Background
The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training organises job-matching forums that connect local jobseekers and returning migrant workers with vacancies offered by enterprises, companies and large factories. These forums are part of the ministry’s operational functions to coordinate employer demand with local labour supply at the subnational level.
The “TVET 1.5 million” initiative provides free vocational training, monthly stipends, and recognition of prior learning for selected technical and construction skills to increase participants’ employability. Legal employment in Cambodia grants workers access to national social security benefits covering work-injury compensation, health care, and retirement coverage.
Key Developments
On 8 August 2026, MLVT organised a combined employment forum, social security outreach and vocational training promotion event in Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province. The ministry reported that participating employers and recruitment partners brought a total of 1,300 local job vacancies to the event and that more than 700 people—including returning migrant workers and youth—attended the forum.
Undersecretary San Kimhong addressed attendees and urged jobseekers to prioritise legal employment and to avoid irregular migration. The ministry publicised two contact hotlines for public services: 1297 for job-matching services and 1286 for social security information.
Institutional Role
MLVT’s role in these activities includes facilitating direct employer–jobseeker interaction, promoting TVET supply aligned with market needs, and communicating legal protections available through national social security mechanisms. The ministry also encourages employers to register legally and to recruit through authorised channels when arranging overseas placements.
Operational Implications
For jobseekers, the combined offer of vacancies, free TVET courses and stipends under the TVET 1.5 million program aims to improve immediate employment prospects and upskilling pathways. For employers and local labour-market intermediaries, on-the-ground forums create a channel to meet demand for over 90,000 advertised national vacancies the ministry referenced as available across enterprises, factories and special economic zones.
