Bangkok – The Thai cabinet has approved a special arrangement for illegal migrant workers from neighboring countries, allowing them to register for 2-year legal work status in Thailand, following the case of a new COVID-19 outbreak among the migrant workers’ community.
Migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, who are in Thailand illegally, will be able to obtain a 2-year work permit under a special arrangement offered to help contain the spread of COVID-19.
Following the new COVID-19 cluster in a migrant workers’ community in Samut Sakhon, some businesses employing illegal immigrants, started to let their workers go, while other illegal migrant workers who want to flee to other areas to avoid prosecution, pose higher risks of a more widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the country.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranaku, said that employers will need to apply on the Department of Employment’s website on behalf of their workers from 15th January to 13th February 2021 to obtain special legal status for their workers.
The Department of Employment will then forward the information submitted by the employers to the Ministry of Public Health to schedule screenings for COVID-19 and other prohibited diseases among the applying migrant workers. They will also need to apply for 2-year’s health insurance. All these processes will cost 7,200 baht per person.
Following these steps, the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Labor will transmit the applicants’ data to the Ministry of the Interior for the issuance of special work permits or Pink Cards, which will grant successful applicants two years legal working status in Thailand, or until 16th February 2023.
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said today that this special arrangement is a good opportunity for migrant workers to receive legal protection, while warning that illegal migrant workers and their employees found after this campaign will face severe prosecution. (NNT)
