Saodat Olimova Saodat Olimova Analytical underpinnings for effective pre- departure training programs for Tajik migrants: research findings and recommendations.

Saodat OlimovaSaodat Olimova

Analytical underpinnings for effective pre-Analytical underpinnings for effective pre-departure training programs for Tajik migrants: departure training programs for Tajik migrants:

research findings and recommendationsresearch findings and recommendations

Dushanbe, May Dushanbe, May 2222,, 2012 2012

1

Contents

Analytical work on pre-departure training for labor Tajik labor migrants

• Introduction and background• Key findings (field work)• Issues in vocational and pre-departure training• Conclusions and recommendations

2

Introduction and background

Tajik migrants make a huge contribution to the economy of both their homeland and host countries. Recognizing the importance of migration, the Government of Tajikistan is making significant efforts to improve its efficiency, increase benefits and reduce the risks of migration. A leading migration agency – Migration Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan was established pursuant to

the Presidential Decree as of January 21, 2011 .

"National Strategy for migration of Tajik citizens abroad for the period 2010-2015" was developed, which provides for the organization of pre-departure training.

3

Introduction and background

Despite the recognized importance of pre-departure preparation and training of migrant workers, there has been insufficient research focusing on the analysis of the existing policies and pre-departure training programs and on needs assessment of migrant workers in such programs in Tajikistan.

In order to fill the knowledge gaps and identify avenues for future work, analytical work on needs of migrant workers in pre-departure training and life skills was initiated by the World Bank.

4

Introduction and background

Key objectives of the analytical study:

Study of patterns and the profile of labor migration from the Republic of Tajikistan,

how these change in time of crisis and post-crisis recovery; Review of existing migration strategies;

Review of strategies of pre-departure preparation of migrants: a) by individuals; b) programs of the state, public and private organizations;

Analysis of the migrants’ needs in the pre-departure training with an emphasis on life skills, preparation of recommendations.

5

Introduction and background

Methodology : Review of literature (research materials and print press);

Key informant interviews with staff of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, Migration Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, employees of the employment centers and adult training centers, local governments and NGOs;

Survey of migrants (SLM-2012) in 1000 households, Tajikistan, January-February 2012.

6

Key findings

Scale of labor migration in the Republic of Tajikistan is high: 53% of the surveyed households send migrants abroad, of these 69.4% had one member abroad; 22.6% – two members; 7.9% – three or more members (SLM-2012).

Labor migration from Tajikistan is changing: the scale of migration has increased significantly, the proportion of rural residents has increased, educational level of migrants has deteriorated.

Every year 12% - 18% of all migrants going to work abroad do this for the first time. In 2011 there were 13.1% such migrants. This is the group which is most in need of pre-departure training.

7

Key findings Tajik labor migration is mainly directed to the Russian Federation. The most

attractive area for the Tajik migrants in Russia is the Moscow metropolitan area – 62.1% of migrants work there.

Air and rail transport are the main means of transportation of migrant workers. There are two peak departure seasons from Tajikistan: spring and autumn months (September and October).

8

Key findings

Socio-demographic characteristics of migrant workers

A characteristic feature of labor migration from Tajikistan is a higher level of involvement of rural rather than urban population in the migration. According to the 2012-SLM 77.8% of migrants are from rural areas, while 22.2% of migrants are from urban areas.

The Tajik migrants in the host countries mainly work in the cities. Thus, 95% of respondents reported that they worked in a city, and only 5% of respondents worked in the countryside.

9

Key findings

Socio-demographic characteristics of migrant workers

People of younger ages prevail among the migrants. 36% of migrants – are 25 and younger, 32.8% – aged 26-35, 19.1% – aged 36-45, and 12.2% – aged 46 and older.

Only 26.6% of migrants have vocational or higher education. The largest group of migrants has only secondary complete education – 63.1%; 10.1% of migrants have incomplete secondary education.

10

Key findingsWhat to teach?

98% believe that the pre-departure training program must include Russian language; 68% –information about the real conditions and the “rules of the game", i.e. cultural orientation in the host country; and 49% indicated the need for legal literacy training.

The best methods of training / information (in addition to courses)

The best methods of training / information (in addition to courses)Production of printed materials (posters, booklets, brochures, leaflets, books, reference books, etc.) – 41.5% of respondents;

Audio materials – 27,3%

Movies, TV clips, broadcast, TV programs – 25,3%.

Theatrical productions – 6%.

11

Key findingsDistribution of migrant workers by sectors of employment

Returned(N=378)

Abroad(N=306)

Buildersincluding:plasterers painters

66.213.22.1

60.714.24.8

Moving men/loaders 11.9 10.0

Sellers, consultants, demonstrators 7.5 8.0

Transport workers (drivers, workers in car service centers)

4.7 5.0

Cleaners / street cleaners 4.3 5.2

Cooks, waiters 1.9 1.7

Agricultural workers 1.6 0.4

Watchmen 1.4 1.9

Engineers and technicians (foremen, engineers of industrial and civil engineering)

- 1.2

Service workers (hairdressers/barbers, service men, babysitters)

0.8 4.2

Workers of industrial enterprises 0.8 0.6 12

Key findings

Dynamics of the legal status of migrant workers from Tajikistan

Worked legally/illegally

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Legally 41.3 35.9 44.9 47.5 49.8

Illegally 56.3 62.5 53.7 52.0 49.3

Did not work 2.4 1.6 1.4 0.6 1.0

13

Key findings

Degree of proficiency in Russian of the migrants from Tajikistan

How well do you speak Russian? % Excellent 20,8% Good 47,4% Fair 30,4% Poor 1,4% Total 100,0%

14

Key findingsHow do migrants prepare for departure?

%

Collect money for travelling and settling in Russia 77,5

Collect information 52,5

Learn some vocational skills 51,5

Learn Russian language 27,0

Other (prepare documents, apply to recruiting agencies, look for organizations, intermediaries, find contacts in RF, etc.) 51,5

15

Key findingsSources of information about the host country

№ Col.%

1 Migrants 33,8

2 Relatives 30,5

3 Family 17,6

4 TV 8,8

5 Newspapers 3,1

6 Lived there for several years 3,1

7 Radio 2,6

8 Information from private employment agencies

0,3

9 Teahouse 0,2

Total (number of answers): 100,0

16

Key findingsThe need of migrant workers in information and training at home (in the

village / quarter) and abroad

In home country Abroad

Yes, the need is high 31,4% 41,6%

Yes, there is some need 27,4% 32,8%

Yes, probably we need some information 20,9% 16,3%

Yes, some information would not impede 13,4% 6,0%

No, there is no need in such information 6,9% 3,3%

Total 100,0% 100,0%

17

Key findingsPreference in information while being at home

Number of responses

N Percentage

Through TV, radio, press 238 32,6%

Through promoters – activists “peer to peer” 61 8,4%

Through promoters-activists 43 5,9%

Through Jamoats, mahalla, other self governance bodies

112 15,3%

In mosque 67 9,2%

In local district hospital (health centre) 150 20,5%

Through staged plays 23 3,2%

Through NGOs 34 4,7%

Other 2 0,3%

Total 730 100,0%18

Key findingsPreference in information within the period of departure and being abroad

Number of responses

N Percentage

At working place 185 26,3%

In airport, railway station before departure 164 23,3%

In the place of residence (in hostel, site hut) 124 17,6%

In the plane or in the train 114 16,2%

In the Embassy 5 0,7%

In the mosque 22 3,1%

99 Do not know 1 0,1%

Total 703 100,0%

19

Key findingsPreference concerning methods of information

Number of responses

N Percentage

1 Trainings-seminars 140 18,3%

2 Community meetings 145 19,0%

3 Individual conversations 126 16,5%

4 Leaflets and brochures 152 19,9%

5 Mass media 132 17,3%

6 "peer-to peer" through volunteers 28 3,7%

7 Staged play 29 3,8%

8 IA Department 13 1,7%

TOTAL 765 100,0%

20

Key findingsBest time for training

Responses

What do you think, what is the best time for training? N

Percentage

1 In day time during mid of the week 54 16,1

2 In evening time during the week 63 18,8

3 In weekends in day time 169 50,3

4 In weekends in the evenings 43 12,8

5.At any time 6 1,8

6. By circumstances 1 ,3

Total 336 100,0

21

Issues in vocational training of migrants:

Insufficient Budget financing. Government programs are made available on paid basis, and potential migrants are not interested in such courses, which have not proven their effectiveness.

The weakness of training facilities and equipment, which does not allow to carry out training of specialists for a variety of professions in demand in the labor market of the Russian Federation.

Weak human resource capacity of the education system as a result of "brain drain";

22

No systemic surveillance of the labor demand in external markets;

Lack of flexibility of the system of vocational education;

Lack of interagency coordination and cooperation, especially between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (ETF, 2009).

Issues in vocational training of migrants :

23

Lack of a coherent and coordinated national program of pre-departure training. This leads to fragmentation and mismatch between training supply and demand.

Pre-departure training is provided mainly by International organizations and local NGOs. Coordination of efforts among multitude of organizations is a huge challenge.

Unsustainable nature of projects and training programs.

Limited institutional capacity of organizations involved in the pre-departure training.

Issues in pre-departure training of migrants

24

The scale of international labor migration continues to grow. The increase in the number of migrants is only due to high population growth, but also wider involvement of the RT population in the external labor migration.

Migrants form specific strategies before, during and after migration. These strategies are developed under the influence of not only individual experiences of migrants, but also due to social and institutional factors in the sending and receiving countries . On one hand, they allow migrants to adapt to existing realities both in the country of origin, and in the host country, on the other hand they preserve the existing situation, allowing little room for improvement.

Conclusions and recommendations

25

The global financial crisis has had a major impact on labor migrants from Tajikistan. The crisis has led not only to decline in remittances, but also to fluctuations in the number of migrants, return migration in the winter of 2008/2009, change in the age structure and socio-demographic characteristics of migrants. Despite the decline in revenues and an increase in risks and costs of external migration, the crisis in their own country forced a growing number of young people to search work abroad, who often do not

have sufficient education, profession, and life experience.

Low level of vocational education, poor life skills, language incompetence increases the vulnerability of this group of workers (young people) to abuse and exploitation of various kind, leads to failure of the first experience of migration.

Conclusions and recommendations

26

The study found that in time of crisis life skills were critical, which provided migrants with the ability and opportunity to retain the old job or find another job, that is, entrepreneurial spirit, activity, ability to take risks, willingness to retrain.

In Tajikistan there is an informal system of preparation for migration, which is implemented by the migrants and their households. Migrants are fairly well informed about job opportunities abroad, the labor market, the real conditions of work and life, the actual rules that prevail in Russia in relations of the employers with migrant workers, law enforcement agencies with migrants, and the living conditions.

Conclusions and recommendations

27

Migrant have significantly lower level of information about culture, life, attitudes in Russia, and especially the poor knowledge on laws, practices, and in general – about developments in the legal field.

Migrants often lack awareness about the rules of residence, labor relations, institutions and mechanisms to protect the rights of migrants and their families in territories of host countries. All this against a background of low level of claims dramatically increases the vulnerability of migrant workers from Tajikistan.

The efforts of various agents are uncoordinated. There are very few projects that provide a combination of vocational, life skills, and language training.

Since 2011 the program of the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation on pre-departure preparation of migrants has been launched in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Can it cover all migrants who need it?

Conclusions and recommendations

28

Recommendations for the design of pre-departure training programs

When to train? 1. During the pre-migration stage

• Graduating classes of secondary and high school (9 and 11 forms) - in winter

• Institutions of primary and secondary vocational education – at any time • At places of redisence (villages, urban areas) – in winter

2. At the stage of transfer• In areas of concentrated departure (airports, railway stations, bus station)

– 1 hour before departure • In a vehicle (plane, car train, bus interior) – during a trip

29

Who can train? In school (graduating classes): not relying on qualifications of teachers, but rather

on video materials that could be viewed and discussed in a class.

Non-governmental organizations

Use of the traditional institution of mentoring. For example, former migrant workers, confidence in whom, in their first hand experience and mistakes – is higher than in state or commercial educational institutions.

Government agencies, particularly in areas of concentrated departure (airports and / railway stations).

Recommendations for the design of pre-departure training programs

30

Recommendations for the design of pre-departure training programs

How to train? Through the visual series: the method of the medieval theater, DVD, TV serials.

Obligatory components of this training – humor, attracting of well-known actors

In all forms of education interactive educational technology should be widely used , which provide skills, rather than give theoretical knowledge.

Limitation of printed materials: most potential migrant workers are not trained to work with the printed text. Many of them have no functional literacy.

Limitation to crash courses: because of their low level literacy. Therefore, crash courses can be supplementary rather than main tool in the formulation of life skills.

31

Recommendations for the design of pre-departure training programs

What topics to include in training (1)? Education on personal security and material well-being

– During travel: safety during the trip, crossing the border – Upon arrival: where to look for housing, employment and support – During the period of stay: where to find support, informal networks, and other migrant workers,

social work – Preparation for emergency circumstance: where to go and whom to call – Common types of fraud from which should be defended

Education, introducing the culture, traditions and language of the host country – Study of living differences, etc., familiarization with the culture

– Differences in social norms and acceptable behavior in society – Language: basic phrases

Training on the issues of public service

– Getting medical care in an emergency – Getting preventive medical aid– Information about behavior related to reproductive health, HIV / AIDS, etc.

32

Recommendations for the design of pre-departure training programs

What topics to include in training(2)? Legal Literacy Education– Labor laws, the specifics of the procedure, and legal employment in private enterprises, prevailing wage rates,

labor unions, safety– Legislation on Migration, the rules of residence and aliens, residence permits, border crossing, police– Procedures for Legal and Social Protection– Laws on living and accommodation, appropriate procedures– Information on the size of payment for different permits

– How to fill forms of the Russian documents

Financial Literacy Education – For leaving migrants and women who remain at home in the role of the heads of households– Information on banking services, savings accounts, investment opportunities– Entrepreneurial skills, and information about the possibilities of micro-finance– Possibilities of individual and social risks management (private insurance or informal association of social risks in

various communities)

Learning technologies

– How to establish contact in emergency circumstances– How to communicate (telephone, internet)– How to use banking services through electronic / mobile phone

33