Call to monitor foreign workers

 By BEATRICE BONAKOYA

THE country needs an organised labour market, two reports on migration and development launched in Port Moresby yesterday say.

The African, Caribbean and Pacific is assisting the Government set up a technical sub-working committee to analyse, manage and share data relating to migration issues.

Andrew N’Drewei, the chairman of the working group on migration and development under the Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority, said the committee would monitor the movement of foreigners in the country.

The committee will comprise analysts and statisticians to develop a comprehensive migration data management strategy in PNG.

The reports said employment had increased through economic expansion, which meant a shortage of locals with necessary qualifications, thus making PNG “a magnet for foreign labour”. 

The two reports showed that PNG did not have an organised labour market. 

This affected national employment because the private sector gave preference to foreign labour, which came mostly from Asia.

The study recommended that strict measures must be taken to monitor foreigners coming into the country to work and for how long. 

Researchers Luis Sena Esteves, Mariana Cifuentes and Rosa Sai’i Au, who conducted the studies, recommended more rural skills training and employment, support for return of Papua New Guineans working overseas and streamlining of processes to overcome nativism.

“The outcome of this process should lead to effective policies that can maximise the positive impacts of migration for development,” N’drewei said.