The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has named 37 legitimate private agencies that have the authority to recruit, train, and send Cambodian workers to work in Qatar, in order to protect the public falling victim to scammers.

The ministry emphasised that any recruitment agency that is not listed is considered illegal. The public should immediately report them or contact the 25 municipal and provincial labour departments. The list of legitimate companies is available on the ministry’s website www.mlvt.gov.kh.

“In order to avoid spreading false information that could lead to people suffering, advertising related to the recruitment or provision of employment services to Cambodian workers – in any media – must first obtain a permit from the ministry’s General Department of Labour,” it said.

Moeun Tola, executive director of the Centre for Labour Alliances and Human Rights (CENTRAL) said the announcement tied in with the ministry’s responsibility to prevent workers from being cheated by fraudulent companies.

He urged the ministry to increase its monitoring of the circumstances of people who work abroad through these agencies, as he was aware of workers who had travelled legally, but still faced challenges.

“The important thing is to monitor the situation of workers in Qatar, as there have been many reports of violations of foreign workers’ rights, including the right to freedom of movement and the death of many workers. There are many workers there from Myanmar, Bangladesh, and even Nepal” he added.

However, he said that overall the ministry has done well by finding opportunities for people to work abroad, but the important thing is to have mechanisms to protect them – or increase the local employment market.