Against this background the ILO and HRD Korea, as a part of their long-lasting ILO/KOREA partnership, started a programme on skills recognition of migrant workers in 2006. During key meetings in 2008 and 2010, participants discussed the following priority areas which need to be addressed so that skills recognition for migrant workers could become effective:

• Pre-departure training should include assessment and collecting evidence of existing competencies and work experience.
• Receiving countries should clearly specify skills requirements of workers.
• Required competencies, working experience, qualifications and skills training should be provided by receiving countries and incorporated in contracts by the receiving country;
• Employers in the receiving country should assist workers in recording skills and experiences they obtained during their assignment;
• Skills recognition processes should be clear, easily understandable and available at a low cost to workers;
• Information should be provided about the receiving country, including information on labour laws, safety, required equipment, health care, job security, social benefits, medical leave etc.

Participants from Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam developed strategic plans to adapt the ILO’s Regional Model Competency Standards (RMCS) and improve their mechanisms for assessment of skills and working experience for returning workers.

This included defining responsibilities and roles, time frames for the introduction of skills assessment and making changes to skills training, where required, prior to migrant workers leaving their country. The plans also identified ways how each country could improve migrant workers’ statistics.

The proposed national Workshop on Skills Recognition for Migrant Workers provides an opportunity for countries in the South Asia region to, further consider the issue, share their experiences and learn first hand of the Sri Lankan efforts to implement the national action plan for the skills recognition of migrant workers. 

Seminar Objectives

1. To share the experiences and practices of countries in the region relating to the skills recognition of migrant workers (Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka);
2. To provide an opportunity for Sri Lanka to review and further progress implementation of the National Action plan for the Skills Recognition of Migrant Workers.

Expected outcomes

1. Improved understanding for Sri Lanka of other systems and issues related to skills recognition of migrant workers in the region;
2. Improved understanding for Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan of the Sri Lankan system and plan for skills recognition of migrant workers; and
3. Identified opportunities for enhanced cooperation in the region on skills recognition of migrant workers.