PHNOM PENH: Workers and employees in the garment, footwear and travel goods industry in Cambodia will receive US$208 as monthly minimum wage next year, according to Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet.
In a message on his social media networks this afternoon, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet said that H.E. Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training and Chairman of the National Council for Minimum Wage, had just reported to him that the minimum wage negotiations for 2025 were concluded with US$206, which won majority of votes, i.e. 46 out of 51.
However, the Premier has decided to add US$2 to the approved figure of US$206, therefore the monthly minimum wage for 2025 is US$208, an increase by US$4 compared to 2024.
Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet also reaffirmed the Royal Government’s continued attention to improving the living standards, careers, and well-being of people from all walks of life despite the difficult circumstances of the global economy.
The increase in the minimum wage for next year, no matter how small, is to alleviate some of the hardships of the workers and employees, he added.
“In addition to the wage increase, I would like to inform the workers and employees and the public that I will continue to urge the relevant ministries, institutions, authorities to monitor and put in place additional measures to determine the possibility of reducing the spending of workers and employees,” he underlined.
The new monthly minimum wage will take effect from Jan. 1, 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training said, stressing that besides wage, workers in the garment, footwear and travel goods sector will receive other fringe benefits for regular attendance, transport, rent and seniority bonus.
Garment, footwear and travel goods industry is the largest foreign exchange earner for Cambodia. The sector consists of roughly 1,077 factories and branches, employing approximately 800,000 workers, mostly female.
The 2024 monthly minimum wage is 2024, up from US$200 in 2023, US$194 in 2022, US$192 in 2021, US$190 in 2020, US$182 in 2019, and US$170 in 2018.
The Royal Government of Cambodia has set a policy to increase the minimum wage of workers and employees in the garment, footwear and travel goods industry every year.