The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) staged his year’s Cambodia Investment Forum 2026 on May 7. The event, themed “Beyond Investment: Strengthening Resilience through Proactive Aftercare and Strategic Partnerships” aimed to update investors — especially those already operating in the Kingdom —on the government’s latest reforms and investment facilitation measures.
Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, first vice-chairman of the CDC, explained that amid growing global uncertainty, the forum served as a platform for sharing experiences, challenges and recommendations, while also creating business networking opportunities and helping investors identify and seize new investment opportunities, including project expansions and partnerships.
He highlighted how the private sector — businesspeople and investors — is an indispensable driver of economic growth, noting that “when the private sector succeeds, the government and Cambodian people also succeed, helping further reduce poverty”.
He also outlined the government’s commitment to combating online crimes, through new legislation that was introduced in April. The law aims to eliminate online fraud activities and ensure a safe, secure and trustworthy environment for investment and tourism.
The forum featured participation from senior officials of several ministries who discussed key policy issues.
During a session on simplifying business registration and work permit procedures, Heng Sour, Minister of Labor and Vocational Training, noted that the labour ministry introduced the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System in 2016, to ensure efficiency and transparency in services related to foreign labour management.
The system enables all companies employing foreign workers to apply for services online, contributing to more effective management of foreign labour.
The ministry has established clear and flexible quota application procedures, which must be submitted in advance between September and November. The minister explained that, based on company requests, the ministry generally permits foreign labor employment up to 10% of the total workforce.
He warned employers to exercise caution when hiring undocumented workers, as this may involve risks related to forced labour or human trafficking.
Sour claimed that the online system ensures transparency because officials cannot reject submitted applications once they are recorded in the system. He also noted that the hotline numbers 1286 and 1297, as well as personal contact channels and anonymous QR code reporting systems are available to register complaints, and will protect complainants’ identities.
He encouraged companies to contact the ministry or TVET schools should they need upskilling or reskilling support through the government’s 1.5 million TVET training programme, especially for workers in the informal economy, as the government remains strongly committed to improving workforce skills and productivity.
Chanthol also highlighted the labour ministry’s job creation efforts, including direct job-matching interviews for former migrant workers in border provinces. He called on investors to continue supporting and promoting Cambodia’s commitment to addressing challenges and demonstrating to the world that “Cambodia is 100% safe for investment and tourism”.