Picture: Cambodian City
The Cambodian government has reportedly ordered African nationals staying in the country under an immigration waiver to leave before May 31, 2026, or face arrest, imprisonment and heavy fines.
According to a report, the directive affected citizens from several African countries, including Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon and Uganda.
The alleged notice from Cambodia’s General Department of Immigration warned that anyone remaining in the country from June 1 could face arrest, up to two years imprisonment and an $8,000 fine before deportation.
Authorities were also said to have threatened a nationwide crackdown on immigration offenders and visa overstayers.
The development has raised concerns among African migrants in Cambodia, many of whom reportedly travelled to the Southeast Asian nation after being promised jobs in customer service, casinos and technology firms.
Over the years, human rights groups and international media reports have linked some of these job offers to cybercrime and human trafficking networks operating across Southeast Asia, where victims allegedly faced intimidation, passport seizure and forced labour.
However, Cambodian authorities have denied issuing any order targeting Africans.
Government spokesperson Touch Sokhak reportedly described the circulating immigration notice as “fake news,” insisting that no official directive had been released ordering Africans to leave the country.
The controversy has since generated debate online, with some observers questioning the authenticity of the document circulating on social media.
Tags: Cambodia, Africans in Cambodia, Illegal Migrants, Deportation, Immigration, Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon, Uganda, Human Trafficking, Southeast Asia, Cybercrime, The EastAfrican
