Working in Cambodia

Cambodia is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, having successfully recovered from economic setbacks due to the pandemic. Despite challenges such as corruption and poverty, the GDP of Cambodia shows growth year on year.

Job market in Cambodia

Agriculture is the dominant economic sector in Cambodia. Other booming industries include textiles and construction, while tourism is the fastest-growing industry in Cambodia, with an influx of Japanese and South Korean tourists each year. Expats fluent in Khmer or another Asian language will have an advantage when trying to secure a role in this sector.

Working in an NGO or teaching English are also popular choices among expats. When it comes to hiring teachers, most schools prefer to meet candidates before offering them the job. For this reason, going to schools personally to submit your CV can be a more fruitful process than attempting to find a job from outside Cambodia.

Finding a job in Cambodia

The websites of English-language newspapers such as the Phnom Penh Post publish an array of job listings and are a great place to start the search. Other useful websites include dedicated job portals such as CamHR and BongThom.com. LinkedIn is a great way to network and make connections in Cambodia.

Engaging the services of a specialised recruitment agency, of which there are many, is also an option worth exploring.

Depending on your industry, it may be easier to find work once you’re in Cambodia as opposed to securing a job before arriving. Be that as it may, you may find that the salary offered to an in-country candidate is lower than that of someone outside the country.

To work legally in Cambodia, you’ll need a valid work permit. This can only be obtained with a firm job offer from a Cambodian employer.

Work Permits for Cambodia

Useful links

• CamHR
• BongThom.com

Work culture in Cambodia

As is the case in many Southeast Asian countries, the work culture in Cambodia leans toward the formal and has a clear top-down hierarchical structure. Business decisions tend to be exclusively made by the higher-ups with little to no consultation with employees. For expats who are used to a more egalitarian workplace, this may take some getting used to.

Business Culture in Cambodia