In Thailand, refugees have the right to work

Description

After decades of living in Thailand’s temporary shelters, refugees along the Thai‑Myanmar border now have the legal right to work. Ja Mar and No Zan are among the first to take up the opportunity, hoping to improve their family’s future. When global humanitarian funding was significantly cut in 2025, NGOs, which supported Myanmar refugees in the nine camps along the Thai-Myanmar came under significant strain. Limited time provided to adjust to anticipated future cuts left nearly 80,000 refugees in the camps facing a future without the vital assistance on which they had relied for decades. Following years of sustained advocacy by UNHCR, its partners and Thai civil society, this crisis, combined with Thailand’s labour shortages, led to a historic policy shift. On 26 August 2025, the Royal Thai Government adopted a new resolution, allowing working‑age refugees (around 40,000 out of 80,000) from the nine camps to access legal employment from 1 October 2025. Refugees can now work in 43 of Thailand’s 77 provinces, and in most sectors. The resolution applies only to the registered refugees in the camp and is initially set to run for one year. Refugees have taken up the opportunity to support their families for a better future. UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, works to protect and assist those fleeing war and persecution. Since 1950, we have helped tens of millions of people find safety and rebuild their lives. With your support, we can restore hope for many more. Learn more on our website: http://UNHCR.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Published to Youtube on: 12/02/2026

Archived on: 13/02/2026

Original URL (may no longer be available): https://youtube.com/watch?v=HBqxo6wyXqA