By Ma Ma - Jan 11, 2024
The workers said that the cost of the recommendation letters requested in applying for a job is more than one day's minimum wage. Currently, factories, work place and businesses ask for labor cards, neighborhood recommendation letter, police certificate, etc.
"We have to pay for labor card. We paid 500 kyats at the Shwe Pyi Thar office. We have to 1,000 kyats neighborhood recommendation letter, 1,000 kyats for police certificate. There are other expenses too. 300 kyats for the car bus which is 600 kyats for the round trip. If a youth would like to take her partner it would cost 1,200 kyats. Considering all together it costs more than a day's wages. We only cost this amount as we do it ourselves. People from Hlaing Thar Yar said they costed for two day wages," said one who made the labor card herself.
According to the minimum wage law in Myanmar, the wage for 8 working hours a day is 4,800 kyats. Last October, the ministry announced to raise the stipend of 1,000 kyats of the minimum wage, which had not been changed for more than 5 years.
Actually, we applied for jobs as we need money. We don't know how the job would be like but we have to spend first. Previously, employers did not ask for letters of recommendation. Now everyone is asking for it back. Actually, it is convenient if they ask for these letters after we are hired, but now it’s not ok," said a worker from Shwe Pyi Thar Township.
A job seeker said that charging from departments and administrations are seems to be legitimate after the military coup.
We have to queue to give the ID card before 7:00 Am in the morning to get a labor card. It costs a lot of trouble. It's not safe to go to the police station to get a letter of recommendation. As there are so many people who seeks for jobs now, we have to pay everything they ask for. They're asking for letters of recommendation to make businesses for the departments," he said.
In addition, job seekers say that there are scammers on internet by claiming that they will search a job for the seekers.
