Unverified migrant workers get 3 months

The migrant-worker management committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, agreed with the ministry's proposal to relax measures for the more than 260,000 migrant workers in Thailand and grant them extra time to apply for a work permit, Vice Labour Minister Anusorn Kraiwatnusorn said.

The measure will be put forward for Cabinet approval on January 8 before it is announced officially, he said.

Once the measure is officially announced, work-permit applications need to be submitted within a month so officials have at least a couple of months to process documents and check the migrants' legal status in their countries, he said.

"During this three-month period, migrant workers will be able to remain in Thailand legally," Anusorn said, confirming that they will not be arrested or deported for illegal entry.

He added that the Labour Ministry will also help set up one-stop service centres in a cooperation scheme with neighbouring countries to facilitate the registration process.

Migrant workers who obtain a work permit during this period will be allowed to work in Thailand for two years and be granted social welfare benefits, he said.

It is estimated that some 2 million migrant workers are based in Thailand.

As of December 14, some 1.2 million workers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar had registered and completed the verification procedure.