Employment implications of trade and changes in skills demand: Evidence from selected countries

EMPLOYMENT Working Paper No. 237

This paper provides a synthesis report of the country papers and aims to provide analysis on the implications of international trade on employment and skills demand in selected countries, including Cambodia, Ghana, Jordan, Malawi, Morocco, Myanmar, the Philippines, Tunisia and Viet Nam. These countries are at different stages of opening up to trade and integration into the global economy, and pursue different strategies to realize growth through trade. The paper looks at trends in exports between 2000–2015, and discusses the direct and indirect effects of exports on production and employment in interconnected sectors of the domestic economy. Subject to the limited availability of labour market data from most of these countries, the paper seeks to identify corresponding changes needed in employment structures, strategies and institutions, and summarizes information on existing skills imbalances.