The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security is tightening procedures for issuing licences to job agencies that send workers overseas, says the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation.
“Overseas employment agencies must be able to demonstrate evidence of sufficient assets to operate, which means capital assets of at least K100 million (US$100,000),” the federation's secretary, U Kyaw Htin Kyaw, told Mizzima on September 15.
The move follows a decision to temporarily ban the sending of Myanmar citizens to work as domestic helpers in Singapore because of reports of abuse.
U Kyaw Htin Kyaw also told Mizzima that the federation would be working with its members to stamp out unethical practices such as exorbitant agency fees
AFP reported last week that Myanmar would impose the temporary ban until the federation reached an agreement with its Singapore counterpart on issues such as worker rights and salaries.
"We have been informed of cases of abuse and ill-treatment of Myanmar maids in Singapore... That's why we want proper protection for workers," the federation's vice-chairman U Soe Myint Aung told the news agency on September 13.
"The labour ministry has temporarily suspended permits for women until the federation signs a memorandum of understanding with (its counterpart in) Singapore," he said.
