International labor migration is a phenomenon that affects both the countries of origin and destination. It has potential benefits for both sides, such as increasing remittance flows, enhancing human capital, filling labor gaps, and stimulating economic growth. However, it also poses significant challenges that require effective governance, protection, development, and promotion strategies. Some of the key questions that need to be addressed are: - Governance: How can labor migration be regulated and coordinated in a way that respects the rights and interests of all stakeholders, including migrants, employers, governments, and civil society? - Protection: How can migrant workers and their families be safeguarded from exploitation, abuse, discrimination, and social exclusion in both origin and destination countries? - Development: How can labor migration contribute to the economic and social development of origin countries, through remittances, diaspora engagement, skills transfer, and return migration? - Promotion: How can origin countries increase their access to international labor markets and create more opportunities for their workers to migrate legally and safely?
Labor migration changes required careful and constructive engagement across the Vanuatu community, from workers to employers. The aim was to both provide valuable information on the possible issues with a labor migration policy and secondly to receive ideas back from those consulted. We strongly believe that there is no monopoly on good ideas. The first step was to discuss the potential scope of the policy changes, including whether it should cover emigration and immigration, temporary, permanent migration or both, unskilled, semi-skilled or skilled workers or a combination. The second step was to determine how any changes can be linked with the Government’s national priorities and strategies — especially the Priorities and Action Agenda – “an educated, healthy, and wealthy Vanuatu.” Our experts undertook a phased approach to developing a national policy framework to govern labor-sending and migration for Vanuatu, including developing an issues and options paper for consultation, drafting a final Strategy Paper and Cabinet Paper for presentation to Ministers, and subsequent endorsement.
The government of Vanuatu adopted a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to manage labor migration in a way that maximized the benefits and minimized the risks for both Vanuatu nationals and foreign workers who came to Vanuatu. The strategy was backed by legal frameworks and adequate resources to ensure its effective and efficient implementation and oversight.