The Government of Japan has provided nearly US$1 million to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to strengthen response mechanisms aimed at expanding employment opportunities for Cambodian migrant workers returning from Thailand.
H.E. Heng Sour, Cambodian Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, witnessed the signing ceremony of the project titled “Promoting Livelihoods and Employment for Returned Migrant Workers Affected by the Border Conflict”, which was signed by H.E. UENO Atsushi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Cambodia, and Ms. Xiaoyan Qian, Director of the ILO Office for Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. The ceremony took place on Feb. 18, at the Japanese Embassy in Phnom Penh.
The 24-month project will be implemented jointly by the ILO and the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, with financial support from the Government of Japan amounting to approximately US$1 million. The initiative aims to help returning migrant workers access decent employment and reintegrate into the domestic economy through an integrated package of livelihood support, employment services, and skills development.
Key activities under the project include the establishment of three new Migrant Worker Resource Centres in provinces with high numbers of returnees, namely Oddar Meanchey, Pursat, and Preah Vihear. These centres will provide counselling services, outreach activities, data collection, and legal assistance to returning workers.
The project will also support labour market responses through consultations with employers and workers’ organisations, commune/Sangkat-level job fairs, and targeted awareness-raising campaigns, particularly in labour-intensive sectors such as garment manufacturing, construction, and production. In addition, skills upgrading and reskilling will be delivered through short-term training courses, recognition of prior learning (RPL), job readiness training, entrepreneurship development, and the strengthening of national systems to ensure sustainable reintegration into decent work.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador UENO Atsushi said Japan is proud to support Cambodia and the ILO in responding to the urgent needs of returning workers, reflecting Japan’s strong commitment to human security and regional stability. He noted that the project reaffirms the long-standing partnership between Japan and Cambodia, as well as Japan’s support for inclusive and resilient labour markets.
For his part, H.E. Heng Sour stressed that the return of Cambodian migrant workers requires a coordinated national-level response. He said the project aligns with Cambodia’s broader human resource development strategy and contributes to long-term labour market development by strengthening linkages between returning workers, skills development, employment services, and sustainable livelihoods.
Ms. Xiaoyan Qian expressed appreciation for Japan’s support, noting that the project will reinforce national reintegration systems by linking skills recognition, job matching, and social protection, ensuring that returning migrant workers receive effective and comprehensive assistance.
On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, Minister Heng Sour expressed his deep gratitude to the Government of Japan for supporting and expanding the project in response to the Ministry’s request, and thanked the ILO for its long-standing cooperation in ensuring that returning migrant workers are not only reintegrated, but also empowered to rebuild stable, productive, and dignified lives in their homeland.
