30-second summary: The Department of Employment report for Sep 2026 shows that Cambodian workers with a remaining work permit number 279,854, down from 454,288 in the Sep 2025 report, a drop of about 38%. This figure counts only people who hold a work permit, not all Cambodians in Thailand.
The Exworker team took the figures from the tables in the report of the Foreign Workers Administration Office, and on 3 Nov 2026 checked that the Sep 2026 edition was still the latest one on the listing page. Wherever a section contains our own calculation or analysis, we say so in that section.
How many Cambodian workers are in Thailand now?
279,854 people, according to Sep 2026 data pulled on 1 Oct 2026. That is 6.6% of the 4,225,503 foreign nationals with a remaining work permit nationwide.
If you see another figure that is very different, first check what it counts. This report does not count people without a work permit, and it does not say how many Cambodians actually live in Thailand. For the overall picture across all nationalities, see Number of migrant workers in Thailand 2026
How much did the number of Cambodian workers fall in 1 year?
Cambodian workers with a remaining work permit (thousands)
Only the editions compared in this article are shown. The gaps between bars are not equal.
- 454
- 397
- 280
- 280
- Sep 2025
- Nov 2025
- Aug 2026
- Sep 2026
| Report edition | Number | MOU |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 454,288 | 150,490 |
| Nov 2025 | 396,930 | 135,679 |
| Aug 2026 | 279,727 | 97,695 |
| Sep 2026 | 279,854 | 97,873 |
The figure has now levelled off: from Aug to Sep 2026 it rose by only 127 people. A word of caution: each period names a different data source. The Nov 2025 edition notes that it does not include data from e-WorkPermit, while the 2026 editions say the data comes from the e-Officer system, and the listing page has no editions from Dec 2025 to Jul 2026. So you can see the trend, but you should not make detailed month-by-month comparisons.
Why did the number of Cambodian workers fall?
The report does not give a reason. This section is therefore our analysis, not text from the report.
Comparing Sep 2025 with Sep 2026, the decrease comes from 3 main sources.
- The relaxation group under the cabinet resolution of 24 Sep 2024, from 103,522 people, no longer has a Cambodian row in the Sep 2026 edition, which is consistent with this group's permits ending on 31 Mar 2026
- The MOU group fell by 52,617 people, from 150,490 to 97,873
- The seasonal cross-border group (Section 64) fell by 16,136 people, from 16,562 to 426
These figures are permits that were lost. They do not mean that 174,434 people returned to Cambodia, because the report does not track where each person is after their permit ends.
Which groups are Cambodian workers in?
| Type | Number |
|---|---|
| Existing workers registered with the Department of Employment (Section 63/2) | 181,131 |
| MOU (Section 59) | 97,873 |
| Seasonal cross-border (Section 64) | 426 |
| Section 59, general | 327 |
| Section 62 | 92 |
| Section 61 | 5 |
The first two groups together make up almost everyone. If you still cannot tell which type your worker is, read How MOU workers differ from cabinet-resolution workers
Which provinces have the most Cambodian workers?
The 10 areas with the most Cambodian workers
Our calculation from the MOU group + the existing group, a total of 279,004 people, or 99.7% of the total
| Area | MOU | Existing group | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chonburi | 15,205 | 25,504 | 40,709 |
| Bangkok | 17,885 | 21,917 | 39,802 |
| Pathum Thani | 9,470 | 19,936 | 29,406 |
| Samut Prakan | 8,668 | 16,665 | 25,333 |
| Rayong | 8,208 | 16,398 | 24,606 |
| Chachoengsao | 4,922 | 8,932 | 13,854 |
| Nonthaburi | 4,268 | 9,450 | 13,718 |
| Chanthaburi | 5,978 | 6,490 | 12,468 |
| Trat | 726 | 5,995 | 6,721 |
| Nakhon Ratchasima | 1,732 | 3,414 | 5,146 |
The Bangkok figure in the table does not include another 21,440 people recorded under the Department of Employment (central office), which the report does not assign to any province. If employers in these provinces need to compare wages, see 2026 minimum wage in every province
What jobs do Cambodian workers do most?
Construction is the largest, with 92,849 people, or 33.3% of the 279,004-person base we calculated.
| Business type | Number |
|---|---|
| Construction | 92,849 |
| Agriculture and livestock | 26,836 |
| Code pending update | 26,604 |
| Various services | 23,787 |
| Agriculture-related processing | 19,334 |
| Wholesale, retail and stalls | 18,938 |
| Food and beverage sales | 16,866 |
In the same base, 151,509 are men and 127,495 are women.
Cambodian workers compared with other nationalities
| Nationality | Sep 2025 | Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Myanmar | 2,944,034 | 3,330,477 |
| Laos | 304,540 | 364,785 |
| Cambodia | 454,288 | 279,854 |
| Vietnam | 8,914 | 11,246 |
Cambodia is the only nationality in this table that fell, and within one year Laos overtook Cambodia.
Have Cambodian workers but not sure which group they are in? Ask Nong X. Free answers, no sign-up needed.
When do the documents of each Cambodian worker group expire?
🟢 Clarified by the Ministry of Labour
The group that has already renewed
Their old permits expired on 13 Feb 2025. They may stay and work until 13 Feb 2027, and can renew only once more for no more than 2 years, that is, until 13 Feb 2029. However, no procedure announcement for the next round has been found yet. Check the expiry date shown on each worker's work permit individually.
No renewal resolution found yet
The relaxation group under the resolution of 24 Sep 2024
For Cambodian workers in the relaxation group under the cabinet resolution of 24 September 2024, who were permitted to work until 31 March 2026, renewal was put on hold under the cabinet resolution of 2 December 2025 because of the situation on the Thai–Cambodian border. As of November 2026, no new cabinet resolution renewing this group has been found. Employers with Cambodian workers should check each worker's status with the provincial employment office in their area, or the 1694 / 1506 (press 2) hotline, before taking any action.
The MOU group
Look at the expiry date on each person's permit. Do not use the dates of the cabinet-resolution groups instead.
Seasonal cross-border (border pass)
The border pass group under Section 64 has specific measures under the resolution of 22 Jul 2025. The Sep 2026 report lists 426 people. Confirm the current conditions with the employment office in your area.
The 181,131 existing workers in the report table likely correspond to "the group that has already renewed". This match is ours; the report does not state it directly, so always rely on the date on each worker's permit. To compare all groups side by side, see When do the 4 migrant worker groups expire?
Is there a new cabinet resolution for Cambodian workers yet?
As of 3 Nov 2026, we have not found any new resolution renewing the relaxation group. The 2026 cabinet resolution that renewed work permits covers only Lao, Myanmar and Vietnamese nationals.
As for the news shared in May 2026 that permits would be renewed for more than 200,000 Cambodian workers outside the system, the government spokesperson clarified on 14 May 2026 that this was a proposal by the Federation of Thai Industries, and that no permission or resolution of any kind had been issued. If you see new reports, check with the Department of Employment before deciding anything.
What should employers with Cambodian workers do now?
- Sort your workers one by one: record each person's group, permit number and expiry date from the actual documents.
- For anyone whose permit states an end date of 31 Mar 2026, check their individual status immediately with the provincial employment office or the 1694 / 1506 (press 2) hotline. Until there is a new document confirming the right to work, do not let them keep working based on guesswork. For the penalties for hiring outside the rules, read Fines for hiring migrant workers illegally
- For the 13 Feb 2027 group, start preparing documents and follow the announcements. For now, there is no need to pay any fee just because someone tells you to.
- If a worker leaves the job, report the exit on time. See Reporting migrant worker entry and exit or the entry and exit reporting service
To be upfront: Exworker's MOU import service covers only Laos and Myanmar, not Cambodia. If you want to import Cambodian workers under MOU, you will need another licensed service provider.
Things you must never do
Do not pay for anyone's promise that "Cambodian renewal is guaranteed". If they cannot give you the resolution or announcement number, be suspicious, and check with 1506 (press 2).
- Do not dismiss workers just because of a news report. Each group's status is different, and some still have permits until 13 Feb 2027.
- Do not let workers keep working without knowing their status. Check the date on everyone's permit first.
- Do not confiscate documents or withhold wages to keep workers. If you have already paid for documents, see the correct options in Migrant worker resigns after the employer paid for documents
Frequently asked questions
How many Cambodian workers are in Thailand?
279,854, counting only those with a remaining work permit, according to the Sep 2026 report.
How many Cambodian workers have gone home?
This report cannot answer that, because it counts permits, not travel. The decrease is therefore not the same as the number of people who went home.
Is it true that Cambodian workers expired on 13 Feb 2026?
The Ministry of Labour clarified on the Department of Employment website on 23 Dec 2025 that no group expired on that day. The group that has already renewed may stay until 13 Feb 2027.
Have Cambodian workers lost the right to work in Thailand?
You cannot conclude that. Status differs by group and by individual. Check the date on the permit and ask the provincial employment office.
When is the statistics report updated?
We use the Sep 2026 edition, with data pulled on 1 Oct 2026, which was the latest edition found on 3 Nov 2026.
References
- Foreign Workers Administration Office, Department of Employment: Monthly statistics on foreign nationals' employment, Sep 2025 · Nov 2025 · Aug 2026 · Sep 2026
- Ministry of Labour, published on the Department of Employment website, 23 December 2025: clarification on Cambodian workers and 13 Feb 2026
- Cabinet resolutions of 24 September 2024 · 4 February 2025 · 22 July 2025 · 2 December 2025 · 14 July 2026
- Thai Post, 14 May 2026, on the government spokesperson's clarification
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