Skill Recognition and Labour Mobility in ASEAN
Technical Working Level Meeting
Realizing post-2015 aspirations for migrants and migration
16-17 October
By Manuel Imson
Senior Programme Officer/Project Coordinator
ASEAN TRIANGLE Project
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
1. Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
• ASEAN total population 616 million; Working population 263 million
• Migrants: World total 232 million; ASEAN approximately 14 million
• 6 million documented move within ASEAN region (UNDESA 2013)
• Malaysia and Singapore receive 80 percent of intra-ASEAN immigration
2. ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint
3. Free Flow of Skilled Labour in ASEAN
Objectives
1.Facilitate the issuance of visas and employment passes for ASEAN Professionals.
2.Facilitate the free flow of services (by 2015)
3.Enhance cooperation among ASEAN University Network members
4.Develop core competencies and qualifications for jobs
5.Strengthen the research capacities of each ASEAN Member State
4. Linking Skills Recognition with Labor MigrationAQRF-ASEAN’s Institutional Framework for Skills Recognition
What is AQRF?AQRF= ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework
•Translation device to relate existing qualification framework/training system of one member state with that of other member state(s) for the purpose of mutual recognition
•AQRF are categorized into 8 qualifications level ranging from basic skills to most advanced and specialized skills). The levels are agreed among all 10 member states
•Members are strengthening their own national system and planning to reference it to the AQRF
5. How does AQRF work
AQRF will cover:a.Senior schoolingb.Technical and Vocation Education and Training (TVET)c.Higher Education
It facilitates skills recognition through two modalities: 1)MRAs2)MRS
6. Skills Mobility: MRAs
MRAs=Mutual recognition Arrangements
major instrument for SKILLED PROFESSIONALS mobility;but does not guarantee free movement of labour or market;Totally eight agreed MRAs as of now, working on promoting common competencies so as to encourage adoption & harmonization of accepted standards & procedures among 10 AMS
NOTE: AEC does not address movements of low-skilled workersEight agreed MRAs
7. Skills Mobility: MRS
MRS=Mutual recognition of Skills
Major modality for technical/vocational skilled workers with a modest skill set (e.g. tiling, shrimp farming)
MRS will be necessary for countries with less developed skills systems because flows of low-skilled migrant workers will continue due to demographic conditions & existing economic & regional disparities
• Over time, mutual skills recognition for medium-low-skilled occupations (e.g. construction, garments, agri & fishery sectors) may provide a more manageable, transparent & safer channel for migrant workers—will boost overall caliber of workers
8. MRS Process under AQRF
9. ILO Achievements on the MRS
10. Way Forward
A. ASEAN Member states (overall)Identification of focal point for follow-up and implementationFollow-up on developments of action plansTechnical assistance; sharing of experiences & good practices B. CLM (Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar): direct technical assistanceBenchmarking and referencing of skills standards in priority occupationsDevelopment of curriculum & learning materials; additional RMCS Consultation meetings with governments, employers, workers, training providers and other stakeholders to advance MRS activitiesCapacity building activitiesSupport to the ASEAN Secretariat on AQRF activities Regional conference to share experiences and common concerns
C. Regional LevelCoordination with ASEAN Secretariat on AQRFRegional and sub-regional meeting to share experiencesDevelopment of regional guidelines for skills recognition
Thank youFor more information, please contact:
Manuel ImsonSenior Programme Officer/Project Coordinator
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
E-mail: [email protected]
