Bali Forum on Skill and Mobility in ASEAN – Presentation of the ABD-MPI Issue Paper: Achieving Skill Mobility in ASEAN: Challenges, Progress, and Opportunities

The forum started with a presentation of the Issue Paper on “Achieving Skill Mobility in the ASEAN Economic Community: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications,” a joint Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Migration Policy Institute (MPI) publication. The paper focuses on the challenges and barriers to achieving the ASEAN Economic Community’s goal of freer movement for skilled professionals within ASEAN by the end of 2015. Demetrios G. Papademetriou, President Emeritus of MPI and President of MPI Europe, discussed the issue paper’s key points while Rana Hasan, the Director of the Development Economics and Indicators Division in the Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department at ADB, shared insights from ADB’s perspective.

Bali Forum on Skill and Mobility in ASEAN - Welcoming Remarks

These welcoming remarks introduce the themes and objectives of the Bali Forum on Skill Mobility in ASEAN, which took place on September 28-29, 2015 in Bali, Indonesia. The forum’s objective was the launch of a joint initiative between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) to better understand the barriers to the freer movement of professionals within ASEAN and develop strategies to gradually overcome these hurdles. During this recording, remarks are offered by ADB Vice President Bambang Susantono; Takuro Tasaka, the Counsellor of Economic Affairs of the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia; Imelda Nicolas, Chairperson of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas; and MPI President Michael Fix.

The Asia-Pacific and Women’s Labour Migration

At this briefing, hosted by the International Organization for Migration and the Migration Policy Institute, speakers discuss the critical issues surrounding women's labour migration in the Asia-Pacific region and the related opportunities and challenges. The event marks the launch of the IOM-MPI Issue in Brief, Women’s Labour Migration from Asia and the Pacific: Opportunities and Challenges, the twelfth in a joint-publication series offering succinct insights on migration issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region today.Note: Due to technical errors, the audio does not include opening remarks and starts with the author's presentation. 

The Skills of Immigrants: What PIAAC Tells Us

This Migration Policy Institute event marks the launch of the report Through an Immigrant Lens: PIAAC Assessment of the Competencies of Adults in the United States, which uses data from the 2012 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) to describe the literacy, numeracy, and computer skills of adults in the United States, including both immigrants and the native born. Report authors Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix of MPI present their findings and discuss what their analysis reveals about the literacy of the first- and second-generation immigrant population in the United States, the U.S. education and workforce training system, and the implications for the future of the U.S. labor market and its role in the global economy. Panelists Demetra Smith Nightingale of the U.S. Department of Labor and Andy Van Kleunen of the National Skills Coalition present commentaries setting the results in the context of the United States workforce and education policies. Finally, MPI’s Demetrios G. Papademetriou sets the results in the global context. 

A ‘Freer’ Flow of Skilled Labour within ASEAN: Aspirations, Opportunities, and Challenges in 2015 and Beyond

In 2007, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed on an ambitious goal to fast-track the creation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015, which would transform the ASEAN region into a single market and production base. The transformation would be based on five core components, including a free flow of skilled labor. This briefing, held in Bangkok, Thailand and hosted by the International Organization for Migration and the Migration Policy Institute, explores these issues and launches the Issue in Brief, A ‘Freer’ Flow of Skilled Labour within ASEAN: Aspirations, Opportunities and Challenges in 2015 and Beyond, the eleventh in a joint publication series offering succinct insights on migration issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region today. To read the series, visit: www.migrationpolicy.org/regions/asia-and-pacific.

Where Next? The Future of Integration Policy in Europe

This is the third and final panel from the day-long conference, "Better Work for Immigrants: Tackling Joblessness and Stunted Progression in the European Union," held in Brussels and organized by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Europe in collaboration with the International Labour Office (ILO) and the European Commission. The event concludes an MPI-ILO research project, funded by the European Commission, that examines employment prospects of foreign-born workers and the effectiveness of integration and workforce development policies in helping foreign-born workers overcome barriers and move up into middle-skilled positions in six case study countries: the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Read reports from the series here.

Can Training Get Migrants into Middle-Skilled Jobs? Working More Effectively with Social Partners and Civil Society

This is the second panel from the day-long conference, "Better Work for Immigrants: Tackling Joblessness and Stunted Progression in the European Union," held in Brussels and organized by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Europe in collaboration with the International Labour Office (ILO) and the European Commission. The event concludes an MPI-ILO research project, funded by the European Commission, that examines employment prospects of foreign-born workers and the effectiveness of integration and workforce development policies in helping foreign-born workers overcome barriers and move up into middle-skilled positions in six case study countries: the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Read reports from the series here.

Bleak Picture or Steady Progress? Labour Market Outcomes of New Arrivals in Europe

This panel discussion opens the day-long conference, "Better Work for Immigrants: Tackling Joblessness and Stunted Progression in the European Union," held in Brussels and organized by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Europe in collaboration with the International Labour Office (ILO) and the European Commission. The event concludes an MPI-ILO research project, funded by the European Commission, that examines employment prospects of foreign-born workers and the effectiveness of integration and workforce development policies in helping foreign-born workers overcome barriers and move up into middle-skilled positions in six case study countries: the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Read reports from the series here.

State-Level Initiatives to Address Brain Waste Among Highly Educated Immigrants and Refugees: Special Focus on Nurses, Engineers, and Teachers

This Migration Policy Institute (MPI) webinar focuses on data compiled by MPI on brain waste among foreign-trained nurses, engineers, and teachers, and updates on three state-level initiatives—in Illinois, Washington, and Massachusetts—that are working to analyze and address challenges faced by immigrants and refugees with degrees and training in these fields. Dr. Jeanne Batalova presents MPI’s data on brain waste at the national and state levels and representatives from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, OneAmerica, and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition discuss their analysis and efforts on these issues. The discussion is moderated by Margie McHugh, Director of MPI's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy.Despite possessing postsecondary degrees and relevant work experience, many highly educated immigrants and refugees in the United States struggle to find employment that utilizes their talents and professional experience. Particularly in fields with strict certification or licensure requirements, difficulties in obtaining recognition of credentials from foreign institutions, acquiring professional-level English skills, and navigating costly or time-consuming recertification processes prevent highly skilled immigrants and refugees from making the most of their education and training, and waste human capital badly needed by local economies and employers.

Discussion on Ways to Make the U.S. Immigration System Better Meet U.S. Labor Market Needs

This Migration Policy Institute event marks the release of the book Immigrants in a Changing Labor Market with a discussion on how to make the U.S. immigration system more effective in meeting labor market needs. The discussion features Jason Furman, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Principal Deputy Director of the National Economic Council; Georgetown Professor Harry Holzer, who was chief economist at the U.S. Labor Department; and the book’s editors, MPI Senior Vice President Michael Fix, President Demetrios Papademetriou, and Senior Policy Analyst Madeleine Sumption. The panelists discuss immigration at high-, middle-, and low-skill levels, current and proposed policy, how to measure labor shortages, and the flexibility that should be built into the U.S. immigration system.
For more on MPI’s Labor Markets Initiative, visit, www.migrationpolicy.org/lmi
Purchase a copy of the book at http://www.migrationpolicy.org/bookstore/labormarkets.php

Avoiding Pitfalls on the Road to Immigration Reform: Building an Effective US Immigration System

In this Migration Policy Institute event, immigration experts with decades of policy experience in and out of government examine issues at the heart of immigration reform, including: How would the registration process of a legalization program for unauthorized immigrants best be designed and implemented? How should future flows for needed workers be determined? And what will be the effects of barring access to services for the newly legalized? MPI President Demetrios G. Papademetriou discusses lessons from IRCA, economic issues, and mechanisms to allow for future immigration flows; Muzaffar Chishti, Director, MPI Office at NYU School of Law, discusses labor concerns and provides a conclusion on political realities; Michael Fix, Senior Vice President and Director of Studies and Co-Director, National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, addresses impacts on immigrant integration, including impacts on healthcare costs; and Doris Meissner, Director of MPI’s US Immigration Policy Program, provides an overview on issues associated with a legalization program.
Visit www.migrationpolicy.org/CIR for research on US immigration policy.

Thailand at a Crossroads: Challenges and Opportunities in Leveraging Migration for Development

This joint Migration Policy Institute and International Organization for Migration breakfast briefing discuss the Issue in Brief, Thailand at a Crossroads: Challenges and Opportunities in Leveraging Migration for Development, the sixth in an eight-paper monthly joint-publication series offering succinct insights on current migration issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region. Mr. Jerry Huguet, Consultant on Population and Development, and Ms. Claudia Natali, Labour Migration Programme Manager, IOM Thailand, will present key findings of the report, while Mr. Jeffrey Labovitz, Chief of Mission, IOM Thailand, will moderate the panel. Mr. Rattanarut, Expert on foreign workers administration and Independent Consultant (TBC) reflects on the government’s role in formulating and implementing effective policies for migration and development.
Download the Issue Brief | Learn more on MPI’s Migration and Development Program

Strengthening Pre-Departure Orientation Programmes in Indonesia, Nepal and the Philippines

This joint Migration Policy Institute and International Organization for Migration event marks the Issue brief launch of Strengthening Pre-Departure Orientation Programmes in Indonesia, Nepal and the Philippines, which explored issues affecting migrant workers in relation to the pre-departure orientation program.  Andrew Bruce, Regional Director, IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific moderated the panel; Ms. Yuko Hamada, Senior Labour Migration and Development Officer, IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, presented key findings, and H.E. Mr. Lutfi Rauf, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Indonesia to Thailand, provided commentary on the report and discussion.
Download the Issue Brief | Learn more on MPI’s Migration and Development Program

Regulating Private Recruitment in the Asia-Middle East Labour Migration Corridor

This joint Migration Policy Institute and International Organization for Migration event marks the Issue brief launch of Regulating Private Recruitment in the Asia-Middle East Labour Migration Corridor, with author Dovelyn Rannveig Agunias, Regional Research Officer, IOM and Policy Analyst, MPI; Supang Chantavanich, Professor, Chulalongkorn University and Director, Asian Research Center for Migration; Jaewon Kim, Manager, Business for Social Responsibility; and Rabab Fatima, Regional Coordinator and Advisor for South Asia, IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Panelists discussed the Asian migrant worker experience in the Middle East and offered insights on migration issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region today.  

Download the Issue Brief | Learn more on MPI’s Migration and Development Program

Labour Migration from Colombo Process Countries

This joint Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) event marks the launch in Bangkok, Thailand of an issue brief series on labor migration in Asia. Speakers  include H.E. Phadermchai Sasomsub, Minister of Labour, Government of Thailand; H.E. Kazi Imtiaz Hossain, Ambassador, Government of Bangladesh; H.E. Linglingay Lacanlale, Ambassador, Government of the Philippines; Andrew Bruce, Regional Director, IOM; and Dovelyn Rannveig Agunias, IOM Regional Research Officer and MPI Policy Analyst. Download Mrs. Agunias' PowerPoint presentation here.
Read the first of the issue brief series, Labour Migration from Colombo Process Countries: Good Practices, Challenges and Ways Forward.

Up for Grabs: The Gains and Prospects of First- and Second-Generation Young Adults

During this 30-minute presentation, Migration Policy Institute Senior Vice President Michael Fix and Policy Analyst Jeanne Batalova discuss their report, Up for Grabs: The Gains and Prospects of First- and Second-Generation Young Adults, which profiles the population of first- and second-generation young adults in the United States between the ages of 16 and 26. These young adults from immigrant families, numbering 11.3 million, represent one in four people in the United States between the ages of 16-26 and account for half of the growth of the young adult population between 1995 and 2010. This report, done through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, finds substantial generational progress in terms of high school graduation, college enrollment, and ability to earn family-sustaining wages. Second-generation Hispanic women are faring particularly well, with college enrollment rates equal to those of third-generation non-Hispanic white women. However, they are not graduating from college at the same rate or on the same timeline because of family, work, or economic reasons. The report sketches how postsecondary education, workforce development, and language training programs could better meet the needs of this population, which will assume a greater role as the US workforce ages.

Labor Standards Enforcement and Low-Wage Immigrants: Creating an Effective Enforcement System

This Migration Policy Institute webinar discusses labor enforcement laws during the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations and chronicles gaps in labor protection. Donald M. Kerwin, MPI Vice President for Programs and author of MPI’s report, Labor Standards Enforcement and Low-Wage Immigrants: Creating an Effective Enforcement System, argues that enforcement of labor laws should become a higher priority, particularly amid high rates of unemployment and underemployment. He also discusses the view that labor standards enforcement should become a pillar of immigration policymaking and sketches the elements necessary for an effective labor standards enforcement system.
The webinar powerpoint is available here.

Six Steps to Fix the US Immigration System: What Can the Administration Do?

At this event, MPI releases a new report, Executive Action on Immigration: Six Ways to Make the System Work Better, that outlines recommendations for executive actions that the administration can implement to improve the immigration system. Here to discuss their report are the authors: Donald Kerwin, MPI Vice President for Programs; Doris Meissner, Director, US Immigration Policy Program at MPI; and Margie McHugh, Co-Director of MPI's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy. Joining the discussion are: Eva Millona, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Coalition, and Juan P. Osuna, Acting Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review at the US Department of Justice.

Does Low-Skilled Immigration Hurt the US Economy? Assessing the Evidence

This Migration Policy Institute event discusses the release of the MPI report, Immigration Policy and Less-skilled Workers in the United States: Reflections on Future Directions for Reform. The report, and the discussion, examine economists’ views on the costs and benefits of low-skilled immigration, and some policy options to reform the U.S. immigration system to make it more economically beneficial. Among the options discussed: Providing legal pathways for low-skilled workers, allowing less-skilled workers on employment-based visas to switch employers more easily and gain a path to citizenship, and setting employer visa fees at a level sufficient to offset some of the costs that low-skilled immigration imposes. The discussion is opened by MPI Senior Vice President, Michael Fix, followed by the report author, Harry Holzer, a professor at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute. Commenting on the report findings are Demetrios G. Papademetriou, President, MPI; Darrell M. West, Vice President and Director of Governance Studies, Brookings Institution; and Doris Meissner, Senior Fellow and Director of MPI’s US Immigration Policy Program.

Immigrant Workers in the US Labor Force: Perception vs. Reality

During this presentation, Assistant U.S. Secretary for Postsecondary Education Eduardo Martín Ochoa and Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce Director Anthony P. Carnevale join Michael Fix and Margie McHugh, Co-Directors of MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Immigration Policy, to discuss findings from the MPI report, Still an Hourglass? Immigrant Workers in Middle-Skilled Jobs. The moderator is MPI President Demetrios Papademetriou. The report, which examines immigrant employment in the US workforce overall and four key sectors (IT, health care, construction, and hospitality), finds that the fastest growth in immigrant employment since 2000 has occurred in middle-skilled jobs. To read the report, visit: www.migrationpolicy.org/​pubs/​sectoralbrief-Sept2010.pdf.