Working in Myanmar

This guide was written prior to the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021 and is therefore not reflective of the current situation. Travel to Myanmar is currently not advisable due to ongoing civil unrest, armed conflict, and severe restrictions on communications and transportation.

Due to Myanmar’s domestic conflict, as well as the influence of the pandemic, the country’s economy has taken a downward turn. Looking forward, the growth outlook remains poor. That said, with the reopening of tourism and the related service industries, there are still many opportunities for expats looking to work in Myanmar.

Job market in Myanmar

Agriculture, fishing and forestry account for approximately 23 percent of Myanmar’s GDP and much of the country’s workforce is employed in this sector, either directly or indirectly. Crop production, especially rice, covers more than half of the country’s cultivated land. With the discovery of natural gas and petroleum came foreign investment, which has boosted employment for expats in the oil and gas, mining, and manufacturing industries in Myanmar.

Much of Myanmar’s infrastructure remains largely underdeveloped, and construction remains an important employer in the country. If you’re moving to Myanmar and have architecture, building and engineering expertise, you will have no trouble finding employment. The service sector, including tourism and teaching English as a foreign language, is also on the rise.

Work culture in Myanmar

As is usually the case in Southeast Asian countries, Myanmar’s work culture is fairly formal and hierarchical. It is also heavily reliant on building strong personal relationships. Respect is an important part of working in Myanmar, and you should try to always address your colleagues and seniors by their full titles and names. ‘U’ and ‘Daw’ are used as the equivalent of ‘Mr’ and ‘Mrs’ or ‘Ms’.

The concept of ‘face’ applies in Myanmar, and you should avoid public disagreements with your local colleagues as this could cause them to lose face. While you may have a difficult time adjusting to the work culture in Myanmar if you’re used to more egalitarian cultures, you will be delighted to find that the local people are generally friendly and honest.