Cambodia aims to enroll 2 million informal economy workers by 2028

The Cambodian government registered more than 500,000 informal economy participants as of early November.

Hem Vanndy, the Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, announced this milestone during a ceremony on November 12. The minister, who also chairs the Coordinating Committee for the Development of the Informal Economy, plans to increase this number to at least 2 million participants by 2028. The government uses the Cambodia Informal Economy Registration Platform (CAM-IE) to manage these registrations.

As of November 6, the platform received 568,582 applications, with 532,247 of those receiving approval. Most applicants, about 95 per cent, registered themselves primarily through a mobile application. The platform currently handles an average of 2,000 applications every day. Registered participants gain access to various social protections and business tools. These benefits include entry into the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), free insurance from Manulife and Phillip Capital Group, and $150 skills training vouchers.

The government also provides vouchers for digital solutions and free access to invoice and sales management software. Hem Vanndy urged government institutions and financial partners to expand outreach and create dedicated loan packages to help these workers build more resilient businesses.