The National Assembly has approved the Sessional Paper No. 5 of 2023 on the National Policy on Labour Migration.

The main objective of the National Policy on Labour Migration is to promote inclusive and sustainable development of the country through safe, orderly and productive labour migration.

The specific objectives of the Policy include:

1. 𝘛𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘢;

2. 𝘛𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯;

3. 𝘛𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵;

4. 𝘛𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴;

5. 𝘛𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

6. 𝘛𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵;

7. 𝘛𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴.

The Committee on Labour in its Report on the Sessional Paper, pointed out that labour migration can spur social and economic growth in the country. It provides employment opportunities to migrant workers, promotes the transfer of technology, and enhances foreign exchange earnings through diaspora remittances.

The Committee on its Report further noted that Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLAs) are labour migration governance tools that help to promote and protect the rights of Migrant workers.

In addition, international frameworks and protocols on labour migration regulate migration through combating human trafficking and protecting migrant workers' rights, including fair recruitment, decent working conditions, and access to social services. They also facilitate cooperation between countries and promote fair recruitment practices by organizations and governments.

Members of Parliament while speaking in the House noted the need for negotiation and signing of Bilateral Labour Agreements with key labour destination countries which have ratified and domesticated conventions and protocols on Labour Migration.