Phnom Penh: The Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, Ith Samheng, has asked the Australian government to consider giving the Cambodians employment opportunities to work in their country through its Agriculture Visa Programme in the kingdom. He has expressed the idea during the visit of the Australian Ambassador to Cambodia, Pablo Kang, at the ministry on Monday discussing the engagement in the Australia's visa programme for agricultural sector.

The two parties have exchanged ideas about the labour management procedures and mechanisms for both the recruitment and transfer of Cambodian migrant workers, especially to address possible deception, labour exploitation and human trafficking. The Australian Agriculture Visa Programme was announced on 23 August. It is open for all Australia's partner countries, especially those in ASEAN.

Under the Australian Agriculture Visa Scheme, migrant workers can get the employment up to three years in Australia through the facilitation by the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Minister Samheng has also encouraged the Australian side to mull opening similar opportunities for other areas such as services and industry while thanking Government of Australia as well as the Ambassador for the continued support to Cambodia, including financial assistance, human resource capacitation and physical infrastructure development.