Although the 169 million migrant workers of the 281 million international migrants worldwide contribute fully to the economies of their host and home countries, migrant workers are often excluded from social protection coverage. Migrant workers compared to nationals working their entire lives in one country, face major legal and practical obstacles in accessing social protection benefits. They may be denied access or have limited access to social security because of their status or nationality or due to the insufficient duration of their periods of employment and residence. In addition, the maintaining their earned benefits and benefits in the course of acquisition. This is particularly important in the case of long-term benefits (invalidity, old-age and survivor’s) where qualifying periods may be considerable.

This course will focus on the different unilateral, bilateral and regional measures that exist to extend social protection to both migrant workers and refugees and their families, in their countries of destination and origin.

The course is designed for officials and practitioners committed to extending social protection to migrant workers and refugees with multilateral, bilateral and unilateral measures.

More precisely:

• Managers, planners, advisers and professionals working in social security institutions;
• policy-planners and officials from key ministries responsible for migration and/or social protection;
• representatives of the social partners involved in the governance of migration and/or social security institutions and;
• practitioners and consultants of UN agencies.

• Module 1: Rationale for extending social protection to migrant workers and their families
• Module 2: Migrant workers’ right to social security and the international legal framework
• Module 3: Accessing social security through bilateral and multilateral social security agreements
• Module 4: Social protection in the negotiation of bilateral labour agreements (BLA) and Memoradum of Understanding (MoU)
• Module 5: Unilateral measures extending social protection to migrant workers and refugees (in countries of origin and destination)
• Module 6: Extending social protection to specific groups of migrant workers
• Module 7: Extending social protection to refugees and asylum seekers
• Module 8: Gender, social protection and labour migration

** Please note that the e-course described in this page is not free. **