Overseas Worker Identification Card: Ensuring systematic record for the oversea workers

The Ministry of Labour has been issuing the Overseas Worker Identification Card (OWIC) to have systematic record of the oversea workers.

According to the 1999 Foreign Employment Law, the migrant workers must hold OWIC to travel abroad through international airports and land borders.

By holding OWIC, the information of the card holders will be reported to the departments under the Ministry of Labour in details, and it could help the ministry to do research and other necessary processes for the migrant workers.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Nyunt Win said "The Ministry of Labour has been issuing OWIC systematically by registering and developing software. As the cards are issued according to the registration numbers, we can receive the card holders’ information and their travel records. If the workers are only registered by passport number, the travel records of the workers will be reported only to the relevant departments under the Ministry of Immigration and Population."

The ministry has announced that the so-called National Unity Government (NUG), a terrorist organization, has declared to replace OWIC with the Overseas Employment Registration Card (OERC), and those who applied for OERC will be blacklisted and banned from entry/exit of the country. Moreover, actions will be undertaken in line with the existing laws and regulations.