Government Policies and Programs Regulating Labor Migration

Abstract

With the very large increase in labor migration to the Middle East all the Asian sending countries have adopted some means of regulating and monitoring the process. The underlying general policy is to maximize the export of labor which has been very beneficial economically. This paper classifies policies as 1) legislative and administrative arrangements for international labor migration 2) bilateral agreements and dispute settlement means 3) migrant welfare and facilities 4) the welfare of families left behind 5) maximization of remittances and their productive use and 6) skill regulation through training programs and restrictions. The volume of labor migration has become so great that all of the labor sending countries except Sri Lanka have set up bureaus to deal with it. Appointing and regulating private recruiting agencies is an important part of their work. So far due to the intense competition for jobs some individual sending countries have entered into bilateral agreement with some host countries but sending countries have not formed a consortium. Most countries have appointed labor attaches in the major host countries their influence varies. Sending countries have set up programs to lessen red tape and ease the emigration process. Although the welfare of families left behind is problematic few policies exist in this area. Maximizing remittances is a policy of all the sening countries. Skill regulation has been accomplished by 1) restricting the emigration of workers with needed skills and 2) instituting crash training programs in high demand skills. The 2 principal policy directions are 1) maximizing emigration and remittances and 2) ensuring the welfare of workers before and after emigration especially by supervising recruiting agents and work contracts.