"BRITISH DAYS" Fair | 21–23 May 2026 www.britishbusinesscentre.com

Three days of everything British — all in one place:

Franchise opportunities & direct introductions to UK companies
Guidance on studying in the UK
Quality English language learning options in Mongolia
Direct-from-manufacturer UK vitamins on sale (Healthilife)
Showcase & sales of British-branded products and services
Pre-registration for the "Doing Business with Mongolia" seminar and business programme in London (December)
Art exhibition by Hon. Artist D. Batbileg
Competitions & prizes: "Who Sings Best?", "English Public Speaking", and Quiz/Q&A — 10 winners selected
Dates & time: 21–23 May | 10:00–20:00
Location: Baruun 4 Zam, British Business Centre

Open to everyone

Businesses trading with or representing UK products/services are invited to partner with us!

Special thanks to the British Embassy in Mongolia!

British Business Centre
www.britishbusinesscentre.com
management@britishbusinesscentre.com
Tel: +976 7755 2002 / +976 9906 6062

Over 50% of Foreign Nationals Reside for Employment Purposes www.montsame.mn

The Immigration Agency reported that 52.4% of foreign nationals residing in Mongolia for private purposes are staying for employment.

Specifically, 17,944 foreign citizens are working in Mongolia at the invitation of 2,189 enterprises and organizations. Of these, 39.3% are employed in construction, installation, roads, bridges, and infrastructure development; 25.4% in geology, mining, petroleum, and energy; and 17.1% in manufacturing and services.

Under the Law on the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals, up to 3% of Mongolia’s population—approximately 107,000 foreign citizens—may reside in the country for private purposes, including no more than 35,000 citizens from any single country. As of April 30, 2026, 34,241 citizens from 133 countries were residing in Mongolia for official and private purposes. Foreign nationals residing for private purposes account for 0.94% of the total population.

Residence permits under the employment (C) category are issued based on a work permit granted by the General Office for Labor and Welfare Services. In addition, employers hiring foreign workers are required by law to pay a monthly workplace fee equivalent to twice the minimum wage. This fee is allocated to the Employment Promotion Fund to support domestic employment. The fund accumulated MNT 124.9 billion in 2024 and MNT 189.8 billion in 2025.
 

Mongolia poised to lead development of capital markets in CAREC–ASEAN region www.report.az

Mongolia is ready to lead the capital markets development initiative in the CAREC-ASEAN region, Mongolian Deputy Finance Minister Khulan Bat-Erdene said at a capital market seminar held during the 59th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank's Board of Governors, Report informs.

"In the CAREC-ASEAN region, we constantly talk about economic growth, potential, and economic diversification. Therefore, I view the capital market as the most equitable and transparent mechanism for wealth distribution. It is also a way to unlock economic potential through the use of market instruments, not just fiscal measures, budgetary funds, or conventional lending. In this regard, the capital market offers enormous opportunities, and Mongolia is ready to lead this initiative," the deputy minister stated.

Mongolia Qualify For the 2026 World Cup of Darts: Their First Time www.dartsplanet.tv

Mongolia will make its World Cup of Darts debut next month after qualifying through the PDC Asian Tour qualifiers.
Altantülkhüür Myagmarsüren and Ganzorig Lkhagvasüuren represented their country in the qualifiers, looking to make history for the nation.

They faced Chinese Taipei in their first clash at the qualifiers in Group A, and Mongolia started their group stage campaign with a win. They then faced Brunei in their second match but lost, which set up a huge fixture against Malaysia in their third and final game.

If either team won, they were through to the World Cup, but if they lost, their hopes of reaching the tournament next month were gone. The pressure was on both nations going into the third and final group stage game, but who would win the huge qualifying clash.

Mongolia defeated Malaysia 4-2 in sets, which saw the winners qualify for the World Cup. They finished in the automatic qualification spots due to the number of legs they won through the qualifiers.

Mongolia and Chinese Taipei were level on leg difference, but due to the former winning more legs, they secured automatic qualification.

The final competition of the World Cup takes place between 11 and 14 June, in Frankfurt, Germany. The world’s best darts players will be at the competition, and it is an opportunity for Mongolia to make history on their debut in the tournament.

The 40-team competition will be a highly anticipated competition, which was won by Northern Ireland for the first time in 2025. Daryl Gurney and Josh Rock defeated Wales’ Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton in the final 10-9 in Frankfurt.

May 11 will see the field for the World Cup confirmed, following the Elten Safety Shoes Austrian Darts Open in Austria.

No doubt there will be shocks across the competition when it begins in June, and Mongolia will be hoping to cause one of those against one of the world’s best darts nations.

Construction Begins on Fifth Thermal Power Plant www.montsame.mn

Construction of the strategically significant Thermal Power Plant No.5 (TPP-5), aimed at meeting Ulaanbaatar’s growing electricity and heating demand, has officially begun.

The plant will be built on the ash pond site of TPP-2 in the 20th khoroo of Bayangol District and will have a capacity of 300 MW of electricity and 340 Gcal/h of heat.

Mayor of Ulaanbaatar Nyambaatar Khishgee noted that Ulaanbaatar city issued its first domestic bond in 2024, enabling the commissioning of a 300 MW power plant in Buuruljuut and a 50 MW battery energy storage facility in Baganuur. He stated that TPP-5 will be developed through a public-private partnership and is scheduled for completion in 2028. Several additional projects are also planned this year, including new power plants at Dambadarjaa and Denjiin Myanga, gas-fired facilities, and waste-to-energy projects. Furthermore, efforts will continue to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion and to improve living conditions.

Once operational, TPP-5 is expected to supply electricity to up to 100,000 households and provide heating for more than 40,000 households, particularly in densely populated areas such as Tavanshar, Bayankhoshuu, and the 3rd and 4th microdistricts.

The total investment for the project is estimated at USD 658.6 million, with 80% to be financed by private partners and 20% by the public sector. To support financing, the city has issued bonds worth MNT 200 billion in the domestic market.

This will be the first high-capacity combined heat and power plant built in Mongolia in over four decades, since the commissioning of Thermal Power Plant No.4 in 1983. The new plant will utilize domestic coal resources while incorporating modern, efficient, and environmentally friendly technologies designed to avoid increasing air pollution.

Awards Ceremony Held for Outstanding Taxpayers www.montsame.mn

An awards ceremony honoring outstanding taxpayers was held today at the State Palace.

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Uchral Nyam-Osor stated that the Government is pursuing policies aimed at reducing the tax burden, establishing a fair tax system, supporting wealth creators, increasing employment, and expanding the economy. He expressed gratitude to the country’s leading taxpayers for their valuable contribution to national development.

The Prime Minister noted that one month has passed since the formation of the new Government and emphasized that every Cabinet meeting has adopted decisions supporting taxpayers, entrepreneurs, and wealth creators. He also introduced the draft amendments to the Tax Law submitted by the Government.

Under the Corporate Income Tax Law:

The tax bracket will be eased by increasing the threshold for the 25% tax rate from MNT 6 billion to MNT 10 billion, while introducing a 15% tax rate for income between MNT 6 and MNT 10 billion. The revenue threshold eligible for a 90% tax reduction will be raised to MNT 2.5 billion, thereby supporting more businesses.

Under the Value-Added Tax (VAT) Law:

The VAT payer registration threshold will be set at MNT 400 million, and taxpayers will be allowed to defer VAT payments on imported goods for up to two months.

Under the Personal Income Tax Law:

Taxes imposed on monthly income up to MNT 792,000 will be fully refunded to protect real income. A simplified regime introducing a 1% tax rate for business income up to MNT 1 billion will also be implemented. In addition, citizens selling privately owned housing will be exempt from real estate sales tax, encouraging improved living conditions through tax policy support.

Under the General Tax Law:

In addition to reducing tax burdens, the draft amendments aim to create a fairer and more flexible tax environment by extending the period for correcting tax reports to 24 months, allowing businesses and citizens to rectify reporting errors.

During the ceremony, awards were presented to 50 enterprises and organizations that had made significant contributions to the state budget revenues.

I. Top 10 Taxpayers by Tax Contribution

Erdenet Mining Corporation SOE

Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi JSC

Oyu Tolgoi LLC

Mongoliin Alt MAK LLC

Khan Bank JSC

Energy Resources LLC

SouthGobi Sands LLC

APU JSC

Golomt Bank JSC

Trade and Development Bank of Mongolia JSC

II. Best Taxpayers — Large Segment

Khangad Exploration LLC

Khuren Tolgoi Coal Mining LLC

Tavantolgoi JSC

XacBank JSC

Mobicom Corporation LLC

Erdenes Alt Resource LLC

Barloworld Mongolia LLC

MCS Coca-Cola LLC

Transwest Mongolia LLC

Unitel LLC

III. Best Taxpayers — Medium Segment

Smartlogic LLC

Gofro LLC

Khongor Bayan Trans LLC

Tsetszam Plast LLC

Premium Palace LLC

Javkhlant Joloo LLC

Enkhiin Shuuder LLC

ESBBO LLC

Goviin Ilch Teever LLC

Ikhshuudergene Import LLC

IV. Best Taxpayers — Small Segment

Taliin Altan Joloo LLC

MOT Capital LLC

Total Express Line LLC

ABIKO Foods LLC

MN Innovation Global Smart Technology LLC

Unur Mechanical Trade LLC

Khairkhan Auto Service LLC

Solar Power Mongolia LLC

Summit LLC

Grand Yak LLC

V. Best Taxpayers — Micro Segment

Sandvik Mongolia Engineering Solutions LLC

Nomin Hypermarket Western Region LLC

Four Season Garden LLC

Moskva Complex LLC

SET Green Futures LLC

Tavan Bogd Tech LLC

Asira LLC

Coalline Mind LLC

Ganbarmat LLC

Od Munkh Amjiltiin Ekhlel LLC

In accordance with the Government meeting resolution of May 1, 2000, the second week of May each year is designated as “Taxpayers’ Days.” The Mongolian Tax Administration is marking the event for the 27th consecutive year nationwide from May 4 to 8 under the slogan “A Needs-Based Advisory Tax Administration.”

State health insurance fails, private coverage is in ‘grip’ www.ubpost.mn

At its core, the national health insurance system is meant to protect citizens from the financial burden of medical expenses and to ensure that healthcare services are delivered equitably, efficiently, and with quality. In principle, it is a safeguard, a mechanism designed to guarantee that no one is denied care due to cost. However, in recent years, it is not an exaggeration to say that the government has all but abandoned this fundamental responsibility.

More specifically, over the past three to four years, since the Health Insurance Fund was transitioned to a performance-based financing model, citizens have increasingly found themselves unable to access services even at public hospitals using their insurance. The system itself appears to be collapsing under its own weight. The General Office of Health Insurance, which is entrusted with managing and allocating the fund, has effectively been reduced to a passive purchaser of services, medications, and supplies from hospitals and pharmacies. As a consequence, the state insurance system no longer serves its contributors. The premiums paid by citizens often fail to cover even half a year’s worth of services. The fund repeatedly runs short of resources, struggling to meet its financial obligations and, in effect, “running on empty”.

This raises a pressing question: whom can citizens rely on? Increasingly, many are turning toward private health insurance as a more viable alternative—one that, in some cases, may even prove lifesaving. Private schemes often offer broader service coverage, greater choice, and higher reimbursement rates, while requiring contributions comparable to those of the public system.

Every employed citizen contributes to the health insurance fund through payroll deductions, matched by employer contributions, and further supplemented by allocations from the state budget. Through this tripartite financing structure, the Health Insurance Fund has accumulated substantial resources over time. Its annual budget has steadily grown, reaching approximately 2.4 trillion MNT this year. In theory, such a fund should serve as a reliable and sustainable financial backbone for the nation’s healthcare system. In reality, however, both the public and patients themselves can clearly see and directly experience the widening gap between promise and performance.

Put simply, the efficiency and accessibility of the fund have deteriorated sharply in recent years. Contributors are no longer receiving healthcare services commensurate with the premiums they pay. This imbalance has become a major source of public frustration and distrust.

WHAT IS GOING WRONG?

Before advocating for the expansion of private health insurance, it is essential to examine what exactly is failing within the public system. A brief look at key figures reveals a fundamental flaw: while significant premiums are collected from citizens each year, the services provided in return remain limited and insufficient.

The office continues to promote the ease of paying contributions, particularly by advertising various payment apps and clearly listing annual premium rates. These figures show a consistent increase over time. For example, in 2019, an insured individual paid 3,200 MNT per month, or 38,400 MNT annually. By 2024, this had risen to 6,600 MNT per month, or 79,200 MNT per year. In 2025, the increase became even more pronounced, with monthly contributions reaching 13,200 MNT in the first quarter and rising further to 15,840 MNT from April onward. By 2026, an insured citizen is expected to pay 190,080 MNT annually.

Taken together, between 2019 and 2026, an individual will have contributed a total of 707,040 MNT to the health insurance fund out of their own pocket. Employers match these contributions, meaning that at minimum, 1,414,080 MNT is accumulated per insured individual over this period. For a household with two working members, this translates into more than 2.8 million MNT paid into the system, which is a significant sum by any standard.

What makes this situation particularly concerning is that the officially published contribution rates are calculated based on the minimum wage. Those earning higher incomes pay substantially more, often hundreds of thousands, even millions of tugrug per month. This is where the core issue becomes evident: despite the substantial and increasing financial input from both employees and employers, the quality and availability of healthcare services continue to decline.

Why, then, are public hospitals facing chronic underfunding? Why are essential medical supplies, such as disposable items and basic treatment materials, frequently unavailable? Why are there shortages of medicines and injections? And why have preventive services and early detection screenings been halted?

These are not isolated problems. Rather, they point to a systemic failure, clear evidence that the current national health insurance system has become inefficient and is no longer fulfilling its intended role.

POSSIBLE TO PROTECT EVERY CITIZEN 

When compared with private health insurance, a very different picture emerges. In Mongolia today, around four to five insurance companies offer private health insurance services. However, public awareness remains low, and there is little to no policy-level support from the government.

A closer look shows that annual premiums for private health insurance packages typically range between 300,000 and 800,000 MNT, with coverage limits of 10 to 20 million MNT. Some premium-tier packages offer even higher reimbursement ceilings. In other words, for a contribution roughly comparable to what employees and employers already pay annually into the public system, citizens could potentially access more clearly defined, accessible, and comprehensive healthcare services.

For instance, based on the official tariff set by the Health Insurance Office, the combined contribution of an employee and employer to the public health insurance system in 2026 will amount to 380,160 MNT. Yet if that same individual were to contribute slightly more, around 500,000 MNT, to a private insurance plan, they could gain access to high-cost services such as MRI and CT scans, inpatient treatment, surgeries, and emergency care at major, specialized hospitals, services that can otherwise cost several million tugrugs.

Private insurers typically establish contracts with hospitals of their choosing, regardless of ownership type, ensuring broader access to healthcare providers. It is therefore worth exploring such companies and their offerings. By contrast, even with higher contributions, accessing tangible services through the public system remains difficult.

Under Mongolia’s current system, citizens are required to pay health insurance contributions monthly or annually. Yet when they actually seek medical care, they often still have to pay out-of-pocket, which is an unfortunate and deeply concerning reality. According to repeated warnings from the World Bank, a significant share of household healthcare spending in Mongolia consists of direct, out-of-pocket payments. This means that even insured citizens are forced to pay again at the point of service, placing a heavy financial burden on households and, in many cases, pushing them toward poverty.

International experience suggests that increasing the role of private health insurance can significantly improve system efficiency under such conditions. In Australia, for example, the government provides tax incentives to citizens who enroll in private health insurance, thereby reducing pressure on public hospitals. In Germany, higher-income individuals often opt for private insurance, while the public system focuses on protecting vulnerable populations. In France, public insurance provides basic coverage, and private insurance supplements it with additional services. These blended systems demonstrate how combining public and private mechanisms can deliver more efficient and effective healthcare.

As discussed, Mongolia has the potential to adopt a similar approach. If a portion of the contributions currently paid into the public health insurance system by citizens and employers were redirected toward private insurance, it could reduce the burden on the Health Insurance Fund while providing citizens with more tangible and reliable protection.

Put simply, while the current public system attempts to “spread limited resources thinly across everyone”, a reformed approach could instead ensure that each individual is genuinely protected from the financial risks associated with illness. This is precisely why private health insurance deserves policy-level support.

In today’s context, advancing private health insurance in Mongolia is no longer simply a matter of individual choice or market preference; it has become a strategic imperative. Strengthening this sector is essential to improving the efficiency, resilience, and long-term sustainability of healthcare financing, while also ensuring that citizens receive more reliable, timely, and meaningful financial protection against the rising costs of medical care.

Mongolian Basketball Players Achieve an Impressive Victory Over Professional American Players www.open.kg

At the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Chengdu 2026 tournament in Chengdu, China, the Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy team achieved an unexpected victory over Miami with a narrow score of 21-20 in a tense group stage match. This game, which took place on Saturday, became the highlight of a day filled with exciting moments and dramatic twists, as reported by MiddleAsianNews.

In Group B, the match was a true test for both teams. Miami, trailing for most of the game, managed to equalize, but ultimately Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy snatched victory in the final seconds thanks to accurate shots from Nauris Miezis. Two consecutive two-pointers by Miezis proved decisive, completing the team's comeback.

Earlier, Miami confidently defeated the Shinagawa team from Japan with a score of 21-16, showing character and strength in the final moments of the match, thanks to Mitch Han's performance. However, Shinagawa, unwilling to give up, secured a victory over Ulaanbaatar with a score of 21-17, where Voni Scott stood out by scoring 14 points.

As a result, all three teams finished the group stage with an equal record of 1-1, but Miami and Ulaanbaatar advanced further due to their accumulated points, demonstrating a high level of play in one of the most competitive groups of the tournament.

“Mongolia’s 17-Place Rise in Press Freedom Index Marks Progress,” PM Says www.montsame.mn

 Prime Minister Uchral Nyam-Osor extended a greetings on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day.

In his message, he emphasized that truth begins with the freedom to express one’s views, noting that journalism carries a profound responsibility to society. He expressed appreciation to media professionals who inform and educate the public through fact-based reporting, extending greetings on behalf of the Government of Mongolia and personally.

The Prime Minister underscored that freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy and highlighted the government’s “Chuluuleye” initiative aimed at reducing bureaucracy, pressure, and corruption. He noted that the success of such efforts depends directly on a free and independent press.

Prime Minister Uchral also pointed out that Mongolia has advanced 17 places in the press freedom index, describing it as a sign of progress. At the same time, he reiterated his position that Article 13.14 of the Criminal Code contradicts constitutional principles, affirming his consistent support for protecting the freedom of expression of citizens and journalists.

He stressed that ensuring a pressure-free and legally enabling environment for journalism remains a shared goal, concluding that truth and democracy can only thrive where opinions are expressed freely.

46,306 people registered for “Ulaanbaatar Marathon-2026” www.gogo.mn

According to Decree No. A/396 issued by the Governor of the capital in 2026, the “Ulaanbaatar Marathon-2026” international race will be held in the capital for the 11th time on May 23.

Registration for the marathon was open on the websitewww.ulaanbaatar.marathon.mn until 5:00 PM on May 1.

As of April 29, more than 18,000 people had registered. However, registration increased sharply over the final two days, and by the time it closed at 5:00 PM on May 1, a total of 46,306 people had signed up.

This year’s marathon will be held in five categories: the 42-kilometer marathon for citizens aged 18 and over; the 21-kilometer half marathon for participants aged 18–34 and over 55; the 10-kilometer sports run for all citizens aged 18 and over; the 5-kilometer health run; and the 800 and 1,500-meter family run.