Migration in the Lao PDR
Presentation by: Ms. Sivaly Savathdy
Labour Migration Management in the GMS Learning Program
26 November-1 December 2012, Mekong Institute, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Outline
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Background
Information of Migration worker to aboard
Structures of Labour Migration Management
Legal Framework
Operational Procedures
Key Challenges
Recommendation
Labour migration serves to bridge the gap between demand and
supply of labour in specific segments of the regional market. It has
become a survival strategy for large segments of the population.
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Population: 6,127,910 (2009)
Laos shares its border with Thailand (1,835 km), Vietnam
(2,230 km), China (435 km), Myanmar (235 km) and
Cambodia (514 km)
From landlocked to land-linking country
Main industry: agriculture (80%), no heavy industry
Economic corridors:
North-South : from China to Myanmar
East-West : links Vietnam, Laos, Thailand,
Myanmar
Member of ASEAN since 1997
Information of Migration worker to aboard
•
The number of migrant workers who migrate using a
licensed recruitment agency to Thailand was 11,286 during
2008-2011
•
In 2011, over 105,000 irregular lao migrant workers
registered with the Thai authorities and number of labor
rural move to urban areas has increasing.
•
256 workers in Japan
Laos as Receiving Country
 Laos hosts migrant workers from Vietnam, China and Thailand
 Sending countries from Oct. 2008 to Sept. 2009
Vietnam: 6,864
Thailand: 3,524
China : 1,299
 Area of work: Construction, Business
 Hydropower and mining sector attracts huge foreign direct investment into the country
 Establishment of Special Economic Zone and Construction of Chinese Markets in
major towns suggest the number of Chinese migrants would be much bigger than the above
figure
Structures of LMM
The Main Line Ministry
1. Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare :
2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
3. Ministry of Public Security
4. The National Assembly
The Other Sector that relate to LMM
1. Lao Woman Union
2. Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union
3. Lao Trade Federation Union
4. National Chamber of Commerce and Industry
5. Ministry of Justice
Legal Framework
Some regulations relate to MM
 Labour Law ( 2006)
 Law of the Development and Protection of women(
 Law on the Protection of the right and interests of Children
 Decree 68/PM, 2002 on export Lao worker to abroad and
Directive of Decree on Lao worker sending to abroad
number 2417/MLSW in 2003. Guidelines No.
2417/MoLSW ‘on Implementation of Decree on Export of
Lao Workers Abroad.
 Agreement of Labour and Social Welfare Minister
regarding the permission foreign worker to work in Lao
PDR No.5418/MoLSW, Date 10 December 2007.
 Ministry’s Regulation on Recruitment Agency
Establishment and Controlling number 043/MLSW
 Ministerial Decree No. 3824/MLSW dated 19 December
2002 prohibits Lao workers sending to abroad.
 Lao PDR has ratified three of the eight Fundamental ILO
Conventions about people’s rights at work:
 Convention 29 Concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour
•
Convention 138 concerning Minimum Age for Admission
to Employment
•
Convention 182 concerning the Prohibition and Immediate
Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child
Labour
 MOU on Employment Cooperation with Thailand, signed in
2002
 Decree on Employment Cooperation with Japan, signed in
2003
Operational Procedures
2
Registration
1
Job vacancy
7
Job
Placement
3
Section
Employment
Service Job
Centre
6
International
movement
5
Predeparture
4
Work
permit
Key Challenges
1. Complicated process and time consuming which cause to
higher cost
2. Informal recruitment remains a popular alternative to formal
recruitment channels
3. Lack of labour market information and risk of irregular labour,
especially rural and remote area
 Both informal and formal recruitment can lead to a
situation of indebtedness to the recruiter, which often
leaves little alternative for indebted early returnees other
than remigration
 Lacking of Data and information on labour
Recommendation
•
Cooperation among social partner as well as with migrant
worker;
• Enhance Bilateral, MOU cooperation
• Regional cooperation to fight human trafficking in GMS as
well as ASEAN
• National project on employment and migration
management
•
Regional cooperation on sharing information
Thank you for your attention