Background
Immigration enforcement in Cambodia includes entry control, stay-status management, removal procedures, and cooperation with foreign diplomatic missions when foreign nationals are returned to their country of origin. The General Department of Immigration is the Interior Ministry body responsible for immigration administration, border-related procedures, and removal processes for foreign nationals under Cambodian law.
Online scam operations involving foreign nationals have become a recurring governance issue in Southeast Asia, combining immigration violations, unlawful employment, and technology-enabled crime. Deportation is an immigration enforcement measure used to remove foreign nationals who are subject to removal after competent authorities identify violations of entry, stay, work, or public-order requirements.
Foreign nationals working or residing in Cambodia are subject to immigration status requirements and, where applicable, work authorization rules. Coordinated removals through international airports allow immigration authorities to process departures under official supervision and to work with the relevant embassy on nationality and return arrangements.
Key Developments
The General Department of Immigration reported that 153 Chinese nationals, including two women, were deported from Cambodia during the night of 28 April into 29 April 2026. The department said the group was connected to online scam cases as well as illegal stay and illegal work violations.
The deportation was carried out through a special aircraft at the police post of Siem Reap Angkor International Airport. GDI stated that its Investigation and Procedure Department cooperated with the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia to continue the removal process.
Institutional Role
The operation was conducted under the direction of GDI Director General Sok Veasna, following guidance from the Ministry of Interior leadership. GDI linked the action to the government’s wider effort to address technology-enabled crime and remove foreign nationals involved in unlawful activities.
The Ministry of Interior oversees Cambodia’s internal security and immigration institutions, including the administrative chain responsible for implementing deportation decisions. Embassy coordination is relevant in deportation cases because return arrangements often require confirmation of nationality, travel documentation, and destination-country cooperation.
Operational Implications
The case shows that Cambodia’s immigration authorities are using deportation as part of their response to online scam networks involving foreign nationals. It also indicates that immigration enforcement can intersect with criminal-investigation priorities when cases involve unlawful work, illegal stay, and alleged technology-related offenses.
For businesses and foreign workers, the development reinforces the compliance relevance of lawful stay status and work authorization in Cambodia. For public institutions, the case provides a documented example of cross-border coordination between immigration authorities and a foreign embassy in a removal operation.
