Following the various entry restrictions put in place by the Myanmar authorities since March 2020 to address the COVID-19 situation, many residents who left the country prior to the imposition of the travelling restrictions have yet to return to the country. As some of these individuals fulfil the role of resident directors of Myanmar-incorporated companies, their prolonged absence from the country could result in the company being in breach of the minimum residency requirement imposed on the directors of Myanmar companies under the Myanmar Companies Law (“MCL”).

On 20 October 2020, the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (“DICA”), announced, via Notification 92/2020 (“Notification 92”), a temporary relief for companies from the resident director requirements. It does so by excluding the period from 29 March 2020 until the official lifting of entry restrictions from the computation to determine a director’s residency status.