Myanmar
3.4 Myanmar Manual Labor Costs
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Myanmar Manual Labor Costs

The Township Labour Exchange Office, under the Ministry of Labour sets the minimum wages and recommended labour rate. The Township Labour Exchange Office can be found at ports where they can organize and provide daily labourers for loading and off-loading. The Labour Exchange office does not assume responsibility for the daily workers, it does not work as a labour agency. The Township Labour Exchange Office is not active at other working areas such as high way compound, railway stations and commercial markets. If daily labourers are needed there, they have to be hired outside and price should be negotiated with them according to the market price. The labour charges across Myanmar do not vary very much. Finding skilled labour in Myanmar is not easy because there is a shortage.

The labour rates in Ayeyarwaddy Division for unskilled labour:

  • 3000 MMK/day for a woman
  • 3000 – 5000 MMK/day for a man, depending on the work.
  • 150 MMK per 50kg bag, within 40m distance.
  • If the distance is over 40m, labour charge will rise according to the distance.

Daily worker rates in Dawei, Tanintharyi region:

  • Unskilled: 5000 MMK/day for a man
  • 150 MMK per 50kg bag, within 40m distance.
  • Skilled labour: 12000 MMK/day

 “Workers are granted 14 public holidays (listed by the law) with full payment; full-paid 10 consecutive days of annual leave after 12 months of work with 20 working days in each month; 6 days of causal leave each year with full payment with a maximum of 3 days at one time; and 30 days of sick leave on medical certificate with full salary after 6-month service or without pay for workers employed for less than 6 months. (Leave and Holiday Act (1951)). Normal working hours 8 hours per day and 44 hours per week, though with some variations such as 35 hours for government employees, 40 hours for underground mining workers and 48 hours for shops and service workers. (Factories Act (1951)).”

Source:  Asia Monitor Resource Centre (Publisher) Labour laws in Myanmar, May 2014,, Date accessed: 4 Dec 2014.

Type of Labour

Local Currency
(MMK/day)

USD/day

Year/month
(USD)

Daily general worker
(unskilled casual worker) woman

3000 MMK

 3

756 / 63

Daily general worker
(unskilled casual worker) man

3000-5000

 3-5

756 / 63 - 

1260 / 105

Daily general worker (semi-skilled)

4000-6000

 4-6

1008 / 84 -

1512 / 126

Skilled labour

7000-10000

7-10

1764 / 147 –

2520 / 210

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