Work Permits and Employment Cards in Cambodia

Who needs one

A foreigner working in Cambodia is expected to hold a work permit, and the employer is expected to hold the corresponding foreign employee quota. The obligation sits with both: the employee needs the permit, and the company needs the authorisation to employ a foreigner in that position.

Directors and owners are not automatically exempt. If you are running the company, plan for the same paperwork as any other foreign employee.

The foreign employee quota

The company applies for a quota that sets how many foreign employees it may hire in the coming year, in proportion to its total workforce. The quota is applied for annually and in advance, so a company that wants to hire a foreign manager this quarter may already be too late for this year.

This is the step new companies miss: the quota is an employer obligation that exists before the individual permit application.

Documents for the application

Expect to provide the passport and current visa, the company's registration and tax documents, an employment contract or appointment document, educational or professional evidence, a health certificate, and photographs. Requirements are administrative and are updated from time to time, so confirm the current list with the Ministry of Labour before submitting.

Where documents originate abroad, have them translated and legalised as required. A missing legalisation step is a common reason an application is returned.

The employment card

Foreign employees also hold an employment card, which evidences the holder's right to work. Keep it with your passport. Inspections can ask for it, and it is usually requested when opening a bank account, renewing a visa or applying for a licence.

Renewals

Permits and cards are valid for a fixed period and must be renewed before expiry. Renewals are cheaper and simpler than applications after a lapse, and a lapse can interrupt your visa extension.

Set a reminder ninety days before expiry. The renewal window is not the moment to discover that the company's quota lapsed or that the company documents are out of date.

What happens without one

Working without a permit exposes the employee to fines and the employer to penalties, and it weakens both parties' position if there is a dispute. It also creates a paper trail problem: a bank or a licensing authority may later ask for evidence of lawful employment covering a period you cannot document.

Sequence that works

1. Company applies for its foreign employee quota for the year.
2. Employee holds a valid ordinary visa and business extension.
3. Permit application submitted with complete, legalised documents.
4. Employment card issued and kept with the passport.
5. Renewal filed ninety days before expiry.

Rules and document lists change. Confirm the current requirements with the Ministry of Labour and the immigration authorities before applying.