PHNOM PENH, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Minister of Labor and Vocational Training Heng Sour said on Thursday that about 1.35 million Cambodians have been working abroad, sending some 2.9 billion U.S. dollars in remittance back to their families in 2023.
The minister released the figures in a speech during the closing ceremony of the ministry's annual conference in Phnom Penh.
He said more than 1.2 million migrant laborers have been working in Thailand, 50,000 in South Korea, 22,000 in Malaysia, 20,000 in Japan, over 800 in Singapore, over 200 in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and 64 in Saudi Arabia.
They have brought not only remittances to their family members but also technical expertise for national development when they return home, he added.
Cambodian workers in Thailand and Malaysia earn a monthly minimum wage of 400 dollars and 300 dollars, respectively, according to the ministry.
Those in South Korea and Japan make 1,500 dollars and 1,400 dollars per month, respectively, the ministry added. ■
