09.04.2025 – (12:01 PM)

The Embassy of Japan in Yangon has announced that it has extended the validity of its Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from three months to six months for those who are planning to work in Japan due to the delay in issuing OWIC cards.

Holders of the Certificate of Eligibility are those who have completed the visa application process specified by the Japanese Embassy in Myanmar.

The Embassy announced that the issuance of the Overseas Worker Identification Card (OWIC) by the Ministry of Labor is currently delayed due to the reforms of the labor dispatch system of the Ministry of Labor and the impact of the earthquake in central Myanmar. Therefore, the Embassy announced that the COE holders will be extended from three months to six months.

The Embassy also announced that a consultation center will be opened from April 7 for Myanmar citizens who are facing difficulties and concerns due to the suspension of the issuance of OWIC cards.

The center is open for a limited time at the Myanmar-Japan Center

and is designed to provide consultations with experts in a variety of areas, including labor agency, education, psychological care, and legal affairs, so the embassy encourages you to come and receive services.

You must make a reservation before visiting the center, and for the first time, please come to the MJC where the center is located in person as much as possible. If you have difficulty coming in person, we will communicate with you online, the embassy said.