Lao gov't begins registering foreigners, issuing temporary work visas

The Lao government will start registering and issuing temporary work permits for foreigners across the country from Wednesday to March 16, 2016 with the expectation of having at least 30,000 foreigners enter the registration process.

"To ensure order in our country and protect the rights and interests of migrant workers, as well as make preparations for national integration into the ASEAN Economic Community by the end of 2015, the Lao government will launch a registration process and issue permits for foreigners who are still working illegally in the Lao PDR," Director General of the Labour Management Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare Phongxaysak Inthalath said Tuesday, according to Lao national news agency KPL on Wednesday.

He said that the registration process is being conducted to find out the number of illegal foreign workers and explore the characteristics of their movements so that responsibilities can be given to relevant authorities and confusion regarding foreigner management can be avoided.

"The registration fee will be 300,000 kip (some 37 U.S. dollars) per person/month. If the deadline is passed, and foreigners continue working illegally without a decent explanation, the relevant authorities will take legal actions against them... Therefore, I would like to ask all relevant sectors, especially employers, foreigners, and the Lao people who sell rental services to foreigners for business or residential purposes or projects, in both special economic zones and specific economic zones, to take part in this management of foreigners," said Phongxaysak.

The Wednesday version of local daily Vientiane Times also reported that the Lao government will register foreigners and issue them with temporary working visas in a bid to regulate the increasing number of undocumented migrant workers in Laos.

The Lao government has assigned the labor-social welfare and security sectors to coordinate the registering and issuing of temporary visas for overseas workers. The move aims to effectively address the problem and ensure social order while protecting the rights and interests of migrant workers as the Asean Economic Community comes into being, according to the report.

If foreigners persist in working illegally or other people facilitate their unlawful actions, officials would strictly enforce the regulations, Phongxaysak added. Enditem