Lessons Learned in Programme
Design and Implementation
Federico Soda
International Organization for Migration
Presented at the Second RCM Workshop on Temporary
Foreign Workers (TFWP): An Intra-regional Focus
Sto. Domingo, Dominican Republic 28-29 April
Introduction
a) Global Labour Migration
b) Identifying and addressing labour needs
•
•
Migration Research Units (MRU)
Labour Market Kiosk (LMK)
c) Protecting and Empowering migrants
•
•
Migrant Resources Centres: Pre-Departure and post return support.
Labour Attaches: Post-Arrival Support.
c) Building Capacities in Labour Migration
d) Conclusion
Global Labour Migration
• Over the past 45 years, the number of persons living outside
their country of birth has more than doubled from an estimated
75 million in 1960 to nearly 191 million in 2006 (UN, 2006)
• Roughly 90 million of this figure constitute migrant workers
(ILO, 2006)
• Migration is a global issue that requires bilateral and multilateral cooperation
Identifying and addressing
labour needs
• Market Research Units (MRU)
• Labour Market Kiosk (LMK)
MRU: Concept and Services
• Government office to undertake research to promote
country’s overseas employment program
• What does it do: identification, collection, analysis,
dissemination and use of labour market information
• What is the purpose: expand existing markets, develop new
overseas markets, monitor developments (sectors,
conditions), enhance competitiveness
MRU: Set Up
Institutional Set up
• Established within Ministries of Labour
(e.g BMET in Bangladesh)
• Enhanced capacity to undertake labour
market research
Recommendations
• Linked to human resource planning
in countries of origin
• Systematic way to identify labour opportunities for workers in COD
• Linked to broader development strategies
MRU: Good Practices
• Established in Bangladesh, India and Sri
Lanka
• Produce monthly reports that examine labour
demand in select countries of destination
(Bangladesh)
• Develop a roadmap for MRU for countries of
Origin (IOM)
• Training for MRU to enhance capacity to
carry out market research in the global
labour market (India) including market
capacity perception survey.
LMK: Concept and Services
• Labour Market Kiosk (LMK) provide timely labor market information on
overseas labor market opportunities, labor and immigration policies, and
working conditions overseas.
• Provide information to migrant workers, government agencies, policy
makers, labour market specialists, overseas employers, recruitment
agencies, etc….
• Information includes country profiles, bilateral agreements, wages, labor
market opportunities, latest news, demand and supply information,
frequently asked questions, etc.
LMK: Set-up
Institutional Set-up
• Labour Market Kiosk embedded into
the website of the Philippines POEA
• Provides an active database of BLA,
MOU and other legal arrangements
• Includes up to date market analysis
by sector and geographical location
• Publically accessible
LMK: Set-up
Protecting and empowering migrants
• Pre-departure and
post-return support:
Migrant Resource
Centres (MRC)
• Post-arrival support:
Labour Attaches
MRC: Concept and Services
• Offices that provide services to migrants to facilitate legal,
and safe migration
• Up-to-date information to help make informed decisions
about study or employment abroad
• Can facilitate return and reintegration
• Include information and counseling: Destination Country
Profile (DCP), training, referral services.
MRC: Pre-Departure
and Return support
Institutional set up
• Can be established and run by
governments, NGO, or international
organizations
• Located within local employment
centers
• Facilitation of networks with other
MRC and referral services (Western
Balkans)
Recommendations
• MRC embedded within existing local structures
• Close contact with official information providers – i.e. consular authorities
MRC: Good Practices
Services to empower and protect migrants
• Remittance and investment opportunities (Philippines)
• Employment related assistance such as recognition of
qualifications (Portugal)
• Building diaspora capacity and creating links (Democratic
Republic of Congo)
Services to protect migrants
• Mobile information provision (Tajikistan)
• Free individualized support and counseling (Slovakia, Tajikistan,
Lebanon)
Labour Attaches:
Post-Arrival Support
Function and Roles
• Provide assistance to migrant
workers abroad
• Promote manpower and labour market opportunities for
nationals abroad
• Assist in the development of labour migration policies
• Promote bilateral and diplomatic relations on labour
matters
Labour Attaches: Post-Arrival Support
Institutional Set up
• Often Ministry of Labour Staff Seconded
to MFA
• Legal basis for the role and function of
the labour attaché
(Bangladesh/Morocco)
Recommendations
• Labour attaches established to support implementation of
BLA
• Joint working groups between countries of origin and
destination (Indonesia/Bangladesh)
Labour Attaches: Good Practice
• Assisting migrants with labour market
inclusion (Bulgaria)
• Verifying employment terms and
conditions in accordance with BLA
(Philippines)
• Providing targeted assistance for
example mental health services
(Thailand)
Enhancing the Capacity of
Governments
THE IOM CAPACITY
BUILDING TOOL ON
LABOUR
MIGRATION
MANAGEMENT FOR
LATIN AMERICA
(Spanish version)
Training Modules for Latin America:
Module A:
Introduction
Course 1:
International
Migration Law
and cooperation
framework for
the development
of LM policies
Module B: Int. Migration
Law framework for the
protection of M. Workers
Module C: International
co-operation for the
facilitation of LM
Module D: Temporary,
circular and cross-border
Labour Migration
3 Courses, 11 Modules, 46 Sessions
Course 2:
Developing
Labour
Migration
Policies in
countries of
origin
Module E: Protection of Migrant
workers: policy options for CoO
Module F: Developing labour
market strategies
Module G: Enhancing migrant
workers‘ contribution to the
development of CoO
Course 3:
Developing
Labour
Migration
Policies in
countries of
destination
Module H: Assessing the need
for foreign labour
Module I: Designing labour
admission policies
Module J: Protection of
migrant workers + integration
Module K: Measures to prevent /
reduce irregular migration
Conclusion
• Programme design and implementation - anchored in
national migration policy and development policy
• Measures can be taken by governments to improve
migration management & protect workers throughout the
migration process
• Enhancing capacity of government officials
• Experience from other countries in other regions could
benefit Central America
THANK YOU
Federico SODA
Head of Labour and Facilitated Migration
International Organization for Migration, Geneva
fsoda@iom.int