The annual wage review is a contentious issue; on the one hand, increases are encouraged by unions to help maintain the cost of living, but on the other resisted by trade associations and factory owners who want to keep costs competitive for brands.

According to work by global HR consulting firm Robert Half, cloud migration and project management experience are top of the tech list for hiring managers in 2021, with DevOps engineers, programme leads and network architects all in high demand.

According to Reuters, unions had sought a $12 increase in the monthly minimum wage this year. But Kaing Monika, deputy secretary-general at the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC), says even a $2 increase would have a negative impact with operating costs expected to rise.

Monika told Reuters, employers would spend more on pension and healthcare contributions and workplace measures to counter Covid-19, including up to $4 monthly per head on tests.