Cambodian Migrant Workers Return Home Amid Border Tensions, Seek Domestic Employment

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Sept.27, 2025) — Hundreds of Cambodian migrant workers are returning home each day in search of domestic employment and long-term resettlement, according to the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training.

Ministry spokesperson Sun Mesa said Friday that between 100 and 200 workers have been crossing back into Cambodia daily, primarily along the Cambodia–Thailand border. “Many Cambodian migrant workers are still returning to the country. They are aiming to find domestic employment and seek permanent stay,” he said.

Mesa added that the Ministry, along with provincial employment offices and local authorities, is actively welcoming returnees and providing support services. “The National Employment Agency and local officials are offering information on job opportunities, vocational training, and access to the National Social Security Fund,” he said.

As of Sept. 26, more than 940,000 Cambodian migrant workers had returned from Thailand. The Ministry urged returnees to contact labor offices to access employment programs and social benefits.

The Labor Ministry estimates that roughly 1.2 million Cambodians were working in Thailand prior to the escalation of border tensions in June. Officials say the influx of returning workers presents both a challenge and an opportunity to strengthen Cambodia’s domestic labor market.