EU and ASEAN launch Comparative Study on the Management of Migrant Workers in ASEAN
EU and ASEAN Launch Comparative Study on the Management of Migrant Workers in ASEAN
The “Comparative Study Report on Laws and Policies in the Management of Migrant Workers in ASEAN” was officially launched with a High-Level Dialogue Forum and a launching ceremony. The event took place both in-person in Ha Noi, Viet Nam and virtually, and was hosted by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) Viet Nam. The study and launch are initiatives of MOLISA in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) and are carried out with EU support in the framework of the Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI).
This pioneering study is the first comprehensive overview of the management of incoming workers in ASEAN Member States, both in legislation and practice. It examines the differences in laws and policies in managing the entry and stay, incorporation and exit of foreign workers within ASEAN Member States covering all skill levels and including occupations under the 8 ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangements. Its preparation is part of the work plan of the Senior Labour Officials Meeting (SLOM) Working Group on Progressive Labour Practices to Enhance the Competitiveness of ASEAN (SLOM-WG).
The Vice Minister of MOLISA, H.E. Le Van Thanh; the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Manpower Indonesia and Chair of the SLOM WG, H.E. Anwar Sanusi; the Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Social-Cultural Community, H.E. Kung Phoak; and the EU Ambassador to ASEAN, H.E. Igor Driesmans presented opening remarks before the launch of the study.
“Using the findings of this study, we, the agencies in charge of labour, immigration, security, vocational education and mutual recognition can work together in opening up the cooperation potentials in strengthening the management of migrant workers to promote greater mobility as well as to benefit more fully from the skills and talents of the incoming migrant workers,” said Deputy Minister Mr Le Van Thanh of MOLISA.
“The study’s findings and today’s forum will provide essential contributions to the promotion of dialogue and exchange between the European Union and ASEAN,” remarked H.E. Igor Driesmans. “International organisations, ministries and other stakeholders of our two regions will be able to use this data to influence policy and improve the lives of migrant workers within all of ASEAN,” he added.
This study examines how ASEAN Member States have dealt with the increased entry of non-citizens into their labour markets and found immigration policy is primarily about selection. Governments in the ASEAN region manage the mobility of inbound migrant workers through a combination of measures targeted to specific groups of migrant workers and there are currently 536 entry, stay, incorporation, exit and enforcement measures in place in the ASEAN region.
Going forward, the practical follow-up activities will arise from the study's identification of regional gaps and the recommendation to harmonise migration measures in ASEAN through regional policy coherence and peer-to-peer learning. A proposed ASEAN-wide independent review system of policy and regulatory changes on migration, which currently does not exist, can ensure ASEAN Member State's progress. It could increase accountability, provide systematic, periodic updates, and even serve as a role model for other regional organisations. Further, additional policy changes that give ASEAN migrants preferential access to ASEAN labour markets or working permit flexibility can also come from the study's data.
The European Union’s support of the “Comparative Study on Laws and Policies in the Management of Migrant Workers in ASEAN” shows that by learning from each region and working together, migration can be turned from a common challenge into a shared opportunity for human development and the upholding of fundamental rights.
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The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8 August 1967. The ASEAN Member States are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. On 31 December 2015, the ASEAN Community was formally established. The ASEAN Secretariat is based in Jakarta.
The European Union (EU) is the economic and political union of 27 Member States. Together, the European Union has built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development while maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedom. In 2012, the European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for advancing the goals of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe. The European Union is the world's largest trading bloc, and the world's largest source and destination of foreign direct investment. Collectively, the European Union and its member countries are the largest donors of Official Development Assistance (ODA), providing more than half of ODA globally.
The 27 Member States of the European Union (in alphabetical order) are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
The Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI) is a development cooperation programme that facilitates cooperation and dialogue between the EU and ASEAN in policy areas of joint interest. Drawing on the EU’s experience of regional integration, E-READI further strengthens both the ASEAN regional integration process as well as the overall ASEAN-EU strategic partnership.