CAPACITY BUILDING, INFORMATION AND AWARENESS RAISING TOWARDS PROMOTING ORDERLY MIGRATION IN THE WEST

CAPACITY BUILDING, INFORMATION AND AWARENESS RAISING TOWARDS PROMOTING ORDERLY MIGRATION IN THE WESTERN BALKANS PROJECT NEWSLETTER N o .4 • National Training on Labour Migra‐ tion Policy and Practice in Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

• Migrant Service Centres Reach Out to Students and Other Potential Users

• Selected Statistics on the Users of MSCs (March — May 2009) • Statistics of the Project Website • National Training on Labour Migra‐ tion Policy and Practice Training Calendar

J UL Y 2 009

National Training on Labour Migration Policy and Practice in Croatia and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Two of the planned seven national‐level training courses on labour migration policy and practice, organized by IOM in coopera‐ tion with ILO, have been carried out in Croa‐ tia in May 2009 and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in June 2009.

The course curriculum targets policy makers from Ministries of Labour, Interior, Foreign Affairs, social partners such as trade unions and employers’ organizations, as well as non‐governmental organizations active in the migration field. It is based on the OSCE‐ IOM‐ILO Handbook on Establishing Effective Labour Migration Policies in Countries of Origin and Destination and constitutes an integral part of the project “Capacity Build‐ ing, Information and Awareness Raising to‐ wards Promoting Orderly Migration in the Western Balkans”.

The national training events are a follow‐up to the Regional Workshop on Establishing Labour Migration Policies in Countries of Origin and Destination and International Collaboration in the Western Balkans held in Tirana, Albania on 9‐10 February 2009.

Further training events are planned to fol‐ low in Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia & Herze‐

Opening session in Skopje

govina, Kosovo under UNSCR 1244 and Al‐ bania.

The training sessions are delivered by IOM and ILO senior migration specialists. Addi‐ tional modules were provided by local and international experts, including the German Federal Employment Service, University of Zagreb, Croatian Employment Service, Croa‐ tian Ministry of Interior, the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocu‐ mented Migrants (PICUM) and the Macedo‐ nian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.

The events were inaugurated by govern‐ ment representatives from the ministries of interior and labour and national employ‐ ment services, as well as IOM and ILO. ■

Participants in the Zagreb training

Project Newsletter No. 4

Migrant Service Centres Reach Out to Students and Other Potential Users

Since March 2009, IOM missions and project partner national employment services in participating countries have intensified the information and outreach campaign to inform possible users about services offered by the Migrant Service Centres network and in many cases, to reach those persons, who would otherwise be unable to access the MSCs.

In Kosovo, several presentations were organized for students (Prizren, Peja universities), where issues of applications for scholarships abroad, student seasonal work and student visas were discussed. Intensive campaign among students was also carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where presentations were held at the Mostar and Banja Luka Universities.

Website links were set up on the portal of the Student Parliament at Banja Luka University, Laktasi municipality (aimed at local youth) and a student association from Tuzla. In Albania, information sessions were held for students of Tirana University/ Political Science Faculty and Luigj Gurakurqi University in Shkodra.

Students at the University of Banja Luka, BiH

In Serbia, IOM staff together with the National Employment Service (NES) promoted the MSC at the “Career Days” job fairs in Belgrade and Nis as well as the music festival EXIT. MSC services were also promoted at job fairs in Croatia, Kosovo, and Montenegro.

In Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Migrant Service Centres have received coverage in a number of important daily newspapers: Shqip and Panorama in Albania and Nezavisne Novine, Fokus and Blic in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In all project locations, an intensive media campaign takes place with newspaper advertising, video and radio jingles and TV and radio interviews given by IOM and MSC staff. ■

Presentation for students of the Prizren University in Kosovo

In Montenegro, experiences of the MSC Podgorica were shared with the audience of an event organized by the American Corner on Challenges of Regular Migration as well as during numerous TV talk shows.

Sharing experience of MSC in Podgorica, Montenegro

Capacity Building, Information and Awareness Raising Towards

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Promoting Orderly Migration In the Western Balkans

Project Newsletter No. 4

Selected Statistics on the Users of MSCs (March – May 2009 ) The total number of clients visiting the Mi‐ grant Service Centres during the fourth quar‐ ter of their operation (March – May 2009) was 1591, with the total number of visits totalling 1609. The majority of the clients were nationals, with significant proportion of queries coming from immigrants to these countries (16.5%, 12% increase from last period).

The highest number of visitors was registered in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania and Serbia.

62% of clients were men, on average in their early and

middle

twenties.

The

majority

of

clients came from urban areas (94%).

Unemployed constituted a large proportion of MSC clients (62%). A multitude of employment sectors was represented such as accounting and finance, health‐ care and construction. 24% of the visitors had previ‐ ous experiences of migration, which is slightly less in comparison with the he previous reporting period (Dec 2008 – Feb 2009).

Of those with the previous migration experience, the majority were labour migrants (49%).

Majority of the clients were interested in labour migration, declaring Canada, Aus‐ tralia and EU in general as their preferred destinations.

The total of 264 immigrants approached MSCs during the reporting period. Immi‐ grant visitors were registered in Albania, Montenegro and Croatia. Majority of im‐ migrant visitors were work permit holders (85%) and refugees (4%). 34% had higher education, 44% collage‐level education degree and 21 % secondary education. ■

For the full statistical report, go to: www.migrantservicecentres.org

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Statistics of the Project Website Since the project's beginning, the project's website www.migrantservicecentres.org has attracted many visitors, with recent months showing a substantial increase in the number of visits. Below you will find some statistics:

9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 Apr- May- Jun08 08 08

Jul08

Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- Apr- May- Jun08 08 08 08 08 09 09 09 09 09 09 Unique Visitors

Number of visits

National Training on Labour Migration Policy and Practice Training Calendar Croatia

25‐29 May 2009

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

22‐26 June 2009

Montenegro

28 Sept– 2 Oct 2009

Serbia

19‐23 October 2009

Bosnia & Herzegovina

26‐30 October 2009

Kosovo (under UNSCR No 1244)

2‐6 November 2009

Albania

9‐13 November 2009

For further information on the project, please visit the website: www.migrantservicecentres.org.