Myanmar Regime Blocked More Than 1,000 Migrant Workers From Leaving The Country

The Ministry of Labor in Myanmar's capital, Naypyidaw, has canceled the exit permits of over one thousand migrant workers seeking to return to their jobs abroad. These individuals, who hold the mandatory Overseas Worker Identification Certificate (OWIC), had come to Myanmar between April and May to get permission. However, they were turned back by authorities when they attempted to leave the country. This situation has brought serious allegations of a state-backed extortion system and excessive bureaucratic pressure. The workers were forcedly separated from both their loved ones and the jobs that provide their livelihood.

The Ministry of Labor officially based these mass rejection decisions on 'insufficient personal information' and a lack of necessary documents. However, industry sources close to the matter suggest that a much more financial and restrictive motivation lies behind the decision. According to an anonymous OWIC service provider assisting migrant workers, the primary reason for these restrictions is the regime's efforts to seize foreign currency. Workers are required to prove that they transfer 25 percent of their salaries earned abroad back to Myanmar through regime-approved official banks. Additionally, those who cannot submit new approval letters, which must be issued by the relevant embassies of their host countries, are also being penalized.

These strict and suddenly imposed requirements have left many workers helplessly stranded in the country. This situation has created a highly profitable opportunity for corrupt officials. Migrant workers whose applications were rejected report being forced to pay bribes to immigration officials in order to bypass the restrictions and save their livelihoods. According to workers who spoke to DVB, officials demand bribes ranging from 3 million Kyat (approximately 700 US dollars) to 10 million Kyat (2,336 US dollars) in exchange for allowing the workers to leave the country. For many blue-collar workers, meeting these exorbitant and illegal demands has become impossible.

This ongoing crisis demonstrates that the regime is tightening its control over its citizens' movements day by day. Under the 1999 Overseas Employment Law, every Myanmar citizen working abroad is required to hold a valid OWIC card. This card, which has a validity period of five years, ensures close monitoring by the Ministry of Labor by keeping a detailed record of the worker's personal data and employment history. In addition, with a new directive enacted on 1 May, every migrant worker returning to Myanmar on leave is required to obtain official permission letters from both their foreign employers and the host country's embassy before leaving the country.

The regime claims that these harsh policies are implemented to 'ensure safe migration' and 'prevent human trafficking.' However, labor advocates and returning workers argue the exact opposite. They state that these new rules are transparent mechanisms designed to restrict freedom of movement, track citizens abroad, and seize a significant portion of their hard-earned foreign currency wages. Consequently, thousands of people who are forced to work abroad are facing immense uncertainty and financial ruin regarding both their own futures and their families' livelihoods.