MIGRANT WELFARE FUND A General Overview Marianito D. Roque - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

MIGRANT WELFARE FUND

A General Overview

Marianito D. Roque

Vientianne, Laos 26 May 2015

Asean Economic Environment

• Economic disparity among Asean neighboring

countries

• Asean economic community in 2015

(unhampered flow of goods and services)

• Increasing external migration from the GMS
• Asean declaration on the protection and

promotion of the rights of migrant workers

Asean Migration Environment

• Freer movement of professionals; MRAs on

qualification of professionals

• More than 1.5M(or more) low-,or un-skilled

migrants from GMS are in Thailand doing 3-D jobs

• Increasing number of undocumented flow to

Thailand and lately, to Indonesia & Malaysia by boat

“WHY” do you need Welfare Programmes for Migrant Workers?

• Increasing flow of unskilled migrants
• Not covered by most labour laws at the

destination countries; unprotected work

• Vulnerable to physical, work-related,

psychological abuses

• Protection of workers, beyond geographical

boundaries

‘WHAT” is a Migrant’s Welfare Programme?

• In partnership with migration regulatory

mechanism, it provides intervention services to workers at the destination states

• Employment compensation mechanism for

nationals working outside of the home state

• Final recourse for migrants in-distress
• Support organization between families and

migrants, a “bridge.”

A Welfare “Fund”

Derived either from employers, licensed

• Derived either from employers, licensed

recruitment agencies, and workers; or a combination of payors

• Frequency of payment depending on policy

(annual, per contract, per vacation)

• Subscribed through voluntary membership, or by

compulsory payment through migration regulatory agency

• The Fund pays the cost of rendering welfare

services to members

How does it operate?

• Supplements the social security and workmens’

compensation benefit of workers

• Covers nationals who work outside their home

country

• Through mediation, helps conciliate disputes

between foreign employers and their nationals in a foreign setting

• Excludes from its programme menu the benefits

that are already covered by an approved employment contract

Organization

• Policy Board, to provide directions
• Secretariat, or Welfare Fund Organization, to

deliver the programmes and services

• Independent audit, for check and balance
• Central Bank and money managers, for

collection, deposit and investment

What it does

Prepare migrants to integrate

• Prepare migrants to integrate
• Explain the contract
• Mediate disputes
• Assist the distressed
• Compensate for loss of life and limb
• Educate
• Organize support network
• Prepare migrants to return

Challenges

How to start (law, policy, decree, order) start-up, organizing and learning process Sustainability Transparency Width and depth of information (substance and reach) Value-for-money; Initial Funds for 2-3 years

ILO Welfare Fund Feasibility Study for the GMS

Document and Study present state of migration management Identify needs for a migrant welfare programme Analyze the structural and legal capacities of the three GMS countries to provide migrant services Create a blueprint for the establishment of Migrant Welfare Programmes and Fund, from among the GMS states