At least 11 of the 49 recruiting firms the Ministry of Labour has approved to send Cambodian workers overseas are alleged to have been complicit in shady practices ranging from broken promises to allegations of abuse and captivity in the past four years.

A Ministry of Labour announcement, dated February 24 and signed by Labour Minister Ith Sam Heng, names 49 recruitment agencies that find employment abroad for Cambodians that the ministry deems legitimate.

“Nowadays, the ministry is sending workers to work in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and Korea,” the statement says. “Previously, the ministry found that there were some illegal brokers that cheated Cambodian citizens to illegally work overseas, resulting in abuse and death.”

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