Mexico has been implementing programs to evaluate and certify middle skilled workers for migrants with relatively lower levels of formal education but who have acquired significant and complex skills through on-the-job learning. Migrants that fit this profile include, for example, skilled construction workers, experienced garment manufacturers, workers in the high-end service and hospitality industry, and home-health care providers.
The Japanese Economic Partnership Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines established the legal framework to receive Indonesian and Filipino nurses and care workers. Japan has been receiving candidates to become nurses and care workers from these countries for years. The program provides language training and the opportunity to work in Japanese hospitals. Candidates can take the examination to become qualified nurses and care workers and access work in Japan beyond the 3- or 4 year- period foreseen by the program.
Norway has recently launched its new integration strategy 2019-2022 "Integration through knowledge", which places great emphasis on investment in education, qualification and skills.
The aim of the strategy is to increase immigrants’ participation in working life and in society in general, focusing primarily on helping immigrants to access work. The strategy also involves strengthening the effort to prevent segregation and exclusion, instead promoting participation and togetherness.
In Sweden, the law was changed in 2012 so that access to health care is now guaranteed and free for all children under 18, and for all adults in case of emergency, without any requirement to provide documents. Strong rules on confidentiality apply to citizens and non-citizens, both for access to health care and education, creating a robust firewall in the sphere of health, hence patient confidentiality includes undocumented migrants.
Switzerland has firewalls between immigration enforcement and service providers to guarantee access to basic services to all, including undocumented migrants. This right is based on the Swiss Federal Constitution and regulated by the Public Health Insurance Law.
Numerous programs encourage links between schools and communities to foster social inclusion of children and their families. For instance, in the Netherlands for second-generation Turks and Moroccans; in Pakistan for Hazara girls; in Canada among African and Caribbean-born immigrants; and in the US for Latin America and Vietnamese communities.
Programmes promoting effective management of health workers' migration, health system capacity building, and skill/knowledge transfer from the diaspora are underway in Somalia, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Ghana.
In Somalia, IOM’s "Migration for Development in Africa" (MIDA) is an ongoing capacity-building programme, which helps to mobilize competencies acquired by African nationals abroad for the benefit of Africa's development.
The Republic of Moldova gives migrants the option to buy into national insurance schemes. Both migrants and refugees benefit from medical services through the mandatory health insurance system and also benefit from preventive and disease prevention services (e.g. immunization, communication/information, screening, prophylactic treatment for infectious diseases).
Some countries offer health coverage for their citizens who move abroad, e.g. Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
The PhilHealth program for OFWs allows members to avail themselves of PhilHealth benefits even if they are confined in hospitals abroad. At the same time, their qualified dependents in the Philippines may avail themselves of the benefits even if the principal is working overseas.
Thailand has championed migrants’ health protection for years by offering a prepaid, premium-based health insurance scheme. Undocumented migrants can buy the insurance under the condition of registering with the government.
Thailand achieved universal health coverage, through three main insurance schemes: 1) the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for ordinary Thai nationals, 2) the Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme (CSMBS) for Thai civil servants, and 3) the Social Security Scheme (SSS) for workers in the formal private sector.