The Junta's Ministry of Labor decision to suspend permission for men to work abroad has sparked concerns among the youth population.
Concurrent with the second wave of conscription recruitment following the Junta's activation of the conscription law, the Junta has temporarily prohibited men from working abroad as of May 1.
"I have put in a significant amount of time and money to arrange my trip abroad, securing visas and booking flights. But now the possibility of being banned from working overseas looming as my departure date approaches, it feels like all my efforts will have been in vain. I am filled with a sense of despair and confusion”, a young individual from Taunggyi told Shan Herald.
The Junta has temporarily prohibited men from working abroad, but has not provided any clarity on the duration of this restriction.
The Junta's restriction will encompass men who were set to work abroad under memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreements, as well as those possessing Job Passports (PJ) who had plans to work overseas through agencies. Individuals holding passports other than PJ, such as the Visit Passport (PV), have not been prohibited from leaving the country as of now.
Young people expressed concerns that due to the Junta's unpredictability and frequently changing directives and policies, there is a possibility of a future ban on PV and other passport holders from traveling abroad, particularly if there is a significant increase in PV holders seeking to leave the country.
“Currently only PJ holders are prohibited from traveling abroad, and it seems likely that PV holders could face similar restrictions in the future. Regardless of whether the purpose is work or visit, the Junta holds the authority to enforce bans at its discretion”, a young resident of Loilem said.
When young people, whether legally or illegally, flee abroad to evade conscription, such bans can exacerbate the illegal mass exodus of youths, he added.
The Junta initially declared that conscription would commence after Thingyan (Myanmar's traditional New Year festival), which falls in mid-April. However in reality, the call-up for the first batch of young individuals to serve in the military began prior to Thingyan. The Junta also announced plans to recruit 5000 conscripts per batch, and is currently in the process of recruiting for the second batch.
The Junta also announced that starting from May 1, only smart card holders with a Unique Identification Number (UID) issued by the Ministry of Immigration under its authority will be eligible for border passes (BP) and temporary border passes (TBP) required for border crossings.
