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Cambodia Breaking News (Kampong Cham): On June 25, 2019, the General Lieutenant Kang Vuthy, led the immigration authority to inspect the foreign workers in four worksites in Kampong Cham.
These inspections differ from the normal "crackdowns" on illegal immigrants in that they are all small businesses, employing mostly women, and there are only 1 Chinese and 3 Vietnamese among those inspected. Notably different from usual is the fact that all those inspected had legal visas and work permits. 1 British national was among those questioned by the authorities.


Right, so if everyone's papers were in order, what's the story then ? Well, in this case, as well as a bank and a tailor shop, the authorities inspected the workers at the local Catholic church, as well as a guesthouse and restaurant MOON RIVER, which is run by a Buddhist NGO*. The Catholic church had 4 foreigners working there legally, and Moon River has a British national working there, also legally.

*Moon River Guest House and Restaurant is a family run business which is cooperated with Social Enterprise of BSDA. BSDA (Buddhism for Social Development Action) is local non-profit organization that currently found by even of Buddhist and run by ex-monk based in Kampong Cham province. Moon River is located along Mekong River in Kampong Cham which is very quiet and relaxed and clean.

HEADS UP.
This is a reminder to foreigners working in small businesses such as bars, restaurants and guesthouses, or in NGOs, that you must have a valid visa, and most of the time you should have a work permit. If you don't know if you need a permit, then find out. If you are not Cambodian and you are "working" somewhere, you probably need a work permit, and the authorities are now doing checks in the provinces, including smaller towns. As a foreigner, living and working in the countryside does not make you invisible to the authorities, quite the contrary.

Kampong Cham Work permit inspections and results
1. Sacombank in village 4, Sangkat Veal Vong Kampong Cham City. The owner, Ny Naren, had 16 workers (6 women, 1 Vietnamese who had a passport, used E visa).
2. Yu Sieng Nam Tailor shop in village 7, Kampong Cham. The owner, Hem Nareth, 60 Cambodian workers (52 women).
3. Moon River guesthouse and restaurant in village 10, Kampong Cham. The owner, Hour Cheamey, had six workers (3 women, 1 British who had a passport, used E visa and had the work permit.
4.Catholic Church in village 1, Sangkat Veal Vong, Kampong Cham. The owner, Chea Chantha, woman, had 12 workers(8 women); 8 Cambodian workers (6 women) and four foreign workers (women). 1 Chinese, 2 Vietnamese and 1 Indian, all had passports, used E visa and work permit.

Immigration and MoLVT officials have been inspecting hundreds of businesses in the past couple of months, massive crack down.

However, they are not arresting and/or fining the employees caught working without the relevant documents, but the business owners, and giving the employees a warning and deadline to get their documentation in order.

Moon River a decent place for lunch. Guesthouse is ok too if you just need to sleep and shower.

TWY wrote:Moon River a decent place for lunch. Guesthouse is ok too if you just need to sleep and shower.

Usually the only place open on the big holidays too.

Why "heads up" in the title? Is it the opinion of the site that immigration laws should not be enforced and violators should be protected?

I hope they check every foreigner's papers and remove those who don't comply.

fax wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 7:53 pm Why "heads up" in the title? Is it the opinion of the site that immigration laws should not be enforced and violators should be protected?

I hope they check every foreigner's papers and remove those who don't comply.

Why would you read it to mean that?

IF people are not in compliance, then now looks like a good time for them to get their act together.

No-one is saying the laws should not be enforced and violators should be protected.
For many years, as you well know, having your papers in order wasn't overly policed in many industries like teaching at a hole in the wall school, a guesthouse, etc. Times are changing.

The "heads up" might not apply to you, but for anyone reading that doesn't have a current visa, work permit, etc , now is the time to get your shit together.

I'm reading it more as a "watch out" than "go get your paper". There's two sides to a coin I guess.

The deadline for work permit applications is April and the deadline for visas is always. It's a little late to get it together now.

fax wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:29 pm I'm reading it more as a "watch out" than "go get your paper". There's two sides to a coin I guess.

The deadline for work permit applications is April and the deadline for visas is always. It's a little late to get it together now.

Some people think they don't come knocking on the door, but the guys certainly do just that. 2017 I had a nice visit at my bar at the time to see if papers were up to date, they were on their rounds. 10 officers in all, and not only businesses, also paying visits to foreigners homes too, just making sure passports and visas were in order.

AndyKK wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 11:37 am also paying visits to foreigners homes too, just making sure passports and visas were in order.

Imagine sitting on a Saturday morning half-baked half-hungover thinking you'll have just one more dooby to set you straight before taking that long overdue shower and maybe score a num pang for breakfast. As you're just about to plug the Xbox controller in to charge until next session someone starts knocking on the door. Limp over with the controller in one hand and a grinder in the other. Open up and there's the 10 man beige suit beerbelly squad asking for your documents.

Fuck man, don't they know some get PTSD flashbacks from home visits?

Immagration officers are professional about their visiting, if it concerns a bussiness visit, the business in question would usually recive a letter of what date they would be expected, or at least a company in the area would. Also there would be accompanied by an official of the works and labour dept and local police.