Labour Governance & Migration

This multi-country technical cooperation project has two main components: strengthening labour market governance and improving the development impact of labour migration.

This project applies the Global Jobs Pact in the Pacific region and responds to priorities identified in the Pacific Action Plan for Decent Work. This plan was agreed by the ILO’s constituents in February 2010 in Port Vila, Vanuatu during the historic ILO meeting entitled Tripartite High-Level Meeting : Decent Work for Sustainable Development in the Pacific. This technical cooperation project is supported by the Australian Government and implemented within the framework of the Australian Government - ILO Partnership Agreement.

Development objectives

The project has two main components:

Improving labour market governance

Promotion of the rule of law through a fair legal framework and full protection of human rights is fundamental to good governance. The project will focus on labour law reform to give effect to ratified ILO conventions; building governments’ capacity to ratify, implement and report on the ILO’s core and governance conventions and building the capacity of governments, unions and employers to engage in effective participatory law making.

Improving the development impact of labour migration

Remittances from labour migration is an important source of income for many families and communities and a significant factor in Pacific economic growth. This project focuses specifically on workers under New Zealands Recognized Seasonal Employer Scheme and Australia’s Pacific Seasonal Workers Pilot Scheme. Project activities will focus on building the capacity of governments, unions, businesses and local communities to provide returned migrant workers with effective reintegration services based on identified needs. Good practice relating to pre-departure services will also be identified and promoted.

Immediate objectives

  • Strengthened capacity of governments to ratify and implement core and governance Conventions and to fulfill their reporting obligations;
  • Revised labour laws give effect to core and ratified International Labour Standards;
  • Capacity of tripartite constituents and mechanisms is built to enable effective participatory labour law making; and
  • Capacity of governments, unions, businesses and local communities in Kiribati, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and Vanuatu is built to provide returned migrant workers with effective re-integration services, based on identified needs.

Project countries

  • Kiribati;
  • Samoa;
  • Papua New Guinea;
  • Vanuatu, and
  • Tuvalu (for migration component of project only).

For further information please contact:

Ms Anne Boyd
Project Manager / Labour Law Expert
ILO Country Office for South Pacific Island Countries
Suva, Fiji
Email