Regional Labour Migration Policy

Posted in Labour

The 30^th Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs and Planning, held on 11^th October, 2019 directed the EAC Secretariat to expedite the finalization of the EAC Labour Migration Policy. In collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP), the EAC Secretariat embarked on the development of a comprehensive draft policy.

The draft policy serves as a crucial framework and benchmark for Partner States within the East African Community. It provides guidelines for the development, strengthening, revision, and harmonization of labour migration policies across the region. At its core, the policy aims to promote effective governance, regulation, and protection of the rights of migrant workers, while also maximizing the benefits of labour migration.

The policy is structured around three strategic objectives:

• Strengthening Labour Migration Governance: Enhancing mechanisms for the management and oversight of labor migration processes;
  
  
• Protection and Empowerment of Migrant Workers: Safeguarding the rights and well-being of migrant workers, ensuring their empowerment within host countries; and
  
  
• Maximizing Benefits for Development: Leveraging labor migration as a driver for socio-economic development within the EAC region.

The revised draft policy encompasses 11 key priority areas, each essential for the effective governance and management of labor migration:

1. Labour migration governance;
2. Harmonization of labour migration policies;
3. Protection and empowerment of migrant workers;
4. Access to social protection and portability of social security benefits;
5. Combating irregular labour migration;
6. Mutual recognition of academic and professional qualifications;
7. Recognition of skills obtained through informal training;
8. Promotion of fair and ethical recruitment practices;
9. Remittances by migrant workers;
10. Exchange of young workers; and
11. Labour market information systems.

The draft policy is in its final stages and will soon be officially adopted, marking a significant milestone in the governance of labor migration within the East African Community.