Migrant workers across Southeast Asia will gain improved access to safe recruitment, skills recognition and social protection under a five-year regional program designed to address labor exploitation and expand employment opportunities, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the ILO said the initiative will also strengthen labor protections and support services for workers throughout the migration process.

The program, formally titled TRIANGLE Partnerships for Fair and Effective Labour Migration in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), will run from 2026 to 2031 with approximately $20 million in funding from Australia and Switzerland, according to the ILO.

The agency noted that about 24 million international migrants originate from ASEAN countries, while the region hosts roughly 11 million migrants, including around seven million who have moved within the bloc.

Migrant workers continue to face high recruitment costs, gaps in labor and social protection, hazardous working conditions and barriers to having their skills recognized. These challenges can heighten their vulnerability to exploitation and trafficking, including forced criminality linked to scam centers.

"Grounded in international labor standards, TRIANGLE Partnerships will connect ASEAN commitments with national action and services on the ground, so that migrant workers can access decent work, develop and use their skills, and get the protection and support they need throughout their migration journey," said Kaori Nakamura-Osaka, ILO assistant director-general and regional director for Asia and the Pacific.

The program will cover Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Timor-Leste. Its priorities include fair recruitment, regular migration pathways, skills development and recognition, social protection, decent work, and the return and reintegration of migrant workers.

It will also link regional cooperation with national policies and practical assistance through Migrant Worker Resource Centers, which provide information, counseling, legal assistance, training and referrals.

Australia's support for the program builds on more than 15 years of assistance to ASEAN on labor migration through the ILO's TRIANGLE initiative, the ILO said.

"Effective labor migration can support inclusive economic growth, strengthen regional connections and create opportunities for workers, employers and communities," said Tiffany McDonald, Australia's ambassador to ASEAN.

Switzerland, meanwhile, will back efforts to help migrant workers develop relevant skills and have their qualifications recognized, improving their access to employment opportunities, the ILO added.

"Through TRIANGLE Partnerships, we aim to ensure that migrant workers can develop relevant skills, have them recognized and use them to access better opportunities throughout their migration journey," said Konstantin Obolensky, Swiss ambassador-designate to Indonesia, Timor-Leste and ASEAN.

According to the ILO, implementation will involve governments, employers' and workers' organizations, Southeast Asian institutions, civil society groups, migrant worker organizations and the private sector.

BusinessWorld reporter Erika Mae P. Sinaking contributed to this report.

Source: BusinessWorld