Making Global Labour Mobility a Catalyst for Development (2007)

October 8-9, 2007
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
7bis, avenue de la Paix, CH-1202 Geneva 2, Switzerland

Background

This seminar forms part of IOM's International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) which in 2007 has an overall theme of “Migration Management in the Evolving Global Economy”. The IDM was launched by IOM in 2001 to provide a forum to States as well as international and non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders for the exchange of views and experiences on migration matters, with the aim of contributing to a better understanding of migration and strengthening cooperative mechanisms to comprehensively and effectively address migration issues.

Overview

Globalization is facilitating greater labour mobility at all skill levels – along South-South, South-North and other trajectories – as a result of rising efficiencies in transportation, communication and financial transfers, evolving social networks among transnational communities, and disparities in wages and working conditions between countries. Public and private stakeholders are seeking ever more effective and humane avenues for labour mobility as part and parcel of comprehensive economic, development and migration management strategies. Nonetheless, there are wide variations in the impacts of migration and migration management strategies and in their implications for human resource development, economic competitiveness and distributional patterns within and among countries of origin and destination as well as in their impacts on related issues such as social cohesion, security, fiscal soundness and environmental management

The main objectives of the workshop were:

  • to bring together representatives of the various authorities involved in the management of labour migration, including policy makers and other stakeholders directly responsible for these issues;
  • to share experiences relating to labour migration management from the perspectives of migrants, public and private sector actors and other non-governmental entities; and
  • to identify effective tools for managing the movement of people in the context of a globalizing economy.

Agenda

8 October 2007 - Day I
09:00 - 10:00 Registration
10:00 - 10:15 Welcome Remarks, Brunson McKinley, Director General, International Organization for Migration
10:15 - 10:30 Keynote Presentation, Cristina de Luca, Under Secretary of State for Social Solidarity, Italy
10:30 - 11:00

Setting the Scene

General Discussion
11:00 - 13:00

Session I: Towards More Effective Labour Migration Management: Assessing Labour Market Needs and Labour Force Skills Profiles

Moderator: Ibrahim Awad, Director, International Migration Programme, International Labour Organization

  • Kreshna Bunjun, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Mauritius (Paper / Presentation)
  • David Arkless, Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, Manpower, Inc.
  • Jung Mino, Labour Attaché, Permanent mission of the Republic of Korea in Geneva on behalf of Hyo-jung Hwang, Deputy Director, Foreign Workforce Employment Team, Ministry of Labour, Republic of Korea

General Discussion
13:00 - 15:00

Afternoon Break
15:00 - 18:00

Session II: Key Policy Elements in Comprehensive Labour Migration Management

Moderator: Ricardo Cordero, Senior Expert, Labour and Facilitated Migration Division, Migration Management Services, International Organization for Migration

  • Carlos López, Under Secretary of Consular Services, Ministry of External Relations, Commerce and Integration, Ecuador (Presentation)
  • Les Linklater, Director General, Immigration Branch, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (Presentation)
  • Carmen Perez Gonzalez, Adviser, State Department of Immigration and Emigration, Spain
  • Rebecca Calzado, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Programmes and International Affairs, Department of Labour and Employment, Philippines (Presentation / Paper)

General Discussion

End of Day One
 
9 October 2007 - Day II
10:00 - 10:15 Migrant Story: Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman, WARBE Development Foundation, Bangladesh (Presentation)
10:15 - 13:00

Session III: The Role of Private Sector and Other Stakeholders in Making Labour Migration Work for Development

Moderator: Antonio Peñalosa, Secretary-General, International Organization of Employers

General Discussion
13:00 - 15:00 Afternoon Break
15:00 - 17:50

Session IV: Leveraging the Development Potential of Temporary and Circular Migration

Moderator: Richard S. Newfarmer, Special Representative to the WTO and UN in Geneva, World Bank

General Discussion
17:50 - 18:00

Wrap-up and Closing Remarks

End of the Workshop