Lao workers harvest vegetables on a farm in the Republic of Korea.--Photo. Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare

Lao migrant remittances surge 36.6 percent to hit US$500 million in mid-2026

Lao migrant workers sent home an estimated US$500 million in the first half of 2026, marking a 36.6 percent increase from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.
Of the total remittances—up from US$366 million in mid-2025—US$32.5 million was transferred through formal banking channels.
The ministry reported steady progress in migration over the past five years, with 350,567 Lao nationals working abroad between 2021 and 2025.
Of this number, 149,294 people were employed through legal channels. By September 2026, another 112,436 Lao workers had taken jobs in other countries.
The ministry’s Department of Employment, in collaboration with international organisations, cited these figures and raised some of the problems encountered by migrant workers at a meeting of the Steering Committee for the “TRIANGLE in ASEAN” project, which fosters partnerships for fair and effective labour migration in ASEAN.
The meeting was co-chaired and opened by the Director General of the Department of Employment, Ms Anousone Khamsingsavath, and First Secretary of the Australian Mission to ASEAN, Ms Johanna Hazebroek.
Ms Anousone said Laos is strengthening measures to protect migrant workers and promote safe and legal employment abroad as a new phase of the TRIANGLE Partnerships project begins across eight countries in Southeast Asia.
The new phase of the project involves Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Timor-Leste.
The project builds on lessons from the previous 2015-2025 phase and seeks to promote safer migration, better working conditions, skills development and stronger protection for migrant workers.
Meeting participants reviewed the achievements and lessons learned from the previous phase and discussed activities and an implementation roadmap for 2026-2031.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of providing accurate and accessible information to people seeking employment abroad, particularly those planning to work in Thailand, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
The meeting noted that reliable information on recruitment procedures, employment contracts and legal requirements could help workers avoid fraudulent recruitment and unsafe migration channels.
The Lao government has strengthened regulations governing employment services and labour migration and expanded cooperation with key destination countries, including Thailand, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
The government has also expanded employment and migration information services. The country currently has 48 employment agencies, 18 provincial service centres, 41 district-level job service points, six migrant information centres, and one migrant worker assistance centre.
The meeting was attended by the Regional Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office for the Mekong Region, Mr Jean-Gabriel Duss; Head of the ILO Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, Ms Xiaoyen Qian; and representatives from the ILO, the Lao Recruitment Agencies Association, the MRC Centres in Luang Prabang and Champasak provinces, and other stakeholders.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
 (Latest Update September 24, 2026)