Timor Leste - Labour migrants are Timor-Leste’s third largest export after gas and coffee, when judged by the value of the remittances they send home.

The country has almost 2,000 workers deployed in South Korea and Australia through government-to-government labour migration programmes, sending millions of dollars back home annually through remittances. Since the beginning of 2015, almost USD 3 million has been sent back to Timor-Leste by migrant workers participating in the programmes.

This week, IOM, in partnership with Timor-Leste’s Secretariat of State for Professional Training and Employment Policy (SEPFOPE), is running the first Training of Trainers for labour migration management in Timor-Leste.

This initiative aims to enhance SEPFOPE officials’ knowledge of labour migration management and to facilitate discussions in preparation for the development of relevant policies and measures. It will provide a select group of officials with in-depth knowledge of subjects, including bilateral labour agreements and promotion of migrant workers’ rights.

The officials are in turn expected to pass on the knowledge to their peers in a forthcoming training targeting a larger group. During the training, participants will also be introduced to the draft National Action Plan for Labour Migration, which is expected to be launched shortly.

Timor-Leste also hosts many foreign labour migrants who also make valuable contributions to national development.

Dr Bruno Maltoni, Chief of Mission for IOM in Timor-Leste said: “Given Timor-Leste’s rapidly growing labour force and high unemployment, particularly among youth, employment opportunities overseas can offer a solution, even in the short-term, for young people to earn income and gain skills in high-performing industries abroad.”

Since 2014, IOM Timor-Leste has been providing technical assistance for the Government of Timor-Leste in the field of labour migration management, with support from the IOM Development Fund.

For more information please contact Bruno Maltoni at IOM Timor-Leste, Email: bmaltoni@iom.int - Tel. +670 331 3038.