Capacity Building for Migration Management in China

The Project seeks to enhance the knowledge-sharing and understanding of respective migration systems between relevant Chinese and European Union authorities, as well as to promote cooperation between the two sides in migration field via the exchange of expertise, information and personnel.

The ‘Capacity Building for Migration Management in China’ (CBMM) Project was implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in close cooperation with the Government of People’s Republic of China, the European Union (EU) and various EU Member States. The CBMM project was principally financed by the European Union.

The project promoted cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the EU through an exchange of expertise and information; raising awareness of risks associated with irregular migration; and enhancing the knowledge and understanding of respective migration management systems between relevant Chinese and EU Member States authorities. The project had the following specific objectives:

  • Expanding technical, administrative and legislative capacities of migration management;
  • Promoting mechanisms for co-operation and the exchange of expertise between migration management personnel in the EU Member States and Chinese administrations;
  • Strengthening the monitoring capacity of the PRC administration towards recruitment agencies operating in the PRC;
  • Addressing the demand side of irregular labour migration through information exchange between European and Chinese business operators in the EU;
  • Informing potential migrants about the realities of irregular migration;
  • Promoting a better understanding of recent trends in irregular migration from China to Europe, and a comprehensive analysis of current policy responses;
  • Enhancing understanding of the current situation and trends in global migration, and the law and policy of major countries of source and destination;
  • Facilitating regular migration and protecting the legitimate rights of migrants;
  • Preventing and combating irregular migration to China or to the EU through China; and
  • Exploring possibilities for broadening regular channels for migration.

The ILO and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) worked jointly to deliver labour components in the following main areas:

  • Policy analysis and research on migration: Research conducted in selected EU Member States locations on Chinese migration to Europe; particular focus was placed on recent trends in irregular migration from China to the EU and an assessment of the effectiveness of EU Member States policies on stemming this activity, and integrating migrants into local societies and protecting their legitimate rights and interests;
  • Law and Policy Review: Comparative analyses of migration-related laws and policies in China and various EU countries; these served as an information resource for a subsequent capacity building workshop in China involving legal experts and law enforcement officials of the PRC and EU Member States for the purpose of promoting improved mutual understanding of legal frameworks, policy approaches and challenges;
  • Capacity building for PRC law enforcement agencies in charge of licensing and registration of private employment/recruitment agencies: Based on ILO-developed materials, workshops on the effective monitoring of recruitment agencies and on strengthening the self-regulation capacity of recruitment agencies were held in the Project pilot provinces, aimed at the prevention of irregular labour migration;
  • Awareness raising campaigns: Information campaigns were conducted in Fujian, Liaoning and Shandong Provinces on risks associated with irregular migration. The campaigns targeted potential migrants in high risk regions, recruitment agencies and also business actors; the specific information dissemination channels for the campaigns included radio, TV, the internet, public service announcements, DVDs, newspaper, leaflets, text messages, hotline services and outdoor media; and
  • Addressing the demand side in Europe of labour migration from China: Discussions were held in selected EU destination countries with representatives of the Government of the PRC and EU business leaders operating in selected EU destination countries to address the demand side of irregular migration and to discuss possible solutions.