Employment and labor laws vary from country to country. This guide is intended to provide the most up to date information available. We will update this guide as needed when changes are made to the laws.
Employment Contracts
Employers are legally required to provide formal written contracts for all employees that include salary/wage, termination terms, job title, etc. The contracts must be written in Burmese and use the Burmese Kyat currency (MMK).
Working Hours
A standard working week in Myanmar consists of 8 hours per day and must not exceed 48 hours per week.
Overtime
All work exceeding the standard working hours a week is to be paid as overtime and is regulated by employment contract/collective agreements. When an employee is requested to work overtime or work on holidays, there is a maximum number of hours allowed. The maximum is 12 hours per week for shop and establishment employees and 20 hours per week for factory workers.
All overtime hours in excess of 48 hours a week are paid at an overtime compensation rate; this rate is 200.00% of the employees’ regular pay rate.
Overtime is not permitted past midnight.
Public Holidays
There are 16 public holidays for the year 2024:
- Jan 1 – Sunday: New Year’s Day
- Jan 4 – Wednesday: Independence Day
- Feb 12 – Sunday: Union Day
- Mar 2 – Thursday: Peasants’ Day
- Mar 27 – Monday: Armed Forces Day
- Apr 9 – Sunday: Myanmar New Year
- Apr 10 – Monday to Apr 17 – Monday: Myanmar New Year Holiday
- May 1 – Monday: Labour Day
- May 3 – Wednesday: Full Moon Day of Kasong
- Jul 19 – Wednesday: Martyrs’ Day
- Aug 1 – Tuesday: Full Moon Day of Waso
- Oct 28 – Saturday: Thadingyut
- Oct 29 – Sunday to Oct 30 – Monday: Thadingyut Holiday
- Nov 26 – Sunday: Tazaungdaing
- Nov 27 – Monday: Tazaungdaing Holiday
- Dec 7 – Thursday: National Day
- Dec 25 – Monday: Christmas Day
Paid Time Off
Employees are entitled to 10 days of paid annual leave.
Sick Days
Employees who have completed six months of service within an organization are entitled to 26 weeks of sickness per year; the first 30 days are compensated. If an employee has not completed six months of employment, sick leave may be taken but not paid.
A medical certificate is required for all sicknesses.
Maternity and Paternity
Maternity Leave
Employees are entitled to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave compensated by Myanmar’s social security scheme. Maternity leave can begin six weeks before the expected due date and lasts for eight weeks following the birth.
If an employee has multiple or complicated births, they can take an additional four weeks of leave. In the case of a miscarriage, the employee can take six weeks of leave.
Adoptive mothers are entitled to eight weeks of paid leave to care for their child if they are below the age of one.
Paternity Leave
Fathers are entitled to 15 days of paid paternity leave for the birth of a child; however, if the child’s mother is not covered under social security, they will only be entitled to 25.00% of their average salary. If an employee fathers twins, the entitlement increases to 37.50% and 50.00% in the case of triplets.
Parental Leave
There is no parental leave apart from maternity and paternity leave.
Other Leave
An employee can be entitled to up to six days of casual leave: taken three days at a time. Unused leave cannot be carried over to the following year and is lost.
Employee Severance and Terminations
Termination Process
Employers can terminate a fix term contract by giving the following reasons – business, personal, or workers misconduct. It requires notice and a written explanation for the termination. If the reason is misconduct, a warning needs to be given, and the employee gets a chance to explain actions.
Before the termination for misconduct, an employee must receive one written and two verbal warnings. If another violation is made within 12 months of the third warning, the employer can dismiss an employee without notice or severance pay. If the employer initiates the termination, the employer must pay wages within two working days from the last day of employment.
Notice Period
The general notice period is Myanmar is one months’ notice.
Severance Pay
Severance pay is determined by the length of employment:
- 6 months to 1 year- half a month’s wages
- 1-2 years- 1 months’ salary
- 3-4 years- 2 months’ salary
- 4-6 years- 4 months’ salary
- 6-8 years- 5 months’ salary
- 8-10 years- 6 months’ salary
- 10-20 years- 8 months’ salary
- 20 to 25 years- 10 months’ salary
- Over 25 years- 13 months’ salary
Probation Period
Typically, the probation period lasts up to 90 days.
Payroll Cycle
In Myanmar, the payroll cycle can be daily, weekly, bi-weekly and monthly. Employers with less than 100 employees must pay their employees’ salaries no later than the end of the pay period. Employers with a workforce greater than 100 must pay their employees’ salaries no later than five days after the pay period.
The minimum daily wage for full-time employees in Myanmar is 4,800 MNK, based on a working day of 8 hours.
13th Salary
There are no provisions in the law regarding 13th salaries. However, bonuses are common at the employers’ discretion.
Contributions
Employer Payroll Contributions
VISA
Citizens of most countries need to apply for a visa before they travel to Myanmar. However, there are countries whose citizens can get a Myanmar visa through a facilitated process: online or on arrival. Additionally, citizens from a few select countries are exempt from holding a visa at all if they are traveling for short-term purposes, such as business or tourism.
If you are a citizen of the following countries and you are traveling for tourism and business purposes, you are exempt from a Myanmar visa for stays of up to 14 days:
- Brunel
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Philippines
- Thailand(only if arriving by air)
- Vietnam
The exemption only applies to holders of ordinary passports.
Myanmar visas can be divided based on the application method and the purpose for which you will enter the country.
Regular Myanmar Visas are requested at the local Embassy or Consulate based on the purpose of travel; Myanmar visas are divided into:
Myanmar Tourist Visas, issued to foreigners who will enter the country for tourism and other recreational purposes
- Myanmar Business Visas issued to foreigners who will enter the country to conduct business (attend meetings or conferences, negotiate, etc.)
- Myanmar Social Visa, issued to ex-Myanmar citizens or foreigners who have family relationships to a Myanmar citizen
- Myanmar Employment Visa, which is issued to foreigners who will come to work in Myanmar
- Myanmar Crew Visa, issued to aircrew members
- Myanmar Transit Visa is issued to foreigners who have to transit in Myanmar while on their way to a third country. This type of visa is only valid for 24 hours.
There are three ways through which visa-required foreigners can get a visa for Myanmar:
- At an Embassy or Consulate of Myanmar
- Online (Myanmar eVisa)
- On Arrival
Once it is issued, a Myanmar visa is valid for three months, during which time it can be used to enter the country; if it is not used within three months, the visa will expire.
If a foreigner wants to live and work in Myanmar for a long-term period, a Stay Permit and Multiple Journey Special Re-entry Visa is required. The Stay Permit can be issued for three months to one year and are valid for one entry.
The Myanmar Ministry of Immigration and Population handles applications for Stay Permits and Multiple Journey Special Re-entry Visas.
In November 2021, a requirement for any Myanmar residents who wish to work overseas, must first apply for an overseas Workers identification card from the Department of Labour was re-introduced.
VAT
There is no VAT in Myanmar. The indirect tax in Myanmar is commercial tax, with a general rate of 5.00%.