Somalia's Advances Implementation of New Labour Migration Policy Framework

MOGADISHU, Somalia (ILO News, 26–27 April 2026), the International Labour Organization (ILO) Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme, funded by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), in partnership with Somalia's Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA), organized a national sensitization workshop in Mogadishu. The workshop aimed to strengthen the federal government’s understanding of, and commitment to, Somalia's newly adopted National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP) and Private Employment Agencies (PrEAs) Regulations.

The two-day workshop convened 52 participants, including 40 men and 12 women, from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, relevant federal government institutions, ILO, IOM, trade unions (FESTU), employers’ organizations (SCCI), Private employment agencies, civil society organizations, and academia, including Somali National University. The gathering served as a platform to advance coordinated implementation of these landmark frameworks.

Somalia remains a major country of origin, transit, and destination for mixed migration flows, with an estimated 685,198 Somali refugees residing primarily in Kenya and Ethiopia. Annually, approximately 169,000 Somali migrants in irregular situations are deported back to the country, primarily from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Kenya. In response to these migration challenges, the Government of Somalia ratified key labour migration-related ILO conventions in 2021, Conventions No. 97, No. 143, and No. 181, aimed at strengthening the protection of migrant workers and regulating private employment agencies. Furthermore, building on extensive consultations with tripartite plus partners, the Cabinet formally endorsed the NLMP in July 2025 and the PrEAs Regulation in August 2025. To support implementation and raise awareness, a series of sensitization workshops was conducted between January and March 2026, engaging 139 participants across four states and FESTU leaders and members, strengthening stakeholders' understanding of the new frameworks.

© ILO BRMM

© ILO BRMM

The National Labour Migration Policy and the Private Employment Agencies Regulations have been officially approved and are now ready for implementation. Strong collaboration among government institutions and social partners will be essential to promote fair recruitment and strengthen the protection of migrant workers’ rights.

Prof. Salim Alio Ibro, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs

The two-day workshop featured presentations on the NLMP and PrEAs Regulations, emphasizing their objectives, implementation processes, and the roles of key stakeholders. The frameworks promote safe, regular, and orderly labour migration while safeguarding the rights of migrant workers, particularly for women and persons with disabilities. Through group discussions, the workshop strengthened federal coordination and institutional commitment to labour migration, while jointly developing draft implementation roadmaps that outline the roles and responsibilities of federal institutions and other stakeholders in support of nationwide implementation of the two frameworks aligned with international labour standards.