Memorandum signed between the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs and the IOM

A Memorandum of Understanding was concluded between the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia and International Organization for Migration aimed at effective regulation and management of labour migration processes. The MoU was signed by Tamila Barkalaia, the Deputy Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, and Iliana Derilova, the Head of IOM Mission to Georgia.

Parallel to Poland, negotiations are underway with three other EU Member States on implementing circular migration schemes. Successful negotiations will result in putting irregular labour migration into the legal framework; accordingly, the risks associated with illegal employment abroad will be minimized. Labour and social rights of legal labour migrants will be better protected; economic ties between Georgia and receiving countries will be facilitated, and a wide range of demographic, social and psychological problems associated with long-term irregular emigration will be elevated. Upon return, the labour migrants will be in the position to use professional knowledge and organizational skills acquired abroad effectively for getting better income that in turn will contribute to local business environment and foster economic advancement of the country. Commencing bilateral relations in the field of temporary labour migration with EU States will serve as a guarantee for maintaining visa free travel and reduce the probability of enforcing “suspension mechanism”.

Cooperation between the IOM and the Ministry of Georgia of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia takes place in the framework of the EU funded project – “Sustaining Border Management and Migration Governance in Georgia (SCMMG)”. The cooperation aims at building capacity of the Ministry for leading successful cooperation with EU States in the field of temporary labour migration, and fostering legal employment of Georgian migrant workers in recipient countries.