Legal Work Rights for Refugees – Granted!

Thailand will now grant legal work rights to many long-stay Myanmar refugees living in camps — a change that promises more dignity, opportunity, and self-reliance.

“With this policy shift, Thailand transforms hosting refugees into an engine of growth – for refugees, for host communities and for the nation as a whole,” said Tammi Sharpe of UNHCR.

Aid agencies have welcomed the move, which makes roughly 80,000 Myanmar refugees in nine border camps eligible for work permits, including 42,601 of working age. The camps have housed people since 1984, and about 108,000 refugees live in total across them. The new permits last up to one year and allow holders to leave the camps to find jobs. This shift isn’t just about employment; it could reduce dependency on aid, boost local economies, and set an example for refugee-support policies elsewhere.