Professional Jobs in Cambodia [Overview for Expats]

By Perry StevensMarch 3, 2020March 3, 2020Jobs in ASEAN

The Cambodia Job Market

Expatriates looking for jobs in Cambodia need to converse themselves with the country’s economy, job market as well as issues like taxation and work permit.

The garment industry is the largest in the country in terms of employment and export. According to InterNationsGO, the garment sector employs the more than 0.7 million people and accounts for over 80% of the country’s exports. The other huge sector is tourism.

The number of tourists arriving in the country has risen steadily over the last 15 years. In 2016, the country received more than 5 million visitors. The technology industry is also providing lots of job opportunities to Cambodians. The sector is fueled by new investment from China and neighbouring countries. Cambodia is a late entrant into the ranks of free market economy. It did so in the 90s, but is still grappling with issues like high income disparity.

Expats looking for opportunities in the teaching profession have a lot going their way. The opportunities to teach English are available in private language schools that dot the country. According to Just Landed, teachers with CELTA qualification or higher certification stand a high chance of getting hired with decent salaries. Growing investment from local and international firms is also driving the demand for English speaking workforce.

Cambodia Economic Overview

Over the last few years, Cambodia has witnessed an improvement in job quality and diversity. According to The World Bank, 37% of the 8 million jobs in the country are categorized as wage jobs. These jobs come with a certain amount of security and higher earnings. The remaining 60% of the jobs can traced to household enterprises and family farms. The jobs in these categories often pay low wages. A 2015 assessment by the Bretton Woods institution shows the garment sector is the fastest growing occupation.

To diversify exports and improve the job market, The World Bank has partnered with the government to realize the following goals

Using of high value chains to diversify exports and increase the levels of FDI
Reclaiming macroeconomic independence and flexibility to stabilize the exchange rates
Reducing red tapes preventing the growth of small and medium size enterprises
Boosting the capacity of household enterprises to enhance productivity and create quality jobs

How Well Do You Know Cambodia?

The Southeast Asian nation of Cambodia is located on the vast Indochina peninsula. The country borders Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. According to Tourism of Cambodia, the country of 15 million people has an area of 181,000 square kilometers. As much as 20% of the land mass is used for agricultural activities. A sizable portion of the country’s coastline is populated with mangrove forest. The country is administratively subdivided into 20 provinces, 172 districts and as many as 1,547 communes.

Cambodia’s landscape is dominated by the Mekong River, the Tonle Sap River and several Mountains, including the Elephant Mountain, Dnagrek Mountain and Cardamom Mountain. The largest cities here are Phnom Penh, Battambang and Siem Reap. Phnom Pehn is the economic, cultural and political nerve center of Cambodia. The top things to do in the city include a visit to the national museum, royal buildings and religious temples.

Life and Culture: What to Expect?

Cambodia or Kampuchea is a country steep in rich traditions. The official language of the Southeast Asian nation is Khmer.

Taking time to study the country’s culture offers a perfect window to know and relate to the citizens, especially if you are planning to work or visit the country. According to The Culture Trip, here are a few things you should know about Cambodians:

Cambodians love their families – the Cambodian society is family oriented. Most people live with close and distant relatives. Families also come together during national holidays to celebrate events like the Khmer New Year.
Cambodians of all ages exude pride – Cambodians are proud of their culture and enduring history. This pride can be traced to the Angkor Emperor that ruled over many Southeast Asian nations in the 11th – 13th centuries. One of the most popular attractions from the country’s ancient history is the Angkor Wat temple.
Cambodians are deeply religious – a large segment of the country’s population, follow of the Theravada Buddhism faith. This is evident in the high number of pagodas across the country; the sheer reverence given to the monks and the pomp and colour that greets the religious holidays.

Do You Know the Highest Paying Jobs in Cambodia?

A person working in Cambodia can expect an annual salary of between 0.5m KHR to 21m KHR or higher. The remuneration typically covers basics like housing, transport and other expenses. It is important to know that the salaries vary greatly based on one’s career, job rank and even work location. A report by Teleport, lists the top 10 professional jobs in Cambodia offering the highest salaries:

Physician – $14,840
C Level Executive – $12,440
Dentist – $11,320
Data Scientist – $9,820
Pharmacist – $9,640
Architect – $7,750
Product Manager – $7,520
IT Manager – $7,300
Finance Manager – $7,250
Chemical Engineer – $6,860

The other high paying positions include that of hardware engineer, project engineer and attorney. Although these jobs are available throughout the country, most are concentrated in the big cities.

Applying for a Job

Most organizations operating in Cambodia do not limit the number of foreign workers who can take up a position; however, priority is often given to a qualified Cambodian. To work in Cambodia, foreign workers need to have a job offer; consent to work in Cambodia; physical qualification for the job and no communicable disease. Recruitment agencies play an important role of matching professionals with employers.

The agencies also provide important services like staff outsourcing, staff development consulting and payroll management services. Recruiters operating inside and outside Cambodia are increasingly using online job boards to attract new talents into the country. The online applications process is faster and cheaper since it eliminates the need to print paper work. To boost your chances of getting a job in magical Cambodia, simply upload your CV today.