Announcement No. (3/2024)

1. The defeated terrorist military council has issued Notification No. (108/2024), which requires Myanmar migrant workers abroad to transfer at least 25% of their basic salary as family remittances through designated banks and financial services, as well as instructions to have licensed overseas employment agencies oversee the process and ensure compliance, in order to cover the foreign currency deficits used for violent oppression and killings against Myanmar people and to extend their term.

2. This directive requires migrant workers to keep detailed records of their remittance transfers and submit copies to their overseas employment service agencies, which must then report these transactions monthly to the terrorist pillar for the terrorist military council, also known as the “Ministry of Labour,” with noncompliance resulting in restrictions on work permits, the issuance of Overseas Worker Identity Cards (OWIC), and passport renewal as well as there is a threat of severe actions to be taken.

3. The terrorist military council’s acts constitute systemic violations that go beyond the responsibilities of overseas employment service agencies and migrant workers under the existing Overseas Employment Law (1999), resulting in unreasonable demands. Furthermore, the Code of Conduct that agencies must follow does not state that agencies are responsible for supervising the transfer of the family remittance of workers and it is only the injustice directives and orders including the fact to transfer the remittance without the worker’s consent in the employment contract. The order specifies that serious actions will be made and that the passport validity will not be renewed or extended if evidence of the worker’s remittances is not produced. These actions are not in compliance with current laws and penalties. The junta’s announcement and actions are against the consequences of the current laws and regulations and violate citizens’ fundamental rights to possess a legal passport.

4. Aside from Myanmar migrant workers abroad who cannot provide proof of family remittances, Myanmar migrants who actively participate in Myanmar’s democratic movements and those who have fled to neighboring countries due to violent abduction, arrest, persecution, and killings by the military junta are also subjected to human rights violations by Myanmar embassies under the military junta, which prevent these individuals from receiving passport renewals or extensions. It has been reported that 135 agencies that are unable to produce full evidence have had their sending activities suspended.

5. Therefore, licensed overseas employment agencies, organizations, and individuals must not directly or indirectly cooperate with the actions of the violent military junta that violate the fundamental rights of citizens, both domestically and abroad, nor should they comply with any illegal and unlawful orders or directives. The agencies, organization and private agents that coerce or induce workers to make family remittance will face harsh penalties from the National Unity Government.

6. We call on international organizations, including the International Labour Organization (ILO), to put a stop to the military junta’s violations and oppression of fundamental human rights, citizens’ rights, and workers’ rights that faced by Myanmar’s migrant workers and citizens abroad. We further ask that the military junta be held accountable for these continued abuses by taking swift and decisive action against them.

Ministry of Labour

National Unity Government