One of the top Southeast Asian countries that you should work in as a foreigner is Cambodia. It’s a developing country with stable economic growth over the past years, marking it as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. There are numerous job opportunities for you here, attractive salary range, and great benefits to make your work experience unforgettable and worthwhile.
Learn everything that you need to know about working here, from work details to the job market, continue reading below.
Top job industries
Career opportunities await for you here in Cambodia. Whether you’re looking for work in the private sector, public sector, or even in volunteer organizations, you can find a job that suits you. Here are some of the top industries you can look at to find the career for you:
Private company
Whether you’re looking to start your own business or work in the private sector, it’s quite easy to find work and climb up the corporate ladder. Sharing your career experience and the insights you have will prove valuable in whatever job you apply for. You can be in the Cambodia real estate sector where there are numerous jobs from being a real estate broker to property management.
Other careers like being a stockbroker, financial adviser, art industry and more! Just search the job listings and you can find the right work for you in the private sector.
Education
If you would rather be teaching than climbing up the corporate world, then it’s best for you to find work in the education industry. Finding work on subjects you have a mastery of like the ins and outs of the English language is a good start. This is because there are a lot of jobs to teach English in the country although you would need to have a university degree first.
Some academic institutions don’t require a degree but most of them do, including the following qualifications:
- TEFL → English as a Foreign Language certification
- CELTA → Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults
There’s a possibility TEFL/CELTA qualifications are ignored if you have the relevant experience as an educator.
Development industry
If you’re looking to work alongside professionals who seek to improve various problematic sectors, then finding a career in the development industry is a good move. There are a number of global and non-government organizations in Cambodia that will allow you to help.
Tourism and hospitality
Cambodia is a one of the popular Southeast Asian countries to tourists because of the inherent beauty of the country. From a number of historic architectures to bountiful forests, there is a lot to see, which makes the tourism and hospitality sector of the country strong. While it slowed down for a bit due to the pandemic, there are various job opportunities in this sector like hotel management and more!
Things you need to consider
To ensure you are prepared before finding a job in Cambodia or even prior to you starting your work, there are a couple of things you need to have and factors to consider as an expat. Here are some of them:
Work permit
Work Visa and Permit (E-Visa, EB Visa & Employment Card) Getting a work permit and Employment Card is a mandatory requirement for all foreigners working in Cambodia. You must initially enter the country on an E-class (Ordinary) Visa. This visa can be extended into an EB (Business/Employment) Visa once you secure employment and apply for your annual Work Permit and Employment Card through the Ministry of Labour’s Foreign Worker Centralised Management System (FWCMS) online platform. You cannot obtain a work permit at the airport. Compliance is strictly enforced, and fines apply for each year of non-compliance.
Work contract
Once you find work, your new employer will give you a work contract which you need to thoroughly review. This is because there are two types of contract in Cambodia as seen below:
- Fixed duration contract
This covers only up to two years of continuous employment and includes termination date in the contract. Once the date ends, the employer can simply decide not to continue your employment and does not need to provide a reason to terminate it.
- Unspecified duration contract
An unspecified duration contract secures your position as employee wherein there’s no specific time that your contract ends. Additionally, the employer would have to provide a valid reason to terminate your contract.
Leaves
As an employee, you need to take a break once in a while from work. This means you have to consider the following leaves you have when you’re hired:
- Sick leave
Companies in Cambodia are urged to have their own policies regarding sick leaves so make sure to ask for the organization’s leave policies. Sick leave pay is generally tiered (e.g., 100% of wage for the first month, 60% for the next two months). If you have to take a long sick leave, companies are obligated to allow an employee to retain their position for at least six months, after which employment can be terminated if the employee’s situation doesn’t improve.
- Holiday leave
Every full-time employee in Cambodia is granted 18 days of paid annual leave (accrued at 1.5 days per month of service). One more leave credit is added for every three years of uninterrupted service.
Work hours
Full time employees in Cambodia are only required to work a maximum of eight hours per day and only up to 48 hours per week.If you’re working less than 48 hours per week, then you’re a part-time employee.
Overtime
All employee overtime is voluntary and are paid a rate of 150% for work at night and 200% if they worked on weekends. However, employees are only allowed to work 2 hours more per day or a maximum of 54 hours per week.
Health and Insurance for Expats
To ensure your well-being, understanding Cambodia’s health coverage is crucial. All formally employed expats must participate in the state-mandated scheme, but additional private coverage is highly recommended.
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Mandatory State Health Coverage (NSSF) All employers must register their employees (including expats) for the NSSF’s Healthcare Scheme and Occupational Risk Scheme. This scheme provides coverage for medical care services, patient referral, and a daily allowance for absences due to sickness or non-work-related accidents/maternity.
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Cost: Since January 2018, the contribution for the NSSF Healthcare Scheme is borne entirely by the employer. The employee does not pay a direct contribution for this specific benefit.
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Limitations: While mandatory, NSSF coverage often directs patients to specific public or private-partner facilities and may not cover high-cost treatments, complex surgeries (like cardiovascular), or specialized care (like comprehensive dental, general health checkups, or overseas medical evacuation).
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Private Health Insurance Because the NSSF scheme has limitations and the quality of care is uneven, private international health insurance is highly recommended for expats. Private plans offer:
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Access to International Clinics and Hospitals: These facilities offer Western-standard care, modern equipment, and often multilingual staff.
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Medical Evacuation: This is critical, as specialized or life-threatening conditions often require evacuation to advanced medical centers in nearby countries like Thailand or Singapore. This cost is usually prohibitive without insurance.
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Comprehensive Coverage: Private insurance typically covers inpatient care, outpatient treatment, specialist fees, and can include optional add-ons like dental, optical, and maternity care.
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No Legal Mandate (Currently): While the government has discussed making comprehensive health insurance mandatory for foreigners in the future, currently, there is no legal requirement for an expat to purchase private health insurance to obtain an EB Visa or Work Permit. However, purchasing one is a vital financial safeguard.
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