Care work and labour migration in ASEAN

This report was prepared to inform and guide discussions on the theme “Care work and labour migration in ASEAN” at the 17th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour (AFML) hosted by the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on 13–14 November 2024 in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

Care worker migration and increasing global demand for care present an opportunity and a risk for the ASEAN region. This paper discusses how care needs can be met through labour migration and reviews tools and challenges in facilitating labour mobility to meet care needs at different skill levels. It also recommends measures to protect and promote the rights of migrant care workers.

The AFML is a tripartite meeting that brings together governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, alongside civil society groups, to discuss migration governance issues across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, and aims to promote and protect migrant workers’ rights. The AFML is supported by the ILO through its TRIANGLE in ASEAN programme.