ThaiNGO

TERMS OF REFERENCE 

Hiring Office:

IOM Thailand

Purpose of consultancy:

Develop the Labour Market and Migration Information component of IOM Thailand’s regional project, ‘Strengthening Capacity on Skills Recognition, Recruitment and Labour Migration Information in Support of ASEAN Integration’ (‘the project’).

Scope of work:

Background

Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. With 166 member states, a further 8 states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.

The project aims to enhance dialogue and coordination among ASEAN Member States (AMS), and support the strengthening of capacity, frameworks and mechanisms to facilitate the increased mobility of labour in ASEAN. The project has three main objectives:                           1) improving availability and sharing of information on labour migration and labour markets across ASEAN; 2) enhancing the recruitment and employment services and information available to migrants with regard to intra-regional migration in ASEAN; and 3) facilitating the referencing, quality assurance and mutual recognition of workers’ skills and qualifications.

With regard to (1), through a series of consultative workshops, the project will support the development of a pilot regional ASEAN Labour Migration Web Portal, which it is envisaged will contain information about labour market conditions, labour migration policies and rights frameworks across AMS, national legislation and admission requirements, skills recognition systems, learning and training opportunities, visa/work permit and licensing regulations, as well as general information about living and working in each ASEAN Member State and associated rights.

Objectives of the Assignment

To support the development of a responsive, accessible, effective and updated ASEAN Labour Migration Web Portal, the labour consultant will facilitate a series of activities to increase resources and capacity to manage and share labour market and labour migration information through the ASEAN Labour Migration Web Portal.

These activities will include the following:

• A capacity building workshop series (three workshops) will be implemented for relevant officials responsible for management of labour market information to enhance capacity to collect and manage labour market and migration information in a harmonized manner and store and maintain this information through national systems. The consultant will be responsible for development of the curriculum and training materials, based loosely on topics outlined in the project document                    (as described in more detail below);
• Through the capacity building workshops, a template and plan of action for a concrete information sharing mechanism on labour markets and migration in ASEAN (envisaged to be a web portal) will be developed in conjunction with the responsible officials from ASEAN Member States;
• The action plan will support the development of a pilot regional ASEAN Labour Migration Web Portal, which it is thought will contain information about labour market conditions, labour migration policies and rights frameworks across AMS, national legislation and admission requirements, skills recognition systems, learning and training opportunities, visa/work permit and licensing regulations, as well as general information about living and working in each ASEAN Member State and associated rights. The Labour Migration Web Portal will complement the International Labour Migration Statistics Database developed by ILO, in addition to the Repository Matrix of Legislations and Policies on Migrant Workers of ASEAN Member States, by providing a user-friendly, practical online source of consolidated information on the free flow of skilled labour under the ASEAN Community.
• The plan of action will then be presented and discussed through a consultation meeting to a broader range of stakeholders in ASEAN for their input and feedback, (including workers, employers, recruitment agencies, professional regulators, etc.). This workshop will also provide a platform to further develop and refine the structure and parameters of a pilot web portal, envisaged to be fully developed and implemented following this project.

Duration and working schedule:

IOM requests that all interested candidates to submit a proposed detailed workplan, and detailed cost for this consultancy, indicating the estimated level of effort required for the activities.

Deliverables and delivery dates

As per table below.

Additional Information

           1.) Labour market information and migration information workshop series.

It is currently envisaged that the three workshops will loosely cover the following topics:

·        Enhancing the quality and timeliness of data on labour market demands to inform the development and responsiveness of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), to support a more integrated common labour market

·        Understanding and predicting labour shortages

·        Synthesizing, compiling, managing and disseminating labour market and migration information

·        Key data collection standards, templates, and methodologies

·        Best practices in labour market and migration information management, including potential models for replication in ASEAN

·        Enhancing cross-sectoral coordination in information management including using labour market information to inform educational strategies, including focus areas/sectors for the cross-border recognition of skills and competences (Outcome 3 of this project)

·        Understanding the impact of migrant workers on national economies with the broader aim of promoting increased awareness of gaps in the labour market and the need for foreign workers, the benefits of intra-regional migration, as well as the specific needs of migrant workers

·        Linking migration policies, labour markets, and national development plans/strategies

·        Utilizing the available data in developing evidence-based migration policies to harness the positive benefits of migration for sending and receiving countries.

           2.) Template and Action Plan

It is currently envisaged that action plan and template will involve the following elements:

·        Links together the national LMIS from ASEAN Member States (where they exist);

·        Links to other sources of information on migration in ASEAN, including Migrant Resource Centers (MRCs) and other similar mechanisms and other existing databases such as those of ILO and other international organizations;

·        Provides information on labour market situations and potential job opportunities across ASEAN;

·        Provides information on the policy frameworks and associated rights for foreign workers in each AMS;

·        Provides information on admission requirements and national legislation of each AMS related to the employment of foreign workers;

·        Provides information on skills recognition systems and procedures, including the guidelines (or an edited version of the guidelines) on skills recognition and quality assurance developed under Component 3 of this project;

·        Provides general information on living and working in each AMS;

·        Provides information on training and learning opportunities for migrant workers;

·        Provides the opportunity for employers to advertise job vacancies and job-seekers to apply.

Place where services are to be delivered:

Tasks 1, 2 and 4 can be done remotely; Tasks 3 and 5 will take place in Bangkok, Thailand

Performance measurement:

The performance of the consultant will be evaluated based on the following indicators:

•   Completion of tasks specified in ToRs;

•   Compliance with the established deadlines for submission of deliverables;

•   Quality of work including clear and concise written deliverables in English of a professional quality, and comprehensiveness and relevance of the contents;

•   Quality of trainings led;

•   Demonstration of high standards of work with IOM and counterparts.

Supervisory arrangements:

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Project Officer, and the overall supervision of the Project Manager based in the IOM Thailand Office.

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

Competencies

·        Previous experience in curriculum development;

·        High-level knowledge of labour market and migration information systems and existing policies in the Asia-Pacific region;

·        Excellent skills in facilitation of workshops, trainings, round table and multi-stakeholder consultations;

·        Excellent skills in participatory methodologies and working with diverse stakeholders;

·        Ability to work under pressure and adhere to agreed timelines.

Education

·        Advanced degree in social sciences, public administration or related fields, preferably in public/social policy.

Experience

·        At least 5 years of experience working on and developing migration management tools and policies, including in middle income countries particularly in the Asia region;

·        Professional experience working in labour migration, including developing and delivering related training curricula; and labour markets;

·        Proven experience in working in international development and knowledge of Asian migratory and socio-economic contexts will be an asset;

·        Experience working in complex, multi-stakeholder environments;

·        Demonstrated leadership qualities, facilitation, team working and organizational skills, including ability to coach, supervise and guide teams and achieve anticipated results;

·        Experience in working with IOM or other UN Agencies as well as host country governments will be an asset.

Language

Fluency in English (reading, writing, speaking) is essential.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

·        Payment schedule: 20% upon completion of tasks 1 and 2, 50% upon completion of task 3, and 30% upon completion of tasks 4-7 (subject to confirmation of satisfactory completion of all tasks).

·        It is expected that approximately 23 days is required to complete all listed tasks.

·        IOM will cover the cost of return transport to attend the workshops and consultation meeting and provide DSA at established UN rates.

Contract Duration

April 2018 – February 2019 (intermittent – estimated 23 days)

Terms of Payment

Proposal submitted by consultant to quote estimated fee for work in USD Dollar per day.

Closing Date

March 28, 2018

Reference Code

CFCV030/2018