Lao migrant workers sent an estimated USD 500.7 million back to Laos during the first seven months of 2026, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.
The ministry shared the figures during a labor migration meeting in Vientiane on 22 September. Employment Department Director General Anousone Khamsingsavath said large numbers of Lao workers continue to work abroad.
Authorities recorded 149,294 Lao workers abroad in 2025, while 112,436 were working overseas by September 2026.
The ministry is updating the Labour Law, Employment Law, and regulations covering Lao workers abroad to strengthen legal protections, improve recruitment, and support safer migration.
Push for Legal Migration
The government is also trying to reduce irregular migration.
In 2024, more than 73,000 Lao workers were living and working abroad without proper documentation, out of more than 224,000 Lao workers overseas.
More recently, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare warned job seekers against using unauthorized brokers to find work in South Korea.
The warning comes as Laos plans to send more than 17,000 workers to South Korea in 2026 under a seasonal employment program.
With migrant workers sending hundreds of millions of dollars home each year, the government is seeking to expand legal recruitment channels while improving protections for Lao citizens working abroad.
