Promoting labour mobility in South-East Asia

  • Media release

Australia will support a new project to promote safe and legal labour mobility in South-East Asia.

The $20 million project, known as "TRIANGLE II", will run from 2015 to 2025 and be implemented by the International Labour Organization. It will help countries from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) strengthen their migration systems while protecting migrant workers from exploitation.

Six million people within the ASEAN region have travelled to other ASEAN nations for work. These workers are helping to drive regional economic growth although often work in sectors of the economy with a higher risk of exploitation.

A key part of Australia's regional aid program in South-East Asia, TRIANGLE II will assist ASEAN countries to reform their migration policies and legislation, provide legal and financial advice to migrant workers and help reduce the costs for migrant workers of sending wages home.

Activities will be focused in six ASEAN countries – Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia and Laos. The four other ASEAN countries – Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Brunei – will also participate through regional migration forums.

The announcement builds on TRIANGLE I, a $10 million Australian Government project which has assisted around 62,000 migrant workers access legal advice and support over the past five years.

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