Activities Europe South Eastern Europe The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
The former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia 
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Facts and Figures
Overview Migration ActivitiesWhile the country is still undergoing social and economic transitional adjustments, relevant progress has been made in the field of migration management and the protection of migrants’ rights. Key institutional achievements include, inter alia: the adoption of various legislative tools, the adoption of an Integrated Border Management Strategy and Action Plan 2009-2014 followed by the opening of the National Coordination Centre for Border Management in 2009, adoption of the National Strategy and Action Plan for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Illegal Migration 2009-2012, the establishment of the national Visa Information System, the preparation of the Schengen Action Plan, establishment of a state shelter for victims of trafficking and institutional ownership over the process of preparation of the country’s Migration Profile. The progress made in the area of migration management has been acknowledged by the European Union (EU) and has gained the country visa-free regime with all countries of the Schengen Area since December 2009. The country’s geographical position – being a part of the Balkan region, neighbouring two European Union Member States (Greece and Bulgaria), and being itself in the process of seeking integration with the EU – makes it a unique transit route for migration, much of which is of an irregular nature. The visa-free regime with Schengen area countries has brought easier legal ways to travel and seek employment to the EU Member States but also new challenges to the country migration management system most of which relate to issues such as brain drain and lack of knowledge and proper application of EU migration laws and procedures by some of the citizens of The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. IOM’s primary objective in the country is to act in full partnership with the government as well as national and international partners to work towards strengthened and harmonized standards in all identified key migration areas. IOM activities address a variety of pressing migration-related issues including inter alia: trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling, technical cooperation and institutional capacity-building, assistance for voluntary return and reintegration, labour migration, as well as economic and social stabilization of vulnerable migrants and potential victims of trafficking. IOM’s strategy takes into consideration the EU membership process and the need for progressive alignment with the EU migration acquis – these elements are factored into IOM’s ongoing and proposed programming. Donors
The IOM Medical Assistance Unit continues working towards achieving better management of the public health impact of population mobility on receiving countries, as well as providing information on the medical conditions of migrants. Upon the request of the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand Governments, IOM Skopje performs medical assessments of migrants departing for permanent residence in the respective countries. Since 2000, IOM Skopje has extended medical assessment to more than 10,000 migrants. Projects
Donors
Technical Cooperation on Migration Management and Capacity Building. The activities of IOM’s Immigration and Border Management Division help governments equip themselves with the necessary policy, legislation, administrative structures, operational systems and human resource base needed to tackle diverse migration problems. Return Assistance to Migrants and Governments. Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) is one out of a number of migration management services IOM offers to migrants and governments. It aims at orderly, humane and cost-effective return and reintegration of migrants who are unable or unwilling to remain in host countries and wish to return voluntarily to their countries of origin.
IOM Skopje provides variety of services to migrants returning to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia which include: airport reception assistance, transportation to final destination, counselling and referral to assistance services, installation of reintegration grants, housing support, education reinsertion, vocational trainings, employment facilitation and micro-business set up. The caseload consists of failed asylum seekers, vulnerable returnees (those with medical condition, unaccompanied minors, victims of human trafficking, etc.), both individuals and families. Counter-Trafficking. IOM continues its cooperation with all relevant stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking. From August 2000-December 2010, IOM Skopje has assisted and supported the assistance and repatriation of 785 victims of trafficking. Majority of the victims assisted by IOM Skopje were foreign nationals who, upon their safe return, were offered reintegration programmes and opportunities by IOM missions in the countries of origin. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia fits in the regionally observed trend of significant decrease of foreign victims and an increased number of national victims trafficked within and outside of country borders. Thus the specific counter-trafficking programmes carried out by IOM Skopje have shifted their main focus from protection-centered to prevention-oriented. Moreover, since the start of the counter-trafficking programmes in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the national institutions in partnership with the civil society organizations have gradually taken over the assistance mechanism building a sustainable protection system that meets internationally recognized minimum assistance standards. Hence, IOM Skopje continues to provide expert and technical support (trainings, production of curricula, manuals and didactic materials) for capacity building of relevant stakeholders – practitioners and policy makers – to successfully respond to changing migration and human trafficking trends and patterns. Projects
Donor
IOM’s purpose in labour migration is to facilitate the development of policies and programmes that can individually and mutually benefit the concerned governments, migrants and societies. IOM Skopje is focused on the implementation of activities aimed at strengthening the existing network of Migrant Service Centres with an aim to ensure efficient dissemination of information about legal channels for migration among potential labour migrants. In view of enhancing the development impact of labour migration, while at the same time mitigating the adverse impact of emigration of skilled human resources, IOM, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, implements initiatives on the return of skills and human capital. Since 2006, IOM Skopje has implemented a cycle of initiatives aimed to reduce the incidence of human trafficking and irregular migration among young Roma through prevention-based actions aimed at improving the beneficiaries' labour skills and consequently enhancing their employment potential. The action envisages a combination of different employment stimulation measures that range from vocational to on-the-job training courses and from provision of self-employment mechanisms and tools to awareness-raising on self-promotion and professional orientation. Project
IOM Technical Support in Preparation of Strategic Documents. IOM provides expert consultations and technical assistance to various Inter-ministerial working groups established for the preparation of strategic documents on Migration Management, specifically for the following:
Projects
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IOM The FYROM
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Po Box 43
1000 Skopje
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
| Tel: | +389.2 308 81 00 |
| Fax: | +389.2 308 81 01 |
Educational Toolkit
A toolkit teaching young people about migration and asylum in the European Union
