Other Briefings
Labor Market Trends in the Philippines
With a highly skilled and productive workforce, along with a robust supply of business process outsourcing services, and sound economic fundamentals, Philippines has become one of the most attractive destinations for businesses expanding to Southeast Asia. Read more in our latest article.
Laos Increases Minimum Monthly Wage for the Third Time in Eight Years
The Lao government has increased the country’s monthly minimum wage from Kip 900,000 (US$108) to Kip 1,100,000 (US$132) with effect from May 1, 2018. While this is the third such raise in the last eight years, the revised wages are still significantly lower than those in neighboring countries in ASEAN.
Myanmar’s Daily Minimum Wage Increased from Kyat 3,600 to Kyat 4,800
Myanmar’s union government has increased the country’s daily minimum wage for an eight-hour work day from Kyat 3,600 (US$2.65) to Kyat 4,800 (US$3.54). The wage increase is the first since Myanmar introduced a minimum wage as part of the government’s labor market reforms in 2015.
The Guide to Employment Permits for Foreign Workers in Brunei
For expatriate workers and their employers in Brunei, understanding the process to obtain an employment permit is essential. Read more in our latest article.
Thailand Introduces New Four-Year Smart Visas for Investors
With effect from February 1, 2018, foreign investors and experts in ten specific high-tech business sectors can apply for a new 4-year ‘Smart Visa’ to live and work in Thailand. Read more about the eligibility criteria and the benefits of the new visa in our latest article.
Philippine Labor Contracts: What You Need to Know
The Philippine labor law recognizes five different categories of employment arrangements based on the nature of the employment. An employment contract is concluded for each of the five types. Read more in our latest article.
Malaysia Foreign Knowledge Worker Projections for 2018
The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) on December 8, 2017 began accepting requests for foreign knowledge worker (FKW) projections. Companies planning to apply for employment passes in 2018 must ensure that they immediately apply for approval of their 2018 FKW projection to avoid any visa disruptions.
Payroll Outsourcing in Singapore: Allowing Companies to Focus on Regional Expansion in ASEAN
Payroll outsourcing effectively reduces a firm’s overall liabilities and costs, and ensures that more time and resources get spent on critical business functions. In this article, we discuss the various benefits of outsourcing ASEAN payroll to a reliable third-party payroll processing provider in Singapore.
Singapore as a Payroll Processing Center for Companies in ASEAN
Companies centralizing their payroll in Singapore benefit from the country’s double advantage of housing many regional headquarters as well as the country’s strong connectivity to other ASEAN states. Read more.
Thailand Launches New Online Service for Work Permits and Visas
Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) has launched a new online visa service for BOI-registered companies in order to ease the visa application process. Under the new system, authorities will issue an electronic work permit to the applicants instead of the work permit booklet currently in use.
