agencies generally are supposed to obtain their passport in know when their demand letter will be their local passport office, but overseas considered by the Committee and so are employment agencies often gather ready for approval if and when it comes.) potential migrants and help them obtain their passports in a single location. Overseas employment agencies were • The potential migrant undergoes a previously blocked from advertising medical examination. overseas vacancies in demand letters • The potential migrant receives a 3-day until they were approved by the predeparture training at the training Education, Health, and Human Resources school in North Dagon in Yangon. The Development Committee; however, in training can only be completed after practice, informal brokers would identify the overseas employment agency has workers for the agencies before approval received an approved demand letter was received. Overseas employment from the Department of Labor, but this agencies are now allowed to advertise training can be taken while the potential overseas vacancies prior to receiving migrant awaits visa approval. The approval of the committee. The agencies recruitment agency contacts the training shepherd migrants through the migration center to book a training date for the process: they ensure that migrants potential migrants. obtain the necessary documentation, and • The potential migrant signs an they handle paperwork and arrange for employment contract. transportation and accommodations as • The employer applies for a visa and work necessary. permit12 for the potential migrant. In the

12 This may also be known as a Certificate of Eligibility. Work permit is used throughout the rest of this section in accordance with generally used terminology.

26 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar Somrerk Witthayanant/ Shutterstock

Middle East, the visa application requires • The potential migrant obtains the OWIC a medical certificate, a passport, photos, from the office of the Migrant Worker notarized educational certificates, and Division that issues them in North visa forms. The potential migrant must Dagon in Yangon. Potential migrants work with the overseas employment must obtain the OWIC in person and agency to obtain a work permit for the are required to show their passport, destination country.13 the approved demand letter from the overseas employment agency, and their In the final stage before migrating, the work permit. The potential migrant must migrant obtains the OWIC. receive pre-departure training before obtaining the OWIC. Obtaining the OWIC • Overseas employment agencies can involves an iris scan, fingerprinting, and apply to the Department of Labor for a photo. permission to obtain the OWIC once the potential migrant has received the Finally, the potential migrant departs. work permit and the passport and has completed predeparture training. The agency submits to the Department of Labor a copy of the work permit, the predeparture-training certificate, and the passport.

13 Previously, overseas employment agencies recruiting workers for Japan had to request from the Department of Labor a recommendation letter that was needed to obtain the Certificate of Eligibility necessary for sending employees to Japan. The Memorandum of Cooperation signed in April of 2018 replaced this recommendation letter with a process for approving recruitment agencies for participation in Japan’s Technical Intern Training Program.

27 Figure A.4 The formal migration process for Myanmar migrants to countries without labor attachés

Source: Authors. Note: Grey shading indicates that the process is the responsibility of non-Myanmar actors.

28 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar Appendix 5 Obtaining an Overseas Worker Identification Card (OWIC)

To obtain an Overseas Worker Identification The OWIC includes a scannable barcode. Card (OWIC), an immigration officer at the The following information is provided on office that issues OWICs in North Dagon the OWIC: Township in Yangon, or at the Migrant Worker Office in Myawaddy, first verifies • Registration number (unique ID) and scans the applicant’s passport. The • Name verification is done visually. A photograph, • Gender an iris scan, and fingerprints are taken. • Date of birth Personal and employment information are • Father’s name entered into a database. The database in • Occupation the office in Myawaddy is not synchronized • Date of issuance immediately with the office in North • Date of expiration Dagon, but is sent later. When obtaining • Passport number the OWIC, the overseas employment • Myanmar overseas employment agency agency must bring the demand letter • Foreign recruitment agency package, which includes any necessary • Foreign employer name and address verifications from Myanmar and overseas authorities and the list of migrant workers. Overseas employment agencies typically bring migrant workers in groups to obtain their OWICs. A fee of MMK2,600 must be paid to obtain the OWIC. Migrant workers are supposed to turn in their OWICs upon their return to Myanmar.

29 Appendix 6 Obtaining a passport

Passport Offices issue seven types of must provide their National Registration passports: work (PJ) passports for migrants Card (NRC) (original and 2 copies) and their who will work abroad; passports for people household certificate (original and 2 copies) working on ships; visiting passports; to the Passport Office in person, and pay passports for businesspeople; passports 25,000 kyat. To obtain the PJ passport, the for education; passports for dependents; applicant must also present an overseas and religious passports (Table A.1). In jobseeker registration card issued by a order to obtain a passport, an applicant Labor Exchange Office. Previously, an

Table A.1 Types of passports

Form Recordkeeping Visit Passport (PV) • Original NRC and 2 copies • Original household certificate and 2 copies (or birth certificate if younger than 10 years old) Seaman Passport (PR) • Original NRC and 2 copies • Original household certificate and 2 copies • Training certificate and 2 copies • Continuous discharge certificate (CDC) Business Passport (PB) • Original NRC and 2 copies • Original household certificate and 2 copies (or birth certificate if younger than 10 years old) Education Passport (PE) • Original NRC and 2 copies • Original household certificate and 2 copies (or birth certificate if younger than 10 years old) • Copy of school acceptance letter Job Passport (PJ) • Original NRC and 2 copies • Original household certificate and 2 copies (or birth certificate if younger than 10 years old) • Original overseas jobseeker registration card Dependents Passport (DP) - Religious Passport (PR) - Diplomatic Passport (PD) • This passport is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Official Passport (PO) • This passport is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

- indicates not available. Source: Authors.

30 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar applicant for a work passport would also passport can be picked up by an overseas need a demand letter from abroad. This employment agency. changed around 2017 in order to expedite the process of obtaining a passport for All passports are valid for 5 years, at which migrant workers. Other information point they must be renewed. Passports collected includes the father’s name, the cost 20,000 kyat in Yangon and 25,000 kyat date of birth, and the reason for applying at all other locations, and they take around for the passport. The Ministry of Foreign 10 days to obtain.14 There is an expedited Affairs issues 2 additional passports: “green channel” that takes around 5 days diplomatic passports and official passports. to obtain.This channel is used in case of health issues, business meetings, For the PJ passport, an immigration officer education events, or exchange programs in the Passport Office verifies the NRC for civil servants. The passport renewal and the household certificate. If further process requires the same steps and verification is needed, the officer calls the documents as those for a new passport, township immigration officer for additional except that the expired passport must be information. The immigration officer keeps turned in. a copy of the passport application. Upon verification, photographs, fingerprints, and The process of obtaining a passport was iris scans are taken. A passport officer streamlined in 2014. Reforms simplified the enters the information into an online number of application procedures, reduced database, along with the applicant’s NRC the number of pages in the application and household certificate, so that the forms, eliminated a requirement to check information can be sent to Nay Pyi Taw. that applicants had paid their taxes in full, The Yangon Passport Office issues the and decreased the time that applicants had passport, which in the case of the PJ to wait to receive their passports.15

14 Saning, Yen. 2014. “Burma Opens New Passport Offices around the Country.” , January 10, 2014. https://www. irrawaddy.com/news/burma/burma-opens-new-passport-offices-around-country.html. 15 Saning, Yen. 2014. “Burma Opens New Passport Offices around the Country.” The Irrawaddy, January 10, 2014. https://www. irrawaddy.com/news/burma/burma-opens-new-passport-offices-around-country.html.

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32 Labor Mobility As a Jobs Strategy for Myanmar