International Migration Papers No. 113

Decent work, youth employment and migration in Asia

In this paper on *Decent work, youth employment and migration in Asia*, Dr. Piyasiri Wickramasekara (former Senior Migration specialist of the ILO) discusses migration trends and issues concerning young people in Asia - a region hosting more than 60 per cent of world’s youth population and one third of the global number of young migrants. He first outlines some methodological issues in understanding the nexus between decent work, internal and international migration, and causes of youth migration pressures. Drawing on a variety of data sources, he highlights the profile of young Asian migrant workers, their working conditions and protection issues in major destination countries. The study finds that both adult and young female and male migrant workers face exploitation and poor working conditions in destination countries. The paper points out that there are few programmes or policies in origin or destination countries that directly address the specific issues faced by youth migrants. It provides some suggestions on designing or improving effective policies and strategies to meet the youth employment and migration challenges and serve to promote decent work for migrant youth and their families.in the Asia-Pacific region.