ASIAN MIGRATION NEWS
PACIFIC
Opposition party resurrects ‘Pacific Solution’
Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott announced that the opposition has adopted a
“Pacific Solution”-style immigration policy that would turn back asylum-seekers
and boatpeople and look for off-shore detention centers. Citing the
already-packed detention center in Christmas Island, Abbott said that a
coalition government would begin negotiating with other countries on possible
compensation schemes in exchange for housing asylum-seekers. Under the John
Howard government, the Pacific Solution entailed offshore processing and
detention, specifically in the Papua New Guinea-governed Manus Island and the
Republic of Nauru. Several opposition MPs, however, have scorned the proposal
and indicated that they were not consulted.
Medical professionals wanted; hairdressers, cooks to be cut
Immigration Minister Chris Evans has released a revised Skilled Occupation List,
which includes half the number of occupations originally incorporated under the
country’s working visa program. The new scheme trimmed the list of jobs to 180
but still includes dentists, surgeons, nurses, engineers, teachers, IT
professionals and welders. Come 1 July 2010, however, hairdressers, dance
instructors and chefs will find it more difficult to enter and work in the
commonwealth after Canberra tightened its requirements. Student applications
from India have already dropped by 40.8 percent in January 2010 from the same
time in 2009, and some analysts are pointing to the visa changes as one of the
causes for the dip. This comes on the heels of recent immigration projections
forecasting slower population growth in 2010/11 due to a drop in overseas
migration rates. A think-tank has predicted that, since net immigration is
slated to decrease to 175,000 in 2010/11 and 145,000 the year after, population
growth will slow to 1.5 percent in 2010/11 and 1.3 percent in 2011/12.
Amnesty International takes Canberra to task on refugees
London-based Amnesty International has slammed Australia for its recent policy
on freezing refugee claims from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The group said
Canberra has a responsibility towards asylum-seekers who desperately try to flee
persecution from the war-torn South Asian countries. A separate report by the
International Crisis Group scorned the federal government’s claim that it was
now safe for fleeing Tamils to return to Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, three
Melbourne-based lawyers weighed in on the moratorium, saying it was a breach of
international law since it discriminated on asylum-seekers on the grounds of
their country of origin. The freeze has had a contrasting outcome for the Rudd
government, though, as the number of individual arrivals increased to an average
of 22.2 people per day, up by about four boatpeople before the ban was imposed
on 9 April.
Sources: “Overseas students to Australia down 40 per cent,”
The Economic Times, 12 May 2010;
“Population growth will slow: BIS,”
Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 2010; Peter Martin, “Canberra slashes
occupations on migration list,” The Age,
17 May 2010; Mark Dodd, “Report damns Tamil returns,”
The Australian, 18 May 2010; “Boat
arrivals surge after asylum freeze,”
Herald Sun, 21 May 2010; Michael Gordon, “Asylum-seeker clamp breaches
treaties,” The Age, 22 May 2010;
Karlis Salna, “Abbott unveils new ‘Pacific Solution’,”
Sydney Morning Herald, 27 May 2010;
Belinda Tasker, “Amnesty slams Australia over refugees,”
Sydney Morning Herald, 27 May 2010;
“We consulted on immigration: Morrison,”
Sydney Morning Herald, 30 May 2010.
Net migration soars year-on-year, but rate falls
Boosted by arrivals from the United Kingdom, net migration more than doubled
from April 2009-April 2010. Inward migration was up to 19,954 in the 12 months
ending on 30 April 2010, which is higher than the 9,200 posted in April 2009.
The April 2009-April 2010 figure, however, is lower than the data collected from
March 2009-2010. Arrivals from March 2009-March 2010 totaled 20,973, a shade
above the figures tallied for April 2009-2010.
Sources: Paul McBeth, “NZ migration boosted by Brit invasion,”
Business Wire, 21 May 2010; Tracy
Withers, “N.Z. annual immigration growth slows a third month,”
Bloomberg, 21 May 2010.
New immigration law coming soon
Filipino domestic workers in demand
Locals and expatriates alike in the megacities of Beijing and Shanghai are
gradually sharing a common trait – their desire to hire Filipino domestic
workers. A report recently stated that the number of Filipino domestic workers
is on the rise in China’s major cities. However, the same report indicated that
many of them enter the country without work permits, but instead overstay after
acquiring tourist visas. Expatriates, meanwhile, have sat up and taken notice of
the sudden disappearance of adverts offering Filipino domestic workers,
especially during the World Expo in Shanghai, rousing an even greater demand for
them. A statewide regulation in 2002 banned foreigners from taking jobs as
domestic workers.
Sources: Chi Xu, “Illegal…but Filipino maids still in demand,”
Shanghai Daily, 15 May 2010 “Filipino
maids clean up with top dollars,” Xinhua,
17 May 2010; “China plans draft immigration law,”
Xinhua, 22 May 2010; David Elmer,
“Beijing plans curbs on number of foreigners working in China,”
Telegraph, 23 May 2010; “China
mulling immigration law to control foreign arrivals,”
Borneo Bulletin, 23 May 2010; “China
to frame its first immigration law to attract foreigners,”
Hindustan Times, 23 May 2010.
Tokyo mulls toughen rules on remitting to North Korea
In response to North Korea’s sinking of a South Korean vessel, Japan is
considering enforcing tougher restrictions on remittances sent to the reclusive
state. The finance ministry, though, reiterated that any additional restrictions
will be more symbolic since measures have already been put in place. The
Japanese government mandates that any remittance amounting to more than 10
million yen (about $110,800) needs its approval and clearance. Other possible
sanctions on Pyongyang include restrictions on travel and the banning of North
Korean-flagged vessels from Japanese ports.
Source: “Japan may clamp down on N. Korea remittances,”
Khaleej Times, 25 May 2010.
Irregular migration from Pakistan alarms officials
Immigration officials have expressed concern over the rising number of
unauthorized Pakistani nationals entering their shores. They claimed having
identified 2,400 irregular migrants in Hong Kong, most of whom arrived via boats
or ferries. However, they vowed to process asylum applications from the South
Asian country and separate them from those without legitimate claims or
documentation.
Source: “Rising illegal immigration from Pakistan worries Hong Kong,”
Daily Times, 22 May 2010.
Protection for domestic helpers sought
A lawmaker has urged the Macanese government to enforce more heightened measures
that will safeguard the welfare of domestic workers. In her speech at the
Legislative Assembly, Kwan Tsui Hang said it was important to enact a law
specifically for non-local domestic workers because of the nature of the
industry. The number of domestic workers in the former Portuguese colony has
swelled from 2,650 in 2003 to 14,299 last year.
Source: Natalie Leung, “Kwan Tsui Hang calls for domestic helper law,”
Macau Daily Times, 21 May 2010.
Female refugees being sold in China
North Korean women fleeing their country for China have become targets of human
trafficking syndicates and brokers. A group that aids refugees said a North
Korean woman could be “bought” for around $1,500 by either elderly male farmers
or prostitution rings after their Chinese brokers bribe North Korean border
guards for about $75-$150 each. Eighty percent of the estimated 50,000-100,000
North Korean refugees in China are women, and 90 percent of them suffer at the
hands of individuals or groups engaging in the practice.
Sources: Tae-hoon Lee, “Female North Korean defectors priced at $1,500,”
Korea Times, 5 May 2010; You-sun Nam,
“N. Korean women becoming commodity in China,”
The China Post, 14 May 2010.
Expatriates Koreans, foreigners ready for local elections
Both overseas Korean nationals and non-Koreans in the country are all but ready
to make their voices heard in the coming 2 June local elections, which will
determine the next mayors, governors and council members. Thanks to a 2007
ruling by the Korea’s Constitutional Court, over 58,000 Korean expatriates are
now armed with the right to suffrage for the first time, complementing the
12,899 eligible foreigners in Korea who were also extended voting rights. 2010
marks the second straight local elections in which non-locals could vote.
Korea urged to welcome immigration
A negative population growth rate for the first time since the 1950s should be
more than enough to prompt South Korea to encourage immigration, according to an
expert in the field. Philip Morgan, a one-time president of the Population
Association of America, said the country should consider opening its borders to
immigrants because of its falling birth rate, ageing female population and a
social phenomenon that finds a decreasing number of women opting to marry.
Morgan added that the country’s total fertility rate, or the average number of
children a woman of childbearing age is projected to have, should be higher than
its current figure.
Officials launch ‘voluntary exit’ program
Korean authorities are encouraging unauthorized migrants to take advantage of a
voluntary exit program that will run up until September 2010. Under the scheme,
irregular migrants will be exempt from paying fines and blacklisting when they
reapply for a visa. Officials estimate that about 178,000 non-locals, or about
15 percent of all foreign residents in the country, do not have the proper visas
or documentation in-hand.
Seoul opens more jobs to Bangladeshis
South Korea announced that it has increased the number of Bangladeshi hires. In
a span of just two months this year, Korean firms have hired about 1,400
nationals from the South Asian state, already double the figure posted for all
of 2009. Korean employment officials said Bangladeshi workers are well-educated
and physically fit, and could rival nationals of Cambodia, the Philippines and
Vietnam.
Sources: Ji-sook Bae, “Voluntary exit program launched for illegal aliens,”
Korea Times, 3 May 2010; Tae-hoon
Lee, “Overseas Koreans, foreigners to flex muscle in polls,”
Korea Times, 19 May 2010; A. Z. M.
Anas, “South Korea steps up hiring BD workers,”
Financial Express Bangladesh, 26 May
2010; Ja-young Yoon, “Korea advised to encourage immigration,”
Korea Times, 27 May 2010.
Labor council ponders quota on foreign labor
Taiwan’s Council of Labor Affairs wants to put a cap on the hiring of foreign
workers by increasing the costs of contracts firms can offer them. Also, the CLA
is pushing for a maximum percentage for foreign workers in a given company of
three percent of the entire workforce, with the possibility of hiking the figure
to five percent or even one-fourth of the company if its labor union gives a
go-signal. But at the same time, the CLA said it was considering lifting certain
restrictions in the hiring of foreign workers engaged in more manual
labor-intensive industries as the demand for them has increased. Latest figures
revealed that migrant laborers involved in manufacturing, domestic work,
caregiving and other labor-intensive sectors have reached 362,000. There are
about 516,000 temporary foreign workers in the island.
Controversial employer indicted for treatment of Muslim workers
A female employer who created a stir in the island for forcing three of her
Indonesian Muslim employees to eat pork has been indicted for human rights
violations. Prosecutors sought an eight-month jail sentence for the woman, who
has also been prevented from hiring foreign workers and faces the prospect of
being meted stiff fines. The incident sparked numerous protests from fellow
Muslims and foreign workers, who are urging the government to respect the rights
of migrant laborers. Meanwhile, about 10,000 workers across the island launched
Labor Day marches to call for the inclusion of labor issues in Taiwan’s
discussion of a proposed economic framework agreement with China. The pact,
labor groups feel, will allow more cases of temporary hiring.
Migrant stereotypes a result of media, policies – study
A study conducted by a professor from National Taiwan University said media
reports and national policies were to be blamed for the bleak view on children
of migrant workers. The professor studied the academic performance of more than
1,000 children of immigrant spouses, along with their parents and teachers, from
2006-08. She concluded that, contrary to popular opinion, children of Southeast
Asian migrants married to Taiwanese nationals are on the same academic level as
children of Taiwanese partners, but generally maintain lower self-esteem levels
because of their parents’ relatively lower financial status and attitudes toward
education. She used her findings to urge the government to put an end to
ethnicity-based welfare policies, which only worsen the stigma attached to
children of mixed nationalities.
Migrant hotline receiving more calls
The Council of Labor Affairs said migrant laborers were more comfortable getting
in touch with the “1955” hotline, as evidenced by the 47 percent increase that
it has notched since its inception in July 2008. An increasing number, it found,
has been using the service to report cases of sexual assault and harassment. The
hotline, which generates an average of 14,000 calls a month, is a toll-free
service that caters to foreign workers in need. Its operators speak mostly
English, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese.
Sources: Chris Wang, “Taiwan workers march on Labor Day,”
Focus Taiwan, 1 May 2010; Lok-sin
Loa, “Thousands protest for workers’ rights,”
Taipei Times, 2 May 2010;
Shelley Huang, “CLA considering limits
to hiring of contract workers,” Taipei
Times, 7 May 2010; “Taiwan employer indicted for forcing Muslims to eat
pork,” Radio Taiwan International, 10
May 2010; “Children of immigrants suffer from low self-esteem,”
Taiwan Headlines, 12 May 2010;
“Abusive boss barred from hiring alien workers,”
Focus Taiwan, 13 May 2010; Ken Liu,
“CLA brings temporary workers under regulation,”
CENS, 13 May 2010; Lok-sin Loa,
“Media, policies blamed for immigrant stereotypes,”
Taipei Times, 13 May 2010; Shelley
Huang, “Foreign workers rally for religion,”
Taipei Times, 17 May 2010; Shelley
Huang, “Calls to foreign workers’ hotline increasing: CLA,”
Taipei Times, 19 May 2010; Shelley
Huang, “CLA mulls lifting restrictions on ‘3K’ foreign labourers,”
Taipei Times, 24 May 2010.
MIDDLE EAST
Government extends ‘Easy Exit’ program
Source: Habib Toumi, “’Easy Exit’ scheme for illegal residents in Bahrain,”
Gulf News, 26 May 2010.
Watchdog wants more stringent protection laws
Human Rights Watch said Kuwait must put in place more measures aimed at
protecting the rights of migrant workers. According to the group, foreign
workers, especially domestic helpers, toil for as long as 16 hours and are
subjected to physical and sexual abuse as they are excluded from legislative
clauses. HRW also cited that contracts of domestic workers, who form a third of
the country’s entire foreign workforce, are not honored. The government,
meanwhile, claimed it has continually protected the rights of foreigners and
women, proof of which is the country’s capacity to attract workers of different
nationalities. Currently, it is mulling a proposal to enforce a minimum wage for
the estimated 560,000 domestic workers in the country.
Source: “Kuwait upholds human rights values: Al-Afasi,”
Kuwait Times, 13 May 2010; Diana
Elias, “Kuwait mulls minimum wage law for maids,”
Arab News, 14 May 2010; “Kuwait:
Deliver promised rights reform,” Web News
Wire, 28 May 2010.
Worker amnesty extended
Omani officials have extended the deadline for unauthorized migrant workers to
voluntarily leave without the risk of fines or file the necessary documentation
should they wish to remain in the sultanate to 31 May. The number of registered
foreign workers, currently at 163,000, is expected to increase by way of the
extension. The ruling, authorities said, has resulted in the voluntary departure
of 10,000 Bangladeshi workers and nearly 2,500 Pakistanis.
Source: Sunil K. Vaidya, “Oman grants extension to amnesty seekers,”
Gulf News, 30 May 2010.
Official, recruiters want ban on Indonesian workers
Saudi Arabia’s senior consul in Jakarta and several recruitment agencies have
proposed a ban on the hiring of Indonesian workers. The consul said Indonesian
recruiters have hiked fees for their workers, making it more costly for locals
to hire them. Their Saudi counterparts, meanwhile, supported the proposal,
citing estimates that costs of tapping Indonesians had risen 300 percent the
past three year. They indicated the need to look for alternative sources of
labor like Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. The Ministry of Manpower and
Transmigration, for its part, reiterated that the ban was mere speculation as it
had yet to receive orders from the Saudi government to put a halt to the hiring.
An estimated 1.5 million Indonesians work in the oil-rich kingdom.
Saudi mulling further reduction of work visas
In a bid to cut down on their reliance on foreign labor, the Saudi Arabian
government is planning to reduce the issuance of work visas to non-Saudis on an
annual basis. Labor officials said they would complement this move by
intensifying training programs for locals. In 2009, the Saudi government slashed
the number of issued work visas by 15 percent to 1.54 million from 1.81 million
in 2008.
Nepalese domestic workers dumped from Kuwait
An average of two Nepalese domestic workers is left at their country’s embassy
in Riyadh. According to embassy officials, they are victims of a vicious
run-around. Despite having legitimate Kuwaiti documents, they are “borrowed” by
Saudi Arabians from their Kuwaiti employers. But instead of flying them back to
Kuwait to avoid incurring costs, they are abandoned in various parts of the
kingdom, including Jeddah and Dammam. Nepalese embassy authorities are probing
into the phenomenon, which has proven difficult to track since Kathmandu imposes
a ban on deploying female domestic workers. Last 16 May, the embassy repatriated
16 Nepali nationals, six of whom originally worked in Kuwait. Three of the women
were suffering from mental and physical illnesses. In a separate incident, some
20 Filipino workers have made a bridge in Jeddah a makeshift camp after running
away from their employers. They are also seeking repatriation.
Sources: Putri Prameshwari and Ismira Lutfia, “Minister rejects reports Saudi
Arabia mulling ban on Indonesian workers,”
The Jakarta Globe, 10 May 2010;
Ghazanfar Ali Khan, “Riyadh cuts reliance on foreigners,”
Arab News, 15 May 2010; Jerrie M.
Abella, “Distressed OFWs seek shelter under Jeddah bridge, group says,”
GMA News, 19 May 2010; “Recruitment
offices support ban on Indonesian workers,”
Arab News, 22 May 2010; Shaheen
Nazar, “Nepal maids from Kuwait being dumped in Riyadh,”
Arab News, 26 May 2010; “Saudi
diplomat urges government to stop hiring Indonesians,”
Arab News, 27 May 2010.
Human trafficking cases double
Authorities said the number of human trafficking cases filed in the country is
twice the number from the year before. In 2009, law enforcement agencies filed
43 human trafficking cases, tagging 86 victims and 125 defendants. This figure
is up from 20 in 2008 and 10 in 2007. In 75 percent of the cases, there was at
least one conviction.
Emiratis form less than 10 percent of nurse workforce
Latest data revealed that locals comprised only seven percent of the total
nursing workforce in the UAE, a far cry from the 25 percent target set by
officials. Filipinos and Indians continued to dominate the industry, the report
indicated. Furthermore, no single Emirati was working in a privately owned
health facility, and only 12 of the 759 locals were males. The study aims to
lure more locals into the industry.
India, UAE sign MoU on foreign labor
India and the UAE are set to forge a new memorandum of understanding that would
protect the interests of both parties. Under the new MoU, the UAE’s labor
ministry will issue labor permits based only on the Indian employee’s details as
passed on by his or her recruiting agent. The move is intended to curb the
growing number of cases wherein the details of a contract are altered upon the
foreign worker’s arrival into the country. The current MoU was signed in 2006
and will expire in December 2010.
Indian, Pakistani workers protest harsh conditions
About 1,400 workers from India and Pakistan have requested their governments for
immediate aid after their company’s demise left them in a labor camp allegedly
without water or electricity in Sharjah. Some of the workers said they have only
received help in the form of food and relief goods from private donors and not
their own governments. India’s consul in Dubai, though, said nearly 200 workers
have already been repatriated. The owner of the firm they initially worked for,
Atlantic Emirates Group, has reportedly left the country, perhaps as a result of
the economic downturn.
Sources: “Hundreds of workers in UAE plead for help,”
Maktoob, 10 May 2010; “UAE human
trafficking cases double in ’09,” Maktoob,
11 May 2010; Asma Ali Zain, “Emiratis only 7 per cent of nursing workforce,”
Khaleej Times, 12 May 2010T.
Ramavarman, “India, UAE to expand scope of MoU on labour migration,”
Khaleej Times, 27 May 2010; India,
UAE set to revamp rules governing migration of workers,”
The Economic Times, 29 May 2010.
Funding issues plague UN refugee efforts
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it is
experiencing inadequate funding in its drive to alleviate the plight of an
estimated 342,000 internally-displaced persons in five conflict-ridden provinces
and governorates across the country. The agency explained that several funding
agencies have cut their support to the affected areas, but still receives
support from the World Food Program, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and
International Organization for Migration.
Organ trafficking in the upswing
Yemeni officials said as many as 157 individuals have sold their organs to organ
dealers. The victims, authorities reported, have sold various organs such as the
cornea and kidneys through Egyptian and Jordanian middlemen, who earn as much as
$20,000-$60,000 per organ. A Jordanian national and seven Yemenis en route to
Egypt to sell their organs have already been nabbed, they claimed.
Sources: Saeed Al-Batati, “Yemenis fall victim to organ trafficking,”
Arab News, 12 May 2010; “Lack of
funding undermining agencies’ efforts to aid conflict-hit Yemenis,”
Xinhua, 28 May 2010.
SOUTH ASIA
Government to train domestic workers
Dhaka seeks deals with Seoul, Kuala Lumpur
Seeking to strengthen its position as a source of labor, the Bangladeshi
government is seeking to forge separate deals with Malaysia and South Korea for
the deployment of workers. Dhaka plans to engage Kuala Lumpur in talks that
would allow the latter to hire Bangladeshi workers without the current quota
system, which is seen to pose problems for workers. At the same time, overseas
employment officials have urged about 8,000 South Korea-bound laborers to be
patient after they launched a strike in protest over fears that they would not
be taken in by Korean firms due to their government’s purported inaction.
Authorities, though, maintained that the final say lies with the employees’
prospective Korean employees even if the two countries signed a pact in 2007
that would facilitate the entry of 8,000-10,000 workers annually.
Stronger cooperation needed as climate migration strikes
A government official said Bangladeshi government and the private sector have to
cooperate to mitigate the possible negative consequences brought about by
climate migration. In a policy roundtable discussion organized by the
International Organisation for Migration and the Brac Development Institute, the
country’s state minister for the environment pointed out that a significant
proportion of the population could be displaced by the long-term impact of
climate change, and stressed the need for an international regime on climate
migration. The IOM, meanwhile, has expressed its readiness in helping the
country handle the looming predicament.
Sources: “Korea job aspirants call off agitation,”
bdnews24.com, 3 May 2010; Porimol
Palma, “Dhaka for more manpower export,”
The Daily Star, 15 May 2010; “Step up govt-NGO coordination to protect
climate migrants,” The Daily Star, 24
May 2010; “Bangladesh to send 50,000 women workers abroad in next fiscal year,”
Xinhua, 26 May 2010; “Govt to manage
export of maids,” bdnews24.com, 30
May 2010.
IT industry allowed hiring more foreigners
The Indian government has relaxed measures that previously limited the number of
foreign workers that IT companies could hire. Under the new measure, the
erstwhile cap of 20 foreign workers per company, or one percent of the total
number of employees in a given IT project, has been scrapped. The ministry of
external affairs said all IT firms need to do is certify that a foreigner is
working for them and present a declaration stating that he or she at least
$25,000 per annum.
20 million unauthorized migrants in India – report
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs said there are an estimated 20 million
irregular migrants in the country. It partly attributed this to the country’s
open borders with Bangladesh and Nepal, as well as similarities in physical
characteristics between Indians and people of other South Asian backgrounds. The
country is currently in the midst of building a 4,000-kilometer barrier along
the Indo-Bangladeshi border. Meanwhile, the government said nearly 65,000
foreigners had overstayed in India in 2008, 11,000 more than in the previous
year.
Bill to regulate emigration promulgated
The government is set to introduce the Emigration Management Bill, 2010 in order
to keep better tabs on Indian nationals leaving the country. The proposed law,
envisioned to replace the Emigration Act, 1983, contains measures aimed at
preventing both human trafficking and unauthorized migration. The draft
legislation, which has already been sent to the home and law ministries, will
also require recruiters to register with authorities.
Sources: “Government to introduce emigration management bill shortly,”
The Economic Times, 5 May 2010;
“India has 20 million irregular migrants,”
Hindustan Times, 13 May 2010; “New
bill to transform emigration process,”
The Economic Times, 13 May 2010; “Over 20 million illegal immigrants living
in India,” Bernama, 13 May 2010;
“Increase in number of foreigners overstaying: Govt,”
MCOT, 15 May 2010; “Govt relaxes work
visa norms for IT cos,” The Economic
Times, 24 May 2010.
Remittances down but number of workers up
Despite the increase in the number of Nepali workers going abroad, remittances
have ground to a halt in the first nine months of the fiscal year. The central
bank announced that money sent into the country amounted to Rs 164.929 billion
(or $2.2 billion), representing a growth of just 9.6 percent. This paled in
comparison to the 60.3 percent growth rate posted in the same timeframe last
year. The number of migrant workers in this fiscal year was higher, however,
than the figure tallied in the same period last year. In the first nine months
of this fiscal year, there were 202,794 Nepali workers abroad, up from 175,958
in the same time last year. Some analysts attributed this to the growing
reliance of Nepali workers on more informal channels for remittances. Employment
officials declared that the country is on pace to reach its annual deployment
target of 254,100 workers. Malaysia is the country’s chief labor importer,
followed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Finance ministry to release development bonds
Finance officials have endorsed a plan to issue infrastructure development bonds
to Nepali workers abroad. The country’s central bank is set to finalize the
arrangements for the release of the bonds, which is projected to entice
investments as they will yield interest returns ranging from nine to 10 percent.
Sources: “Workers opting for informal mode to remit money,”
Republica, 10 May 2010; “Govt to meet
target in sending migrant workers,” The
Himalayan Times, 23 May 2010; “Dev bonds for overseas workers soon,”
Republica, 27 May 2010; “Global
economic crisis hits remittance inflow,”
The Himalayan Times, 27 May 2010.
Officials set to unveil first-ever policy for overseas Pakistanis
Pakistan is preparing the country’s maiden policy on its overseas nationals. The
policy is set to cover rebates in customs duties and incentives in exchange of
remittances. The government also disclosed the provision of plots of land for
overseas Pakistanis in Islamabad, as well as guaranteed admission of children of
Pakistanis abroad in local learning institutions.
Pakistanis top list of internally displaced persons in 2009 – UN
A United Nations study showed that three million Pakistanis were internally
displaced in 2009, the highest in the world that year. The report attributed the
phenomenon to the Taliban insurgency and unstable security situation in the
country. It maintained that while the displaced populations were able to return
home after a certain time, they found their homes destroyed and communities
bereft of basic services. The country with the most number of total internally
displaced persons is Sudan, while the region with the greatest number of IDPs is
Africa.
Sources: “Pakistanis suffered most displacement in 2009,”
Daily Times, 18 May 2010; Mohammad
Abdul Qudoos, “Pakistan to prepare policy for overseas nationals,”
Khaleej Times, 28 May 2010.
Health policy for foreigners and Sri Lankans abroad in the offing
The country’s ministry of health, upon the recommendation of various
international agencies, is mulling the formulation of a Migration Health Policy.
The proposed legislation is projected to focus on disseminating information on
safety guidelines for both Sri Lankans planning to go abroad as well as foreign
workers in the nation. An added focus, though, will be placed on migrant workers
in the Gulf region due to the relatively high incidence of work-related
complaints reported. Last year, the stock of Sri Lankan workers abroad hit the
1.8 million mark, with more than 630,000 of them in the Middle East.
Source: Sandun A. Jayasekera, “Health facilities for 1.8m Lankans working
abroad,” Daily Mirror Sri Lanka, 5
May 2010.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Males trafficked for fishing industry
Source: Robert Carmichael, “Human traffickers target young Cambodian men for
fishing industry,” VOA News, 26 May
2010.
Pact with Malaysia still not completed
Indonesian and Malaysian officials failed to strike a more binding deal on labor
migration, instead signing a letter of intent that would accord Indonesian
workers greater protection under Malaysian law. Indonesia’s manpower minister
and his counterpart from Malaysia’s home affairs ministry sealed a temporary
deal that would give Indonesian workers a day off and the freedom to keep their
passports. The agreement, though, did not include the setting of minimum wages,
widely considered as the primary point of contention between the two countries.
Instead, the two nations will be mandated to stipulate their own minimum wage
clauses separately, a situation that Jakarta feels could end up in a stalemate
as the issue of which stated minimum wage would take precedence over the other
seems inevitable. Earlier, Indonesia was negotiating for a monthly minimum wage
of 800 ringgit ($249), a figure Kuala Lumpur rejected. The temporary deal,
however, does not put an end to Indonesia’s 11-month ban on deploying workers to
the peninsula, although government officials and migrant worker groups confirmed
that the freeze has not been successful in stemming the flow of workers into
Malaysia. A more comprehensive memorandum of understanding between the two
countries is expected to be signed in July. Malaysia is home to two million
Indonesian workers, but only 1.2 million of them are considered regular. Of
this, 300,000 work in the domestic sector.
Jakarta denies Saudi Arabian ban on its workers
Indonesian manpower authorities denied speculation that its workers were being
banned by Saudi Arabia. An earlier newspaper report indicated that the kingdom
was seeking alternative sources of foreign labor from nations like Cambodia,
Thailand and Vietnam after recruitment costs and minimum wages of Indonesian
workers had soared. On the contrary, Jakarta said it maintained strong bilateral
ties with the Gulf kingdom. Saudi Arabia has the second-largest number of
Indonesian workers in the Middle East with 927,500.
Indonesia gives thumbs-down to Australian asylum proposal
Indonesia said it does not welcome an Australian opposition party’s plan to
house asylum-seekers in countries outside Australia. The foreign ministry said
Tony Abbott’s proposal, which resurrects the “Pacific Solution” implemented by
former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, won’t receive backing from
Indonesia and will not address the issue of human trafficking.
Sources: “Indonesian maids lose work in Saudi Arabia,”
The Epoch Times, 10 May 2010; Putri
Prameshwari and Ismira Luftia, “Minister rejects reports Saudi Arabia mulling
ban on Indonesian workers,” The Jakarta
Globe, 10 May 2010; “TKIs to continue going to Saudi Arabia,”
Tempo Interactive, 11 May 2010;
Ismira Luftia, “Ban has failed to stem flow of Indonesian labor to Malaysia,”
The Jakarta Globe, 17 May 2010;
Ismira Luftia and Camelia Pasandaran, “Joint Indonesian-Malaysian task force
will monitor pact on migrant workers,”
The Jakarta Globe, 17 May 2010; Ismira Luftia and Putri Prameshwari, “No
firm agreement yet on Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia,”
The Jakarta Globe, 19 May 2010;
“Malaysia, Jakarta fail to resolve maid crisis,”
Gulf Times, 19 May 2010; Ismira
Luftia, “Indonesia, Malaysia to set migrant wages separately,”
The Jakarta Globe, 20 May 2010; “MoU
on maids in six weeks,” Straits, 27
May 2010; Stephen Fitzpatrick and Paul Maley, “Jakarta rejects return to Pacific
Solution,” The Australian, 28 May
2010.
1.9M foreigners in the country in 2009
Government officials said the number of foreigners in Malaysia breached the 1.9
million-mark in 2009. Indonesians formed the biggest group of non-locals in the
peninsula at 991,940, followed by Bangladeshis, Nepalese, Burmese and Indians,
in that order. Most of the foreigners, they said, were cooks and domestic
workers after the country froze the hiring of foreign labor in other industries.
However, they were also quick to point out their estimate that the ratio of
irregular to authorized migrants is 1:1. In a related development, officials
have set up a 30-man laboratory tasked to collect data on foreigners in Sabah
due to an abundance of irregular migrants in the state. The lab is expected to
deliver its maiden report within a month.
KL to offer amnesty to irregular workers
The government is set to offer amnesty to irregular foreign workers in the
country after it puts its biometric identification system in place. Malaysian
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said individuals who entered the
country without proper documentation or overstayed would be granted amnesty
without the threat of sanctions. The proposed biometric system, though, would
have to be in place first, he said, as this would efficiently store data on
workers and visitors to the country. Should the government push through with
this move, it will mark the third time this decade that authorities have granted
such a reprieve. In a related development, a group of Rohingya asylum-seekers is
seeking exclusion from the program after registering with the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees. The group fears it will be sent back to the
Thai-Malaysian border just like in 2002 and 2004 – the two previous times Kuala
Lumpur enforced an amnesty program. The Rohingyas have endured years of
persecution under the Burmese junta.
Companies urged to hire more locals
Malaysian firms were urged by government officials to stem the tide of
emigration by hiring locals and according them skills training programs instead
of resorting to tapping foreign labor. The call comes on the heels of latest
figures indicating that only 77 percent of Malaysia’s total workforce had
attained a certification in secondary education, known in the country as the
Silij Pelajaran Malaysia. At the same time, half of the 350,000 Malaysians
working abroad held tertiary education qualifications, raising concerns that the
country was not doing enough to keep its skilled workforce at home. Included in
this number are 2,500 engineering graduates who troop to Singapore annually,
according to a university vice-chancellor.
Higher levies for less-skilled foreign labor eyed
In a bid to dissociate itself from foreign labor dependence, Kuala Lumpur is
targeting an increase in the levies for hiring less-skilled foreign labor.
Officials cited the thrust of the country’s New Economic Model, anchored on
making Malaysia a developed nation by 2020, in defense of the plan. The levels
of increase have yet to be tabulated since they are dependent on certain
industries, but authorities said they also plan to pull down taxes imposed on
employers wanting to secure the services of skilled laborers by 2011. Other
government officials and labor and business groups have voiced their concern
over the proposal, saying the move should be executed gradually. A Sabah-based
political party, for its part, warned that such an action could backfire on the
government and further induce unauthorized entry.
Human rights group slams Malaysia for caning foreigners
Human rights organization Amnesty International has told Malaysia to put an end
to caning unauthorized migrants. The group said 34,923 whippings were carried
out from since its inception in 2002 to 2008 for various immigration offenses.
Under Malaysian law, an irregular migrant caught by authorities is subject to
six whippings, fines and a five-year jail sentence.
Tamil asylum-seekers go on hunger strike
A batch of 75 Tamil asylum-seekers has gone on a hunger strike until they are
recognized as having legitimate refugee claims. The group, which was rescued off
a sinking trawler last month, was about to be smuggled into Australia through
Malaysia, police said. The Tamils claim widespread persecution in their homeland
of Sri Lanka.
Sources: “Parliament: 1.9 million foreign workers recorded up to end of 2009,”
Bernama, 3 May 2010; “Foreigners only
as cooks and cleaners,” Daily Express,
4 May 2010; “Lab of management of foreigners in Sabah launched,”
Bernama, 4 May 2010; Joniston
Bangkuai, “Special lab to monitor foreigners in Sabah,”
New Straits Times, 5 May 2010; Zuhrin
Azam Ahmad and K. Kasturi Dewi, “Don’t look for excuses to hire foreigners,
bosses told,” The Star Online, 9 May
2010; Fong Chan Onn, “Tracing the brain drain trend,”
The Star Online, 16 May 2010;
Minderjeet Kaur and Aidi Amin, “Do more to make local grads stay, say dons,”
New Straits Times, 17 May 2010;
“Foreign workers’ levy to go up in 2011,”
New Straits Times, 20 May 2010; Dharmender Singh, “Amnesty for illegals once
biometric system in place,” The Star
Online, 20 May 2010; Farrah Naz Karim, “Higher levies for foreign workers,”
New Straits Times, 21 May 2010;
“Higher levy for unskilled foreign workers next year,”
Daily Express, 21 May 2010; “Malay
Indian business body protests high foreign labour levy,”
One India, 22 May 2010;
“Seventy-seven per cent of nation’s workforce only attain SPM,”
Bernama, 22 May 2010; “Set reasonable
rate for levy, urges Mustapa,” New
Straits Times, 23 May 2010; “Malaysia mulls amnesty again,”
The Daily Star, 24 May 2010;
“Rohingyas want exclusion from amnesty programme,”
The Star Online, 24 May 2010;
Queville To, “PBS against increase on foreign worker levy,”
Free Malaysia Today, 24 May 2010;
“Stop whipping illegal immigrants, Amnesty tells Malaysia,”
The Times of India, 27 May 2010;
“Sri Lankan asylum seekers on hunger strike,”
The Star Online, 27 May 2010; Mustafa
Mansur, “Levy increase should be gradual, pre-announced,”
Malaysia Kini, 27 May 2010; “Stop
whipping illegal immigrants, Amnesty tells Malaysia,”
Borneo Bulletin, 28 May 2010.
Remittances top $4B in 1st quarter
Filipinos overseas sent home $4.3 billion during the first quarter of 2010, the
country’s central bank announced. The figure was seven percent higher than the
tally posted during the same period last year, but a shade lower than February
2010’s monthly growth rate of 7.1 percent. Remittances in March reached $1.6
billion, 5.6 percent higher year-on-year. The central bank added that prospects
for finding overseas employment in the future remained bright, especially in
Hong Kong, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates.
Remittances from sea-based workers, meanwhile, hit $888 million in the first
quarter, up 11 percent from the same period in 2009. Money sent home from Greece
was up 18 percent despite the financial woes the country is facing.
Overseas voter turnout exceeds 2007 total
About 134,000 Filipinos participated in the month-long overseas absentee voting,
authorities said. The figure, which is around 23 percent of the total number of
registered voters, exceeds the voter turnout during the last presidential
elections held in 2007 of 81,732. Election officials said voter turnout was
heaviest in China, Hong Kong and Singapore, with the latter two countries making
use of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines.
President-elect urged to end migration as ‘forced option’
The Philippines’ President-elect, Benigno Aquino Jr., has been urged by groups
of overseas Filipinos to help steer the country away from its present dependence
on overseas out-migration. The groups have asked the incoming head-of-state to
make job creation a priority while deviating from the deployment-based policies
of past governments.
Authorities sound off on fake Caribbean job offers
The country’s foreign affairs office has warned Filipinos of fraudulent job
offers in the Caribbean. Authorities said they were contacted by the Philippine
Embassy in Venezuela, which gathered information about huge sums of money being
offered by groups in exchange for non-existent jobs in Trinidad and Tobago. The
embassy added that these groups were requiring a Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
skills certification from their unknowing victims. The certification, however,
is only for citizens of CARICOM member-states only. Meanwhile, the Philippine
mission in Cuba has expressed its concern over the trafficking of Filipinos in
the Caribbean. It reported that two Filipinos had sought shelter in Havana after
being smuggled into the Bahamas, purportedly for jobs paying as high as $5,000 a
month.
Aggrieved nurses gain edge in New York case
A New York City court has upheld a group of Filipino health workers’ decision to
leave their jobs due to grievances experienced at the hands of their employers.
A city judge did not allow the 27 Filipinos to pay their employers, Sentosa Care
LLC, $25,000 after they complained of not receiving their pay, as well as sick
and vacation leaves. The judge said both parties had not fulfilled their
obligations to one another, and as such needed another trial to settle the
dispute altogether. Sentosa had earlier sued the Filipino health workers for a
breach of contract because of their mass resignation. The group has called on
other colleagues to come forward and file a class action suit against the firm.
Issuance of ‘ePassports’ begins
To facilitate the release of new passports, authorities have begun issuing
“ePassports” to replace the earlier machine-readable documents issued to its
citizens. According to them, this saves applicants from the hassle of having to
travel all the way to Manila to secure their passports by granting 19 regional
consular offices the authority to release these ePassports. Philippine missions
in Hong Kong and San Francisco have followed suit, disclosing that they have
started to issue electronic passports. The ePassport program, though, has drawn
some flack, especially in Honk Kong, where a group of Filipinos blasted the $10
application fee increase that accompanied it. Foreign affairs officials,
however, defended the move as it was meant to shoulder the cost of a more secure
passport compliant with international standards.
Costs of sending remittances to go down
The country’s central bank is set to slash the cost of sending money back home
by as much as 90 percent. Beginning in the third quarter of 2010, overseas
Filipinos will be able to remit with a processing fee of P50 (a little above
$1), significantly lower than current charges that go as high as P550 ($11.95).
The new system, known as the Philpass Remit System, was originally scheduled for
the first quarter of the year. Officials had to defer its introduction because
only one local bank managed to make the transition to the new system. In
addition, the payment of a P0.30 documentary stamp tax for every P200 ($4.35) in
remittances has been completely slashed.
Return of Mindanao IDPs ordered
Outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the return of about
84,000 internally displaced persons back to their communities before her term
ends on 30 June. An initial 360 out of 16,131 families were returned from
temporary evacuation centers and given food and other relief packages,
government officials said. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has been
plagued by chronic armed conflict between the Philippine government and Muslim
secessionist rebels.
Sources: Don Tagala, “Filipino workers to appeal RP ruling on Sentosa Care,”
ABS-CBN News, 4 May 2010; Madel R.
Sabater, “DFA issues warning on dubious offers for Caribbean jobs,”
Manila Bulletin, 5 May 2010; Jerrie
Abella, “Pinoy group in HK hits 20% hike in passport fee,”
GMA News, 6 May 2010; Roy C. Mabasa,
“Overseas voters exceed 2007 turnout,”
Manila Bulletin, 7 May 2010; Rester John L. Nonato, “Migrant Workers Act to
give more tax benefits to OFWs,”
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 7 May 2010; “ePassport more secure, globally
compliant, benefits Filipino travelers,”
Public Information Service Unit, 8 May 2010; Madel R. Sabater, “ePassport
now available in HK,” Manila Bulletin,
9 May 2010; “134,000 Filipinos participate in overseas absentee voting,”
Philippine Star, 10 May 2010; Erwin
S. Gret, “Havana PE warns on human trafficking in the Bahamas and other
Caribbean islands,” Department of Foreign
Affairs, 12 May 2010; “DFA implements nationwide ePassport project,”
ABS-CBN News, 14 May 2010; Jimmy
Calapati, “Jan remittance up 8.5%,”
Malaya, 16 May 2010; Gilbert P. Felongco, “Aquino urged to fix labour
policies,” Gulf News, 17 May 2010;
“Remittances rise 7% to $4.34 billion in March,”
Manila Bulletin, 18 May 2010; Jimmy
Calapati, “Remittances up 7% in Q1,”
Malaya, 18 May 2010; “RP consulate general in San Francisco starts
e-Passport implementation,” Public
Information Service Unit, 20 May 2010; Ali G. Macabalang, “ARMM launches
drive to send home thousands of evacuees,”
Manila Bulletin, 24 May 2010;
“Filipino sailors sent home $888M in 1Q, up 11%,”
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 24 May
2010; “New system to slash OFW remittance fees, says BSP,”
GMA News, 24 May 2010; Charissa M.
Luci, “GMA orders return of displaced persons to Mindanao communities,”
Manila Bulletin, 24 May 2010; “BSP’s
PhilPaSS rolls out in Q3,” Malaya, 25
May 2010; “More nurses urged to join class suit vs Sentosa,”
ABS-CBN News, 28 May 2010; Joseph G.
Lariosa, “Filipino nurses win vs Sentosa in NY court,”
GMA News, 30 May 2010; Jerrie Abella,
“Noynoy asked to stop ‘forced migration’ of Pinoys,”
GMA News, 31 May 2010.
New jobs to be taken by locals
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that about 100,000 new jobs will be created
if Singapore’s economy grows by seven to nine percent this year. A bulk of those
jobs, he reiterated, will be taken by locals, with only a small number to be
allocated to foreigners on temporary work permits. Lee said an inflow of foreign
labor is needed if Singapore is to enjoy further growth. In the first quarter of
2010, its economy grew by 13 percent. In a related development, the government
announced there was no need to alter the number of foreign workers a firm can
hire relative to its local manpower roster. This came in response to calls for
the hiring of more foreign workers.
Non-profit group helps domestic workers settle
A non-profit organization is helping domestic workers settle in the country. For
its pilot project, the group Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Skills
Training (FAST) ushered in its four-month “Settling In” program by organizing a
tour for domestic workers of some historical and cultural landmarks. The workers
were also given lessons on basic Mandarin and talks on personal hygiene and
saving money. The initial program is made up of four modules lasting four hours
each until August this year, and is aimed at minimizing the cultural divide
between Singaporeans and foreign domestic workers. Meanwhile, the National Wages
Council shot down a proposal from another non-governmental organization to set a
minimum wage level for both local and foreign domestic workers since they were
not included in its scope and jurisdiction.
New human trafficking route raises concern
Singaporean law enforcement agencies said they are aware of a new and intricate
human trafficking route that makes use of the city-state as a transit point.
Police received reports from their Malaysian counterparts that a boat carrying
10 Afghan nationals had been intercepted off the coast of Johor. They said
syndicates usually flew Afghans into Singapore’s Changi International Airport
before taking them to Malaysia, and subsequently, Indonesia in order to reach
Australia.
Sources: “Over 100,000 new jobs to be created if economy grows as projected: PM
Lee,” Channel News Asia, 1 May 2010;
“Tour to help ease maids in,” The Straits
Times, 3 May 2010; Wee Keat Leong, “Now, a fast way for maids to adapt,”
Today Online, 3 May 2010; “100,000
new jobs will be available,” Asia One,
7 May 2010; Wee Keat Leong, “No need for changes to dependency ratio: MOM,”
Today Online, 19 May 2010; Esther Ng,
“No minimum wage for domestic workers,”
Today Online, 26 May 2010; “Eye on new human trafficking route,”
Today Online, 29 May 2010.
Migrants struggle as clashes intensify
Migrant workers were sent scampering by the crisis that has gripped Bangkok. In
the capital, the Indonesian Embassy has moved 300 of its citizens away from
their residences near the Central Business District, which has seen its fair
share of violence the past weeks. Even in the northern city of Chiang Mai,
migrant workers have had to grapple with a government-imposed curfew that bans
people from the streets from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day. Several
businesses have shut down, and workers of different nationalities were left
wondering if their wages would be paid after their employers had either asked
them to take a break or leave their jobs altogether.
Burmese migrants in hiding after raid
About 5,000 Burmese migrants are estimated to be in hiding after police
conducted a raid on a garment factory in a Thai border town. The operations,
which have yielded 750 arrests, are part of the government’s drive against
unauthorized migration. Authorities approximate around 370,000 irregular Burmese
workers in the northwestern province of Tak alone. Meanwhile, the national
government said it has registered nearly a million previously irregular migrant
workers. As of mid-May, 932,255 workers from Burma, Cambodia and Laos have
received their travel and work documents. A million more foreign workers are
expected to secure necessary paperwork in the coming months.
Sources: Naw Noreen, “‘Thousands’ of Burmese migrants in hiding,”
Democratic Voice of Burma, 13 May
2010; “Embassy in Bangkok moves Indonesian citizens to safety,”
The Jakarta Post, 19 May 2010;
“Thailand registers nearly one million undocumented migrants,”
Thailand Business News, 20 May 2010;
Khio Fah Hseng, “Thai crisis weighs down on migrants,”
Shan Land, 20 May 2010.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister said irregular workers must leave the country within
three months or face expulsion. Nguyen Tan Dung made the announcement after the
government adopted the new measure in response to the growing number of less
skilled, irregular workers from China and African countries. Also, the new law
will impose fines ranging from 15-20 million dong (around $790-1,050) for
foreigners found to be working without permits, and 20-30 million dong for
employers hiring unauthorized workers.
Human trafficking victims total 3,190 in five-year stretch
Vietnamese officials said over 230 human trafficking groups, composed roughly of
about 3,600 individuals, had been nabbed from 2005-10. Some 3,190 women and
children, they explained, have either been treated for possible psychological
illnesses or given skills training as a result of their plight.
Marriage migration to China on the rise
Vietnamese women are gaining popularity in China, so much so that marriage
migration agencies have devoted as much as 70 percent of their operations to the
East Asian country. According to the agencies, China has become the destination
of choice of Vietnamese women who want foreign partners, a shift from their
preference for South Koreans and Taiwanese.
Sources: “Vietnamese workers and Vietnamese wives pour into China,”
Vietnam Net, 8 May 2010; “Work permit
decree might force many foreigners to leave Vietnam,”
Earth Times, 10 May 2010; “Illegal
foreign workers to be expelled,” Vietnam
News, 12 May 2010; “Over 230 human trafficking rings recorded,”
Vietnam Net, 29 May 2010.
|
Editors |
Graziano
Battistella
and Maruja Asis |
|
Researchers |
Cecilia Marave, Christian
Soler, Leonila Domingo and John Paul Asis |
|
Citation |
Asian Migration News,
1-31 May 2010 |
|
Past Issues |
|
|
Correspondence |
Scalabrini Migration Center
|