Temporary Relief: Stranded Myanmar Migrants Allowed One-Day Exit

Last week, a sharp change of regulatory direction by the Department of Labour of Myanmar junta led to chaos at Yangon International Airport. On January 11, night, the authorities suddenly canceled the current system of email-based departure permission, which resulted in hundreds of passengers being stuck. In a rare reversal, officials granted a brief one-day departure window on January 13, allowing those initially barred from traveling to exit the country. This was a short-lived reprieve right before the ruder regime of stricter protocols, in which documents must now be presented in person and verified by name through a government-controlled Telegram channel, actually terminating the more lax digital format of the past.

Chaos for Migrant Workers at Yangon Airport

The sudden policy change caused significant distress for migrant workers who had already secured visas and flights. On January 12, many of them were sent back at the immigration desks and they were told to go and reclaim the luggage they have checked and go back. The economic cost was great; the employees who could afford to use the 24-hour emergency option said that they spent over 1.65 million Kyats (around US785) to get new last-minute tickets not to lose their jobs in foreign countries.

Strict New OWIC Rules Take Effect

Following the brief amnesty, the new OWIC rules are now fully enforced. The email submission route is already closed as of January 14. Now applicants are required to present files physically either through post or using courier. Furthermore, possession of the Overseas Worker Identification Card (OWIC) is no longer sufficient on its own; travelers are prohibited from entering the departure window unless their names appear on a specific approval list published on the “Safe Immigration” Telegram channel.

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Source: Mizzima News (Official Reporting Outlet)

Link: https://x.com/MizzimaNews