The ever widening gaps in support for migrant workers
The COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating impact on migrant workers all over the world. Many migrant workers found themselves stranded due to lockdowns and border closures, and their situation worsened by sudden employment terminations without salary securities or basic healthcare to fall back on. Those of us who know we all should be more concerned about the forgotten pillars of our economies ask ourselves: given the situation, have they been given a helping hand? If so, how?
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Migrant status changes
As travel restrictions hampered the efforts of key sectors from proceeding with international recruitment of dependent foreign workers, some countries enabled short-term visas for significant numbers of migrant workers, or adjusted their legal status in order for them to remain in their territory. Such regularisation programs were implemented in the OECD countries including Italy, Portugal, Chile, and Colombia. Seasonal agricultural workers in Greece were able to extend their stay, while health workers in the UK were able to extend their residence permits until the end of 2021.
In the MENA region, the Kafala (sponsorship) system, that has tended to facilitate abuse and exploitation of migrant workers, has been reformed in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Migrant workers in these countries are now able to switch jobs upon the expiry of their work contract without employers’ permission, while being able to secure final exit visas without ‘exit authorization’ from their employers which had long been required in the past. Meanwhile in Asia, Thailand introduced a policy granting an extra 2-year stay for those with expiring permits while allowing their families to remain without risk of a fine. About 130,000 migrants who had entered legally from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos for work were afforded this layer of security.
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Repatriation and post-return assistance
In the face of a combination of lockdowns, border closures and impending economic crises, several countries have come up with creative solutions for the protection of migrant workers.
In Pakistan, the government started special flights to return over 90,000 stranded Pakistanis. Meanwhile India embarked on a large-scale evacuation mission repatriating over 500,000 Indian migrants, including workers from 137 countries.
In addition to repatriation assistance, efforts have been made to support migrant workers post return. The Philippines, as part of its welfare administration, provides temporary shelter and food for the returning migrants. Singapore offers levy support (rebates or waivers) to employees so that they fulfil their obligations to their migrant workers during stay-at-home periods.
Photo by Thibault Luycx from Pexels
Crossborder coordination should not be optional
The phrase ‘No one is safe until everyone is safe’ echoes. Yet the reality is that most vaccines are being reserved for wealthy countries while the poorer ones, even vaccine-producing countries, have much lower access. According to the Global Dashboard for Vaccine Equity, as of September, just 8.35 percent in low-income countries have been vaccinated with at least one dose, compared to 64.94 percent in high-income countries. Low-income countries would have to increase their health care spending by 56.6% to cover the costs of vaccinating 70% of their population. Include in this the need to vaccinate both the regular and irregular migrant populations in each of these countries and we then see how many are likely to have fallen through the cracks. As vulnerable populations around the world continue to face widening gaps in social protection, and shameful inaction in the face of increasing loss of life at sea, global coordination is key.
If member states are to continue to be able to meet their UN2030 Agendas, and economies are indeed going to bounce back at all, it’s time to heed the solutions and recognise the contributions of our migrants. It's time to tell more people about those who have been working on the frontlines amid the pandemic, and rid our societies of the hate and hostility that will only serve to slow our recovery. Only in this way will we be able to build back better, through stronger communities, and through the knowledge, networks and skills of our migrant workers.
Author(s): Pitrapee Chomchuen
