Background
The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) convened a tripartite workshop on 21 August 2026 to share socioeconomic updates ahead of sectoral minimum wage negotiations for 2027. The National Minimum Wage Council (K.ជ.ប.អ.) is the tripartite body that negotiates minimum wages with representation from government, employers and workers.
The workshop targeted the garment, textiles, footwear and travel-goods sectors and provided official statistics and analysis to inform bargaining. The garment, footwear and travel goods sectors accounted for 46% of Cambodia’s total exports.
Key Developments
On 21 August 2026 Minister Heng Sour chaired the workshop at the MLVT headquarters to update council members on national and global economic conditions. Employer and worker representatives attended, including Oknha Sa Kinal for employers and Kim Chansamlang for workers, and participants discussed the use of official data as inputs to the seven criteria applied in setting sectoral minimum wages.
Institutional Role
MLVT acts as the secretariat and chair for the National Minimum Wage Council and organizes preparatory briefings that supply official macroeconomic and sectoral data to negotiating parties. The council uses structured, tripartite procedures to review criteria and evidence before agreeing minimum wage levels for covered sectors.
Market Impact
Workshop materials and ministerial statements framed minimum wage setting as a policy lever intended to affect living standards, productivity and the investment environment in export-oriented manufacturing. MLVT indicated that providing transparent statistical inputs aims to support fully informed negotiations among the three parties.
