Myanmar CI Centre: 25% Remittance and Tax Rules Explained

30-second summary: Myanmar authorities have confirmed that applicants for a CI book at the centres in Thailand must show proof of paying income tax for at least 1 year and proof of sending money to their family for 3 months. The figures of 25% of wages and 2% tax come from several reports, but the Myanmar-side statements we checked do not state any percentage. If you are an employer, the first thing to do is check whether your workers must file for renewal by 11 Dec 2026.

This article separates what has been confirmed from what is only claimed. Information is as of 3 Nov 2026 and may still change. To be upfront: Exworker also handles paperwork for Myanmar workers, so we have a stake in this issue. This article therefore does not recommend whose services you should use.

What is a CI centre and who runs it?

CI stands for Certificate of Identity, an identity document that the Myanmar authorities issue to their own citizens. Workers use this book as a travel document for working in Thailand. A CI centre is therefore run by the Myanmar side, even though it is located in Thailand. The Thai side is involved in areas such as facilitating Myanmar officials coming in to carry out the work.

For the basics about the book, read Getting a Myanmar CI book: a key document for migrant workers

Where are the CI centres open this round, and until when?

We have not found a closing-date announcement from the Department of Employment. Before you plan, confirm again with the 1506 hotline, press 2.

How confirmed are the 25% remittance and 2% tax conditions?

Issue	What we found	Certainty
1-year tax proof + 3-month remittance proof	The Myanmar side states it as a condition for CI applicants	Confirmed by the Myanmar side
Send at least 25% of wages	Reported by labour organisations and the media; a private company cites an announcement by the Myanmar Labour Attaché Office dated 12 Oct 2026	Several sources agree, but we have not yet seen the announcement itself
Tax rate	Some sources say 2%, others say 2–3%	Sources do not agree yet
Calculation base and exemptions	No official explanation found yet	Still unclear

Do not use these figures to calculate costs for all your workers across the board, because it is still unclear whether actual wages or estimated wages are used as the base.

Does a 25% remittance mean losing 25% of income?

No. Many people think workers lose this whole sum, but the money transferred under the condition reaches their family. The real burdens workers carry are:

• Less cash in hand — people who used to send their family whatever they could afford may have to transfer more than before
• Exchange-rate gap — The Standard reports that state bank channels give a lower rate than the market
• Tax and fees — money actually paid out that does not reach the family

Another open question is what people who have no family in Myanmar, or whose family lives in areas where sending money is difficult, are supposed to do.

How much does a CI cost this round?

This table collects reported figures; they are not all official rates.

Item	Reported figure	Source
Book fee	2,660 or 2,670 baht	Sources differ
Income tax	About 1,800 baht per year	Workers' accounts
Visa fee	3,000 baht	Workers' accounts
Queue fee via brokers	1,300–1,500 baht	Allegations by workers and employer groups

Workers interviewed by The Standard estimate the total at no less than about 10,000 baht per person. The figure "2%, about 6,000 baht" cited in political forums should be treated with caution: 6,000 baht matches the 3-month remittance total reported by another source, so it is still unclear whether it refers to tax or to remittance.

Which groups of workers are affected?

The Migrant Working Group (MWG) estimates that more than 1 million workers may be at risk of falling out of the system. This is the organisation's estimate, not an official figure. Roughly broken down:

• About 700,000 people in the 11 Nov 2025 cabinet-resolution group who still have no travel document
• Nearly 2 million people in the 24 Sep 2024 and 2 Dec 2025 cabinet-resolution groups, most of whom hold a CI that is about to expire
• About 100,000 people in the MOU group reaching 4 years in 2026–2027

The figure with a traceable source, from the 14 Jul 2026 cabinet resolution, is 551,198 Myanmar workers in the 11 Dec 2026 group who have not yet had their visa stamped. If you are not sure which group your workers are in, see Migrant workers' 4 groups: when do they expire?

What can Thailand do?

Thailand does not issue the CI book, and setting the conditions for Myanmar documents is a matter for the Myanmar side. But what happens in Thailand is still under Thai law, and Thailand has 3 main tools:

• On-the-ground inspections if money is unlawfully demanded or workers are exploited
• Diplomatic negotiation with the Myanmar side over conditions that affect workers
• Setting Thailand's own measures, such as conditions for staying and working while waiting for documents

As of 3 Nov 2026, we have found no announcement or statement from the Department of Employment saying how Thailand will address this condition. An infographic being shared claims that the Director-General of the Department of Employment met the Myanmar labour attaché and is sending an official letter, but we have not been able to find its original source. What politicians said at a forum on 2 Nov is that the House security committee invited the Director-General to explain, and that the Labour Minister has measures to inspect extra charges at the centres — this too is still only hearsay.

Why can't a single ministry solve this?

The issue has many overlapping layers: diplomacy with a neighbouring country that shares a border, border security amid the conflict in Myanmar, labour rights, and employers' need for workers. Employer groups and MWG also warn that a labour shortage could hit agriculture and construction especially hard.

Every option therefore has a cost. If the centres carry on as they are, some workers may be unable to bear the costs; but if the centres are suspended without supporting measures, people who need the documents to keep their status may also hit a dead end.

What solutions does each side propose?

Side	Main proposal
Myanmar worker representatives (27 Oct 2026)	Use the pink card together with the work permit instead of a CI or passport, pay fees directly to the Thai state, and make costs transparent
Migration reform network	Suspend the centres temporarily during an investigation, and have the cabinet grant status relief from the Thai side
Law-abiding ("white") employers' group	Open registration and renewal unilaterally for a temporary 1–2 years during negotiations
People's Party shadow cabinet (2 Nov 2026)	Have the Thai state oversee the centres, and inform the Myanmar side that the 2% tax conflicts with the 2002 double taxation agreement — an argument that, in the reports we found, no government agency has yet answered

All of these are proposals, not yet policy. Today, the pink card still cannot be used in place of a travel document as these proposals suggest.

What should employers do now?

1. Check each worker's group — do not wait for the news first, because each group's expiry date is different
2. If they are in the 11 Dec 2026 group, file for renewal via e-WorkPermit in time — the system stops accepting applications at 16.30 on the last day. Read the steps at Work permit renewal for 3 nationalities
3. If a worker does not have the book yet, you can file for renewal first — this round's announcement lets Myanmar workers who do not yet have a passport attach it later, but that does not mean no documents are needed at all
4. If a worker is in the 13 Feb 2027 group, see Employer guide for the CI group expiring 13 Feb 2027. If you are interested in switching documents, see Changing a CI to a PJ
5. Talk clearly with your workers about costs — who pays what and how much, and keep every receipt

For details of the centre opening round, see Myanmar CI centres reopen for a new round

What you must never do

• Do not keep a worker's book or identity documents, even if you paid for the documents
• Do not deduct wages or transfer money on a worker's behalf without their knowledge and consent. This money is theirs. If you are unsure, ask the 1506 hotline, press 2, first
• Do not pass on figures from infographics to your workers as facts if you do not yet know who issued that information

Frequently asked questions

Is it Thailand that collects the 2% tax and forces the 25% remittance?

No. This condition comes from the Myanmar side. It is not a requirement of Thai law or of the Department of Employment.

Can the pink card be used instead of a CI book yet?

Not yet. For now it is only a proposal from labour organisations. In the meantime, follow the conditions in the renewal announcement for your workers' group.

Have the Thai authorities sent a letter to Myanmar yet?

As of 3 Nov 2026 we have not found any document or statement confirming this. If this affects your decisions, ask the Department of Employment on the 1506 hotline, press 2.

Do workers with no family in Myanmar have to send money?

No official answer has been found yet. Ask the centre or the Myanmar Labour Attaché Office first, and do not rely on a broker's assurance alone.

Can a worker without a CI book still file for renewal by 11 Dec 2026?

Yes. This round's announcement lets Myanmar workers who do not yet have a passport attach it later, and after filing, visa stamping must be completed by 30 Jun 2027. But the travel document must still be prepared in time to meet the conditions.

References

• Myanmar ITV, 31 October 2026, on the coordination meeting on Myanmar workers' remittances
• The Star / Eleven Media, 1 November 2026
• Network Media Group via BNI, 17 October 2026
• The Standard, 21 October 2026 · Lanner, 22 October 2026
• Transborder News, on the letter from the Coordinating Committee of Myanmar Migrant Worker Representatives in Thailand, 27 October 2026
• The Reporters, 30 October 2026 · Naewna, Daily News and Nation TV, 2 November 2026
• The Irrawaddy, on the number of applicants at the CI centres and on brokers
• Department of Employment letter (most urgent) No. รง 0316.5/15536 dated 5 October 2026
• Cabinet resolution of 14 July 2026 · Announcement of the Office of Foreign Workers Administration, Department of Employment, 2 September 2026