Labour Migration
http://med-mig.ips.lk/handle/789/2
2023-08-18T21:58:21ZDecent Work, Youth Employment and Migration In Asia
http://med-mig.ips.lk/handle/789/173
Decent Work, Youth Employment and Migration In Asia
Wickramasekara, Piyasiri
This paper on is the first in-depth and comprehensive study on the situation of youth migration issues in Asia.
It discusses migration trends and issues concerning young people in Asia - a region hosting more than 60 per cent of world’s youth population and one third of the global number of young migrants.
It first outlines some methodological issues in understanding the nexus between decent work, internal and international migration, and causes of youth migration pressures. It highlights the large gaps between migration aspirations and actual migration experiences.
Drawing on a variety of primary and secondary data sources, he highlights the profile of young Asian migrant workers, their working conditions and protection issues in major destination countries in Asia, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Australia and New Zealand.
The study finds that there are not any major differences between the experiences of both adult and young female and male migrant workers. Both groups face exploitation and poor working conditions in destination countries. However, young migrants are more vulnerable given their lack of information, experience, and coping mechanisms. A sizeable number are in forced labour situations, especially in Gulf countries, Malaysia and Thailand. The multi-billion dollar Thai fishing industry is a good example of abuse and exploitation of young migrant workers from neighbouring poor countries.
The paper points out that there are few programmes or policies in origin or destination countries that directly address the specific issues faced by youth migrants and their specific vulnerabilities. Some countries have special youth programmes which make no references to migration. Likewise, employment promotion policies and programmes and specific migration policies and programmes (where available) rarely consider the situation of young migrant workers.
The study provides some suggestions on designing or improving effective policies and strategies to meet the youth employment and migration challenges and serve to promote decent work for migrant youth and their families in the Asia-Pacific region
2012-01-01T00:00:00ZAssessment of the impact of migration of health professionals on the labour market and health sector performance in destination countries
http://med-mig.ips.lk/handle/789/172
Assessment of the impact of migration of health professionals on the labour market and health sector performance in destination countries
Wickramasekara, Piyasiri
The Assessment of the impact of migration of health professionals on the labour market and health sector performance in destination countries is an attempt to understand the impact of the migration of health professionals on the labour market and performance and quality of health services in major countries of destination, particularly the United Kingdom. It focuses on two categories of health professionals: doctors and nurses. It discusses this possible impact in relation to three major aspects: the labour market in terms of employment and wages; performance of the health system; and the quality of care.
Migration, and the migration of health-care professionals in particular, has raised concerns from both source and host countries. Health professional mobility impacts on the performance of health systems by changing the composition of the health workforce and outcomes in both origin and destination countries. The migration of health workers is both a response to the challenges of health systems in host and source countries, and a challenge in itself.
The assessment concludes that there is not much evidence that migration of health professionals has had any significant adverse labour market impacts, while their positive contributions to the performance of health systems have been well documented. Individual migrants also have improved their welfare by migrating to developed destinations. Still, studies have shown that immigrant health professionals have not had equal opportunities for career progression. But there is continuing concern about brain drain of health workers from origin countries. While the United Kingdom had shown some concern on this development impact until recently, other major destination countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States) have rarely considered adverse impacts on source countries in their health worker admission policies. While circular migration involving short-term temporary migration back and forth between origin and destination countries has been advocated to address this situation, it has not been seriously considered by any country as an option to minimise brain drain while ensuring migrant rights and welfare.
A report prepared for the EU-ILO Project on Decent Work Across Borders: A Pilot project for Migrant Health Professionals and Skilled Workers, Manila, Philippines
2014-07-01T00:00:00ZSomething is Better than Nothing: Enhancing the protection of Indian migrant workers through Bilateral Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding
http://med-mig.ips.lk/handle/789/171
Something is Better than Nothing: Enhancing the protection of Indian migrant workers through Bilateral Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding
Wickramasekara, Piyasiri
India’s has had an impressive record recently in negotiating bilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) on emigration of Indian workers, and social security agreements for Indian workers with a number of destination countries. The study undertakes a review of MOUs and MOAs on migration of Indian workers entered into by the Government of India with destination countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, Jordan and Malaysia. The findings however, have broader relevance in the context of similar MOUs by other Asian origin countries.
The study fails to find any concrete evidence that the MOUs and agreements on labour migration have contributed to improved governance of labour migration between India and concerned destination countries or significantly improve the protection of low-skilled Indian workers in the major destinations - the Gulf countries and Malaysia. The author argues that this is to be expected given that the MOUs contain only general provisions and leave out major issues of governance and protection. There has been no publicity and awareness creation on the MOUs signed, or any concrete follow on the provisions of MOUs after initial signing. The Joint Commissions proposed in the MOUs for monitoring and follow up of these agreements are virtually non-functional or non-existent. Above all, the lack of enforcement and monitoring mechanisms, and the continued predominant role of the private sector employers, and recruitment agencies and sponsors in hiring and control of workers mean that the MOUs have hardly any impact on the situation of the average low and semi-skilled Indian migrant worker. In all countries surveyed abuse and exploitation of Asian migrant workers including those from India has not changed.
This should however, not imply that India is better off without MOUs. The existence of MOUs has a political value, and they have provided a firmer foundation for the country to build upon in this regard. In this sense, an agreement or MOU is better than a situation of no agreement or MOU. The author argues that the MOUs provide a broad framework, but that they need to be backed up by concrete initiatives in the areas of model employment contracts, strict workplace monitoring and enforcement of labour laws and regulations with adequate labour inspection procedures in place, dispute resolution mechanisms and mechanisms for access to justice by all migrant workers, and effective monitoring and regulation of recruitment agencies at both ends, and doing away with the sponsorship (‘Kafala’) system in GCC countries. While these may be harder to negotiate, they should nevertheless receive high priority if MOUs are to have any operational value in improving labour migration governance, and effectively protecting Indian migrant workers abroad. In this sense, multilateral and regional forums may serve as better platforms to move forward in these areas.
2012-02-01T00:00:00ZRegulation of the recruitment process and reduction of migration costs: Comparative analysis of South Asia
http://med-mig.ips.lk/handle/789/170
Regulation of the recruitment process and reduction of migration costs: Comparative analysis of South Asia
Wickramasekara, Piyasiri
The study undertakes a comprehensive review of issues relating to recruitment processes and high migration costs in South Asia with special focus on Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The paper first highlights migration trends in South Asia, and main features of South Asian migration. Next the paper reviews the international normative framework of recruitment covering the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181), the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), and the ILO Multilateral Framework on Migration (2006).
The paper reviews the main features and practices of private recruitment agencies and the legislative and regulatory framework covering their operations.
It next discusses in detail migration costs. The paper points out that the costs of migration go far beyond financial costs since they also include social costs, such as separation from the family, impact on children left behind, among others. Evidence from various field surveys are pieced together to highlight the structure of migration costs, and the role of excessive recruitment fees in raising costs. The author argues that high migration costs result in heavy debt burdens in turn.
Common problems relating to private recruitment agencies and the migration process are: Deception and provision of misleading information; excessive fees, non-transparency of fees, and non-issue of receipts for payments; collusion between intermediaries at origin and destination; employment contracts either not issued or, when issued, not understood by migrant workers nor enforceable at destination; substitution of inferior contracts at destination; withholding or confiscating passports or travel documents; visa trading and sending workers under irregular situations and into forced labour situations and/or into hazardous employment; and violation of migrant workers’ fundamental rights as workers in countries of destination through the sponsorship (kafala) system.
The main argument in the paper is that gains from migration for poor people are seriously eroded by the vicious cycle of recruitment malpractices, high migration costs, and onerous debt burdens in origin countries, and low and stagnating wages at destination countries, mostly in the Gulf. There is no information on wage trends in Gulf countries but they have hardly increased in the last two decades or so while costs of living has increased to a large extent causing much hardship to workers. Low wages combined with short-duration contracts, high debt burdens and rising costs of living compel workers to accept any conditions for work, including forced labour, which leave them even more vulnerable than before.
Policy interventions should be targeted at reducing high fees, replacing costly loans, and improving wages and earnings at destination. There is a shared responsibility between countries of origin and destination for better governance and protection of migrant workers. The paper makes a number of recommendations for addressing this situation so that migrant workers receive a fair deal. The paper stresses that all interventions should be based on respect for migrant rights, gender concerns, social dialogue, and cooperation and partnerships.
MEWOE/ILO: Proceedings of the Intergovernmental Regional Seminar on Promoting Cooperation for Safe Migration and Decent Work, 1-2 July 2013, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2013-10-01T00:00:00Z