Uruguay promotes migrant labor rights and Skills Passport

Uruguayan Minister of Labor and Social Security, Juan Castillo, advocated for equal labor rights between migrant workers and nationals during a conference on migration, employment, and development in Montevideo. The event was organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Castillo endorsed the ILO’s ‘Skills Passport’ as a vital mechanism to certify the experience and competencies of migrants, facilitating their formal integration into the labor market and mobility between countries. He noted that 15 countries recently signed a common protocol in Colombia to advance the implementation of this tool.

José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of ECLAC, highlighted that Uruguay’s accelerating population aging makes the incorporation of young migrant labor essential for maintaining economic dynamism and the sustainability of social protection systems.