AKP Phnom Penh, September 2, 2026 --

A delegation from the State of Israel has praised and highly evaluated the selection process for Cambodian agricultural workers organised by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, describing it as fair, transparent and highly professional.

The Israeli delegation also expressed confidence in the quality of Cambodian workers and the future of bilateral labour cooperation between the two countries.

The remarks were made by Ms. Shirly Raisin Sasson, Head of Bilateral Agreements at Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA), during the Israeli delegation’s visit to Cambodia to directly observe and monitor the selection and interview process for Cambodian candidates seeking employment in Israel’s agricultural sector.

Ms. Sasson said that demand for workers in Israel’s agricultural sector has continued to increase year by year, creating opportunities for Israel to recruit workers from various countries, including Cambodia.

“We see potential in recruiting Cambodian workers and skilled agricultural workers to work in Israel,” she said.

The Israeli delegation also commended the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training for its strong partnership and professionalism in organising and implementing the candidate selection process.

Ms. Sasson stressed that the Cambodian and Israeli sides have worked closely as a team to ensure that the selection process is conducted transparently and in accordance with criteria mutually agreed upon by both sides.

“We are highly committed and work together as a team to ensure that the selection process is conducted transparently and in accordance with the agreed criteria. The arrangements for the delegation have been very professional, and we can clearly see the results,” she said.

She thanked the leadership and officials of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training for organising the tests and interviews and for working closely with the Israeli delegation throughout the process.

“I am confident that the workers who will go to work in Israel will be skilled and professional workers. Thanks to the work of the Ministry of Labour here, Cambodian workers going to Israel will build a good reputation, and this bilateral agreement will be successful,” Ms. Sasson said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sun Mesa, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, said the Israeli delegation’s direct participation in monitoring and observing the process demonstrated the shared responsibility of both countries in ensuring the credibility of the worker selection process.

“The Ministry’s goal is not simply to send as many workers as possible, but to ensure that every candidate is assessed based on their abilities and the same established criteria. The direct participation of the Israeli side in monitoring the process further confirms that it is being conducted transparently, fairly and professionally, in order to protect the interests of candidates and build the reputation of Cambodian workers in the international labour market,” he said.

Mr. Sun Mesa added that candidates who still have questions about the results can request the Ministry to review the results and relevant evidence.

“We remain open to requests from candidates to review the results and concrete evidence. We want candidates to receive clear explanations and feel satisfied with the results,” he said.

He also clarified that passing the first-stage test does not mean that candidates have been finally selected to work in Israel.

Candidates must still undergo oral interviews, selection by the Israeli side through PIBA, selection and matching with employers, medical and document checks, contract signing, orientation and preparation for departure.

The positive assessment by the Israeli delegation comes as Cambodia and Israel are strengthening cooperation in overseas employment, particularly in agriculture, where Israeli employers continue to have demand for workers.

For Cambodia, expanding the labour market to Israel not only creates employment and income opportunities for citizens but also enables Cambodian workers to gain international work experience, knowledge and skills in modern agricultural technologies.

The government-to-government cooperation focuses on ensuring that workers are recruited safely, orderly and lawfully, with candidates selected through proper procedures and provided with orientation and preparation before departure.

The Israeli delegation’s appreciation of Cambodia’s worker selection process is viewed as a positive sign for expanding bilateral labour cooperation and creating more opportunities for Cambodian agricultural workers to obtain legal employment in Israel in the future.

By C. Nika