Coming home to opportunity: Cambodia reintegrates returning migrant workers

KAMPONG SPEU, Mar. 23, 2026 (KPT) — After years of hardship abroad, Cambodian migrant workers forced to return from Thailand are finding new opportunities at home — jobs, training and social protection that are helping them rebuild their lives and support their families.

Nop Sokhem, 40, returned in September 2025 after border clashes and fears of mistreatment. Today she stitches sportswear at T.S Sport Cambodia in Kampong Speu province. “The ministry helped us find jobs,” she said, recalling how the Labor Ministry offered a week of sewing training, daily wages, and free meals and accommodation. “Working abroad is not as easy as working in our own country. Here, if we are strong and hardworking, it is not difficult.”

Her income is comparable to what she earned in Thailand, but she now benefits from Cambodia’s National Social Security Fund — protection she lacked overseas. As a mother of three, she says stability at home outweighs the risks of migration.

Others share her view. Bat Tola returned in December 2025 after a year in Thailand. He too joined T.S Sport Cambodia after ministry training. “Working in our own country is easier — we don’t have to spend on documents, and the ministry even covered utilities and accommodation during the first week,” he said.

Officials say reintegration is not only about jobs but also about dignity. The Ministry of Labor has rolled out job matching programs, vocational training, and outreach campaigns across provinces, aiming to show returnees that opportunities exist at home.

Since last year’s Cambodia–Thailand conflict, nearly 957,000 workers have come back. Of these, 634,000 have secured jobs, including more than 310,000 through ministry programs. Authorities say the effort reflects a broader strategy: to safeguard livelihoods, strengthen the economy, and restore confidence among families uprooted by regional tensions.

For Sokhem and Tola, the message is clear. “Thinking that there are no opportunities here is wrong,” Tola said. “What matters is whether we are willing to work and how determined we are.”