Cambodia

On January 1, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manay issued a New Year message through social media, and congratulated the country's textile, clothing, footwear, travel goods and luggage industry workers to raise the minimum wage to 208 US dollars in 2025. The standard will be officially implemented on January 1, 2025.

Ky Sereyvath, an economist at the Royal Cambodian Academy of Sciences, says the standard is reasonable. Ky Sereyvath explained that the minimum wage of $208 is in the moderate range of countries with the same level of industry as Cambodia, and is neither too high nor too low, allowing Cambodia to remain competitive in attracting investment. This will neither increase costs because wages are too high, nor affect the stability of the labor market because wages are too low.

Ky Sereyvath believes that in the current economic situation, the Cambodian government has raised the minimum wage standard, which shows that the government attaches importance to the labor market. At the same time, he also pointed out that if the wage scale rises significantly and does not match domestic productivity, it may weaken Cambodia's competitiveness and affect the entry of foreign investment.

The $208 minimum wage policy, which has been implemented since January 2025, has been welcomed and appreciated by workers. This wage increase policy not only conveys the government's concern for grassroots workers, but also demonstrates the government's continuous efforts to enhance the competitiveness of the labor market.