International Approaches to Labour Migration

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International Approaches to Labour Migration
Louka T. Katseli, Director, OECD Development
Centre

• GTZ conference on Migration and Labour, Berlin
• 12 June 2007

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Where do interests of countries of origin and
destination concerning labour migration overlap?
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Where do these interests diverge?
Should this be subject to negotiations?
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(1) Common Interests

• Securing Jobs
• Mutual benefits if migrants and natives are
  employed in jobs suited to their skills
• Building Confidence
• Responding effectively to economic and social
  pressures (e.g. reducing irregular and illegal
  migration)
• Reversing the devolution of immigrant selection
  to employer traffickers and migrants
• Better managing migration flows

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Managing Global Labour MobilityWhat might an
orderly, smart, flexibly regulated system look
like?

• Put in place an Integrated Monitoring System
• Recruit workers that fill real needs
• Expand the options for legal migration (e.g.
  circular migration renewable permits etc.)
• Provide fair, equal and early access to labour
  markets
• Improve integration prospects
• Promote mobility partnerships
• Engage migrants and private stakeholders in
  mobility management

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1
Where do interests of countries of origin and
destination concerning labour migration overlap?
2
Where do these interests diverge?
Should this be subject to negotiations?
3
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Opposed Interests

• Opposed interests are partly a function of the
  "disorderliness" of the current labour mobility
  system
• Social pressures associated with the mobility of
  low-skilled workers
• Economic tensions related to mobility of the
  highly skilled
• A managed system could distribute fiscal and
  financial burdens better

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Mobility of low-skilled workers

• Contributes more to poverty reduction in sending
  countries
• Tensions look different in different places and
  institutional regimes
• Employment and wage effects mostly small or
  beneficial
• Disorderly system increases social tensions

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Mobility of high-skilled workers

• Economic tensions in critical occupational areas
• Degree of utilisation of human resources in
  sending countries determines impact
• Replenishment capacity of sending countries a
  critical factor

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1
Where do interests of countries of origin and
destination concerning labour migration overlap?
2
Where do these interests diverge?
Should this be subject to negotiations?
3
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Mobility Partnerships Why?

• Externalities generated by international
  migration requires collective action (e.g. brain
  drain transit countries)
• Gains for all parties possible through better
  management of opportunities and sharing of
  responsibilities

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Mobility partnerships What regulatory area?

• Bilateral arrangements proliferate
• Considerable regional spillovers
• Regional arrangements potential interests
  converge but weak governance systems
• GATS Mode 4 provision of services a powerful
  instrument to organise markets

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Regional Schemes?

• Political frameworks and legal principles missing
• Strengthening of governance structures needed
• Regional mobility instruments need to be
  introduced/reinforced (e.g. regional visas)
• Development co-operation and assistance schemes
  need to be developed

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Mobility partnership What role for local
communities?

• Coping strategies and integration a local
  challenge
• Critical interactions between migrants and local
  communities need better management
• Modes of financing and governance vary across
  communities
• Inclusive social policies needed

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Mobility Partnerships Four levels
1. Managing mobility
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Mobility Partnerships Whats Involved?

• (1) Mobility management
• Smart, renewable permits
• Information, communication and monitoring systems
• Simplification of admission, readmission and
  deportation procedures
• Specification of rights and responsibilities of
  migrants
• (2) Managing labour markets
• Opening up channels for legal immigration/emigrati
  on
• Agreed principles for regularisation procedures
• Portability of social security benefits
• Revisit codes of ethical conduct
• Phasing of benefits for immigrants
• Re-deployment of human-resources and
  replenishment of labour-market needs, supported
  by development assistance

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Mobility Partnerships Whats Involved?

• (3) Managing economic adjustment
• Fiscal impact and burden sharing
• Regional integration
• Financing infrastructure investment and
  improvements in social-delivery systems
• Innovative financial instruments for local
  development
• Reducing costs and improving access for
  remittances
• Diaspora for development programmes
• (4) Managing social and political adjustment
• Urban and social policies
• Engagement of diaspora communities in integration
  and development
• Second and third generation migrants
• Legal and political rights of migrants

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Mobility Partnerships For Whom?

• Benefits for
• Migrants
• Protection of human rights,
• Improved information,
• Lowering of costs
• Receiving countries
• Legal vs. irregular migration
• An orderly system for labour-market needs
• Sustainable co-operation and burden-sharing with
  sending countries
• Improved integration prospects
• Sending countries
• Smoother adjustment to emigration
• Strengthened replenishment capacity
• Improved financial benefits
• Expanded investment in human capital formation

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Two forthcoming publications of the OECD
Development Centre

• Gaining From Migration Managing a New Mobility
  System (2007)
• Migration and Development Whats in it for
  Developing Countries? (2007)

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For more info www.oecd.org/dev/migration
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Vielen Dank! Thank you for your attention!