The role of social partners in skills development, recognition and matching for migrant workers: A contribution to the Global Skills Partnership

This ILO workshop paper examines how employers’ and workers’ organisations shape skills development, skills recognition and job matching for migrant workers at national, regional and global levels. Drawing on examples from Tunisia, Bangladesh, Nepal, the ASEAN region, Europe and Africa, the paper shows how social partners contribute to labour-migration governance, sector skills bodies, National Qualifications Frameworks, recognition of prior learning, bilateral labour migration agreements (BLMAs) and mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) (pages 5–22). Boxes 1–8 illustrate good practices, including gender-sensitive BLMA design, worker training initiatives in construction and care work, tripartite skills funds, and sector skills councils. The paper highlights challenges such as limited policy coherence, weak social dialogue in BLMA negotiations, under-resourced NQFs, and inadequate financing for recognition processes. It concludes with recommendations for strengthening tripartite engagement through the Global Skills Partnership.