Online Discussion on Access and Portability of Social Protection for Migrants

People who cross borders for purposes of work face multiple disadvantages because of lack of information about the conditions in the countries they go to, inability to work in a language they understand, discrimination and social exclusion, limitations on their rights to mobility as a condition for their admission, being in occupations not covered by labour laws of the host country, and exclusion from key elements of social protection such as membership in social security.

Of particular interest is the question of “portability” of entitlement to social security since most Asian migrants are on short-term contracts and temporary work visas. The conditions of their admission as guest workers in foreign countries seldom, give them the opportunity to earn entitlement to a wider range of social protection.