"Gov’t backtracks on ban on self-employed foreigners", 6 October 2019

Foreigners will again be allowed to be self-employed in a bid to attract skills and investment to the Kingdom, after a ban on them running small businesses that could affect the livelihoods of Cambodians was proposed in August.

An announcement by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training … said foreigners will be allowed to be self-employed as Cambodia needed technical skills in the service sector and to attract investment.

Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training spokesman Heng Sour could not be reached for comment. Government spokesman Phay Siphan declined to comment ...

Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association (IDEA) president Vorn Pov said he was disappointed with the decision to allow foreigners to run small businesses despite it being a way to attract foreign investment to Cambodia.

He said he supported ideas to attract and motivate foreigners to invest in major businesses or companies in Cambodia.

However, he does not welcome foreigners who run small businesses such as selling snacks, selling porridge and bread, running taxi and vehicle repair services or other jobs in the informal economy, Pov said.

… On August 28, the ministry released an announcement about the ban on jobs and work for foreigners in Cambodia…

“The ministry will not provide validity to foreigners who are working or running a business in the fields mentioned in Article two of the announcement. Those who act on the contrary will be fined or punished in accordance with the Labour Law,” said the announcement…