Cambodia workforce statistics from the latest available national survey show approximately 9.1 million people employed, an average monthly wage close to US$300 and extensive informal employment. For Cambodian businesses, hotels, manufacturers, NGOs and foreign investors, the useful question is how these numbers translate into realistic salaries, available skills and the total cost of building a reliable team. This article uses the 2025 Labour Force Survey, released in September 2026, alongside 2026 policy and economic updates.
How large is Cambodia’s workforce in 2026?
The Ministry of Planning’s 2025 Labour Force Survey, released on 2 September 2026, recorded approximately 13.1 million people aged 15 and over. Of these, 71.6% participated in the labour force and about 9.1 million were employed. The unemployment rate was 3.6%. These are 2025 survey results, and are the most recent figures cited here rather than a separate full-year 2026 count. Source: Cambodia Labour Force Survey 2025, reported by Agence Kampuchea Presse.
| Indicator | Latest reported figure | Reference period |
|---|---|---|
| Employed people | Approximately 9.1 million | 2025 |
| Labour force participation | 71.6% | 2025 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 2025 |
| Working-age population (15+) | Approximately 13.1 million | 2025 |
| Informal share of employment | 75.1% | 2025 |
Employment was distributed between services (43.0%), industry (29.4%) and agriculture (27.6%). This matters for recruitment: a large national labour pool does not necessarily translate into large numbers of candidates experienced in an individual occupation, such as industrial maintenance, professional accounting or hotel revenue management. Source: Cambodia Labour Force Survey 2025, reported by Agence Kampuchea Presse.
The unemployment figure also needs careful interpretation. It measures a defined statistical group, not everyone seeking more hours, better wages or more secure employment. Employers should assess candidate availability in their own location and occupation rather than using unemployment alone as evidence of a recruitment surplus.
What are average salaries in Cambodia?
The survey reported an average monthly wage from workers’ main jobs of 1,201,436 riel. At an illustrative conversion of 4,000 riel to US$1, this is about US$300. Male employees averaged 1,263,533 riel, around US$316, and female employees averaged 1,121,316 riel, around US$280. Source: Cambodia Labour Force Survey 2025, reported by Agence Kampuchea Presse.
| Average monthly wage, 2025 | Riel | Approximate US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| All surveyed workers | 1,201,436 | US$300 |
| Men | 1,263,533 | US$316 |
| Women | 1,121,316 | US$280 |
These figures are national averages, not a salary guide for office assistants, software developers, teachers, accountants or hotel managers. The gender gap in the reported averages is unadjusted: it does not establish whether people performing the same job for the same hours receive different pay. A hiring budget should use salary quotations and recent recruitment results for comparable jobs in the relevant province.
Does Cambodia have a minimum wage in 2026?
The 2026 statutory monthly minimum wage is US$210 for regular employees in the covered textile, garment, footwear, travel goods and bag sectors. It was US$208 in 2025. This is a sector-specific minimum, not a universal wage floor for every occupation across Cambodia. Probationary and piece-rate arrangements require attention to the applicable sector rules. Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse, 2027 sectoral minimum wage.
A further increase to US$212 a month from 1 January 2027 was announced on 30 September 2026. Employers should not apply the 2027 figure to 2026 payroll. Companies outside covered sectors still need to meet their contracts and other statutory employment obligations. See the National Council for Minimum Wage and the published wage announcement.
Which skills are limiting recruitment and productivity?
Workforce supply is partly a question of education and job readiness. The World Bank reported in January 2026 that only 11% of Grade 5 students met the reading proficiency measure used in its assessment, while STEM accounted for about 20% of higher education enrolment. Those findings describe education challenges, not the percentage of adults capable of performing specific jobs. Source: World Bank, From Learning to Earnings, January 2026.
Businesses should evaluate the requirements of individual roles rather than assume a generalised national shortage for every skill. For an electronics manufacturer this may mean equipment maintenance and quality assurance; for a hotel it could mean reservations systems, service communication and departmental supervision; for an NGO it may mean project budgeting, safeguarding procedures and monitoring data.
| Employer type | Competence to test | Practical assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Production quality and technical maintenance | Work-sample task and documented equipment experience |
| Hotel or tourism operator | Guest communication and booking operations | Scenario-based reservation and complaint exercise |
| Retail or service business | Cash controls, stock records and customer service | Reconciliation and stock-count exercise |
| NGO or development organisation | Budget tracking and reporting | Spreadsheet and short reporting task |
| Digital or professional services | Software, data and problem solving | Role-specific practical test |
The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training publishes occupational outlook information and labour market research. Employers hiring for technical roles should compare its reports with their own applicant pools. Source: Cambodia Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, reports and statistics.
Are Cambodian graduates ready for employment?
Results from the World Bank-supported Higher Education Improvement Project demonstrate the possible value of employer-linked training. Among roughly 6,809 graduates from supported institutions, employment exceeded 93%, compared with approximately 72% for the cited non-participating university comparison group. Some 68% of supported graduates obtained employment within a year. These are programme-specific results, not national graduate employment rates. Source: World Bank, From Learning to Earnings, January 2026.
A company assessing junior staff can make the recruitment process more useful by defining observable competencies, using paid or appropriately managed trial tasks where lawful, recording what new employees can do after training and measuring retention at three and six months. Partnerships with training providers are most useful when employers specify actual tasks and offer feedback against them.
Why does informal employment matter?
The 2025 survey put informal employment at 75.1% of all employment. Informality is a statistical classification and should not automatically be labelled illegal. However, the scale matters to formal employers because past work experience may not be accompanied by standard written contracts, verifiable payroll records or complete social security documentation. Source: Cambodia Labour Force Survey 2025, reported by Agence Kampuchea Presse.
For recruitment, ask candidates to explain actual responsibilities, demonstrate ability and identify references where available. For an employer moving workers into formal payroll, establish written terms, accurate time records, appropriate tax handling and applicable National Social Security Fund registration rather than treating a cash salary as the full employment cost.
How do returned migrant workers affect labour supply?
The World Bank reported that nearly one million migrant workers returned to Cambodia amid the shocks associated with the Thailand border situation. Its June 2026 update noted pressure from lost remittances alongside opportunities for domestic job creation. It also reported US$5.1 billion of foreign direct investment in 2025 associated with an estimated 400,000 formal jobs. The investment-linked estimate is not the same as total net national job creation. Source: World Bank, Cambodia Economic Update, June 2026.
Returnees may bring construction, production, agricultural, logistics or service experience. Yet previous employment overseas does not automatically match a local vacancy. Employers can improve recruitment by assessing demonstrable skills, recognising prior experience and identifying whether travel, housing or retraining is needed to make work practical.
What employment costs should Cambodian companies budget?
Employee costs extend beyond the monthly wage. Cambodian labour rules cover working time, rest, leave, overtime and termination conditions. The Council for the Development of Cambodia summarises normal working hours as up to eight hours a day and 48 a week, with additional rules governing overtime. Employers should verify how these provisions apply to the position and schedule rather than relying on a single flat salary figure. Source: Council for the Development of Cambodia, employment and labour.
PwC’s Cambodia social security summary describes employer National Social Security Fund contributions for occupational risk at 0.8% and healthcare at 2.6%, with first-stage pension contributions split 2% employer and 2% employee. Calculations are subject to the statutory contributory wage base and applicable rules, not necessarily every dollar of gross salary. Source: PwC, Cambodia social security contribution summary.
| Cost component | Budgeting question |
|---|---|
| Basic salary | What rate is required for this actual occupation and location? |
| NSSF and payroll | Which contributions, withholding and wage bases apply? |
| Working hours and overtime | What work patterns create premium payments? |
| Paid leave and public holidays | How will cover and staffing be financed? |
| Recruitment and induction | What is the cost of vacancy, training and supervision? |
| Retention | What does repeated hiring cost in time and lost service? |
For a useful comparison, calculate the annual cost per productive role: annual basic pay plus applicable employer contributions, expected overtime, paid leave cover, recruitment and training. Then test the budget against output targets, rather than comparing salaries alone.
How do labour needs differ across Cambodian locations?
A Phnom Penh professional services company, a Siem Reap hotel and a factory in an industrial province do not recruit from identical occupational markets. The national survey’s sector split is informative, but it does not provide reliable city-by-city salary benchmarks for all roles. Businesses should therefore run a local check before setting a salary or opening a new operation.
A practical local check is to obtain comparable salary expectations from qualified applicants, speak to training providers, review current vacancies with stated duties and test how many suitable candidates can reach the workplace. Employers should record the province, required languages, experience, working hours and benefits when comparing offers. Khmer-language and English-language recruitment materials may reach different applicant groups, but results should be measured rather than assumed.
How is Cambodia’s labour market changing through 2026?
The World Bank’s October 2026 country update projected economic growth of 3.5% for 2026, versus an estimated 5.3% in 2025. It reported merchandise export growth of 19.2% in the first eight months of 2026, while services exports weakened amid a tourism downturn. The divergent conditions matter for hiring: export-linked businesses and domestic hospitality or retail operators cannot safely use the same demand forecast. Source: World Bank, Cambodia country overview, October 2026.
For 2027 budgeting, employers in the covered garment and related sectors should include the announced US$212 minimum. Other employers should plan around actual market salaries and the costs of finding and retaining relevant skills, not presume an across-the-board statutory wage increase.
A five-step workforce planning check for Cambodian employers
- Define the job: list tasks, necessary skills, working location, language requirements and measurable results.
- Test the local market: compare recent qualified applicants, interview outcomes and like-for-like salary expectations.
- Calculate full costs: include statutory obligations, realistic overtime, recruitment and training.
- Assess competence: use consistent, role-related practical assessments rather than relying exclusively on qualifications.
- Measure outcomes: track time to fill, accepted offers, 90-day retention, training completion and performance against job requirements.
Cambodia’s workforce is substantial, but productive hiring depends on fitting salaries, qualifications and conditions to the work. The clearest 2026 decisions come from combining the published national evidence with current occupation-level testing in the location where a business actually operates.