Government approves draft agreement on importing Chinese workers

The Government yesterday approved the draft of an agreement to be signed with China to import labor from there to work in specified areas. Minister for Social Welfare and Labor T.Gandi has been asked to submit the draft to the National Security Council. Talks were held on the issue during the last meeting of the inter government commission for cooperation in economy, trade, science and technology, and China tentatively agreed to send workers, provided their security and interests were protected by a proper agreement. There have been reports of Mongolian employers and labor contractors employing foreign workers illegally so that their rights, such as housing, can be ignored.

The draft allows only skilled workers with professional training to take up employment in Mongolia, with permission from a concerned state organization which will verify an employer’s needs.

The Government also decided to ease regulations about change of working place of economic entities and organizations that have permission to employ foreign workers and specialists.

The Ministries of Mineral Resources and Energy, of Social Welfare and Labor, and of Road, Transportation and Urban Development should publish data on economic entities’ requirements of both domestic and foreign workers.