(http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/yangon) By Zaw Zaw Htwe | Friday, 27 January 2017

The labour ministry is looking to introduce a 10-fold increase in deposits paid by overseas employment agencies. Migrant workers protest in Thailand in June 2016. Photo: Kaung Htet / The Myanmar Times Officials told The Myanmar Times the extra cash will be used to boost the collateral fund in case an agency abandons its workers, or the workers encounter problems while abroad.

“Our main aim is to protect the workers. Overseas employment business is not a trade. It involves human beings. We want to restrain the agencies from committing labour violations,” Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population permanent secretary U Myo Aung told The Myanmar Times.

The government currently collects a K5 million deposit from overseas employment agencies before awarding them a business licence. The agencies will have to fork out K50 million if the proposal is approved. The umbrella body for overseas employment agencies, however, opposed the move, saying the proposed fee was unreasonably high.

Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation (MOEAF) joint general secretary U Kyaw Zaw said about 150 overseas employment agencies have submitted appeal letters to the government, the President’s Office and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population, protesting the increase.

He said MOEAF’s officials have also requested that the government not approve the proposal. “In restraining the agencies with regard to labour problems, disciplining with the rule of law is better than disciplining with finances,” said U Kyaw Zaw.

U Myo Aung pointed out that neighbouring countries have already raised their own deposit fees. Agencies in Thailand, for example, are required to deposit 5 million baht (US$141,600) with the government, he said. Higher fees would deter the agencies from committing labour violations, he stressed. “We just want to stop the agencies from making any mistakes or taking advantage of the workers. The current fees are not enough of a deterrent,” he said.

U Myo Aung also said that there have been too many cases where agency owners have swindled would-be migrant workers and then fled, leaving the government to sort out the mess on its own dime. But an overseas employment agency director who asked not to be named said that many agencies could not afford the K50 million deposit and would have to close.

“We have to follow the rules if we are to conduct this business. But most of the agencies can’t afford the proposed amount,” he added. According to the MOEAF, there are 247 registered agencies.