Free Flow of Skilled Labour in the ASEAN Economic Community: Opportunities and Challenges for Cambodia

Abstract

The opportunities and challenges for Cambodia from the free flow of skilled labour in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has been a topic of heated discussion amongst the general public, learners, researchers, skilled workers, people in charge of skilled labor, as Cambodia prepared to enter the ASEAN Economic Community at the end of 2015. A descriptive statistical analysis in the Statistical Package for the Social Science, version 23.0 shows that there is optimism on the participation of Cambodia in the AEC. Firstly, 81 per cent of respondents supported that free flow of skilled labour as an opportunity for Cambodians to participate in the job market in ASEAN. Secondly, 77 per cent of participants accepted that “Free flow of skilled labour in ASEAN offers opportunities for Cambodians to get well-paid jobs in the region of ASEAN.” Thirdly, 84 per cent of respondents agreed that “free flow of skilled labour in the ASEAN helps inspire local education”. However, there were challenges for Cambodia, indicated by 75 per cent of respondents thinking that the country lacks skilled labour to challenge other ASEAN professionals. 70 per cent of respondents considered the inflow of foreign skilled labour as a threat to local jobs seekers, while 81 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement “the imbalanced agreement implementation on skilled labour in ASEAN is Another barrier in ASEAN’s jobs finding for Cambodian skilled workers,” Toward the solutions to reduce the challenges and to better the opportunities for Cambodians, suggestions have been observed; firstly, 72 participants recommended that education reform, further vocations and trainings for Cambodians should be better improved. Secondly, 23 participants advised that creating more local jobs should be further done and thirdly, 21 participants commented that Cambodian skilled workers should improve their knowledge of the English language, as it is very important in Cambodia, the ASEAN and the world in pursuing their present and future’s studies and works.