ILO, Australia, and Switzerland launch ASEAN migrant worker programme

The International Labour Organization (ILO), supported by the governments of Australia and Switzerland, has launched a five-year programme titled ‘TRIANGLE Partnerships for Fair and Effective Labour Migration in ASEAN’. The initiative aims to strengthen protections, skills development, and employment opportunities for migrant workers across the ASEAN region.

Launched on 14 October 2026 in Manila during the 19th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour, the programme is funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). It seeks to improve access to safe migration pathways, decent work, social protection, and support services at regional, national, and local levels.

With approximately 24 million international migrants originating from ASEAN countries and 11 million migrants residing in the region, the programme addresses critical challenges such as high recruitment costs, hazardous working conditions, and barriers to skill recognition. These issues often increase vulnerability to exploitation and trafficking, including forced criminality related to scam centre operations.