Cambodia opens foreign manpower quota applications for 2027.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) has opened the application window for the 2027 Foreign Manpower Quota (FMQ). Notification No. 025/26 sets the window from 1 September 2026 to 30 November 2026, running through the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS).
For employers with foreign staff on payroll or foreign hires planned for 2027, this quota approval becomes a gating requirement for every work permit application tied to it.
2027 foreign manpower quota window
The requirement covers any employer that currently employs foreign workers or plans to hire foreign workers in 2027. Applications are lodged online through the FWCMS portal, continuing the process MLVT has used for previous quota years.
An approved FMQ sets the maximum number of foreign employees a company can hire relative to its Cambodian workforce for the coming year. Employers assessing their 2027 foreign staffing needs can submit through the portal at any point in the window, with earlier submission leaving more room to resolve queries before the deadline closes.
Quota approval precedes work permits
MLVT will not process a work permit application or renewal without an approved FMQ in place. This makes the quota a prerequisite step for any company planning to bring on or retain foreign staff in 2027.
Missing the 30 November 2026 deadline does not only delay the quota decision. It also holds up every work permit application that depends on it, with knock-on effects for onboarding timelines and, under Article 369 of the Labour Law, potential fines for employing foreign nationals without the required approvals in place.
Recommended actions for employers before the deadline
Reviewing 2027 foreign headcount needs against the FWCMS window now gives companies more time to resolve any gaps. Doing this well ahead of the deadline also helps keep work permit renewals on track. Where quota needs look likely to exceed standard caps, early engagement with an immigration and labour adviser can help avoid delays at the work permit stage.
