Since 1999 the Cambodian government has received sustained support and financial assistance particularly from the US, the IMF and the World Bank and as a result Cambodia has developed a more stable political environment and a strengthening economic climate which is mainly driven by tourism and the textile industry.

Westerners living and working in Cambodia today not only find themselves living in a country that is exciting and beautiful, but in a country where the general mood is prosperous and positive.  This is the EasternExplorer introduction to living and working in Cambodia.

Anyone wishing to enter Cambodia via the country’s borders with Thailand and Vietnam or by flying directly to one of the main airports such as Phnom Penh or Siem Reap will find that they require a visa.  The type of visa to apply for depends on the reason for entering the country; those wishing to holiday in Cambodia will be given a one month tourist visa if their passport is valid for six months but anyone travelling to live and work in Cambodia will require a business visa.

Make sure you have a few passport sized photographs available and some US dollars (or Thai Baht if crossing at the Thailand/Cambodia border) as both are needed for visa applications.  A tourist visa currently costs USD20 and a business visa USD25 – but please note that these fees are subject to change and you should consult the Kingdom of Cambodia’s tourism site for updates.  Those with a firm job offer or placement in Cambodia will usually receive assistance when it comes to applying for a visa but the entire application procedure is very straightforward.
The majority of westerners living and working in Cambodia are either teachers at the university or at one of the international or language schools in and around Phnom Penh or they’re working for one of the many aid agencies which are present in the country.  The expatriate community is mainly made up of European, Northern American and Australian citizens and depending on the field in which the individual works they may be incredibly well remunerated or very badly paid – there seems to be no half measure in Cambodia!

The majority of westerners live in and around Phnom Penh and are single – as a result the social side of life in Phnom Penh is excellent and vibrant with the emphasis on having fun and enjoying life!  Those who do travel to the country with their family find that the educational standards available in the international schools such as the International School of Phnom Penh and the Montessori school are quite high but so are the school fees. 

Rental or long term hotel accommodation is easy to find and relatively cheap.  Long term hotels are the preferred accommodation type for single westerners in Cambodia as the fees charged generally include laundry services as well.  Household help costs from around USD100 a month for those who prefer to rent a house or apartment and it’s quite usual for those living in Cambodia to have domestic assistance.

Those going to live in Cambodia should consult their doctor about which inoculations to have but generally speaking Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Tetanus and TB are recommended as are Japanese Encephalitis and Meningitis.  And in terms of essential items to pack they include underwear and shoes as such items in larger (Western) sizes are almost impossible to source and a decent crash helmet as many westerners buy mopeds to get around and find that decent crash helmets are a rare commodity!