Republic of Moldova

Moldova has entered into visa-free agreements with the EU countries, Turkey, the Western Balkan states and a few Latin American countries. Learning from the experience of Australia, Moldova launched in August 2014 the e-visa system that gives access to citizens of other countries to travel easily to Moldova. 

The project goal is to help reduce the vulnerability of migrants' children to different social risks by raising the public awareness and developing the capacities of children, parents and professionals to respond appropriately to the consequences of migration. The OSCE and the Child Rights Information Centre (CRIC) have been working with governments and with local authorities to promote to support the so-called "social orphans" in Moldova, which put the children left behind under the guardianship of the State in public institutions. 

The National Bureau of Statistics in Moldova is gathering information about Migration in three national surveys:

• Labour Force Migration (2012, 2013),
• Labour Force Survey (quarterly) and
• Research on Household Budget (quarterly).

Every Survey focuses on different aspects of Migration (labour, remittances use, etc...), contributing important data to the IOM Extended Migration Profile (EMP) Report of the Republic of Moldova released in 2012.

For having an empirical approach, data-bases and studies are needed. Moldova, in cooperation with International Organizations, has developed and isstill working on important studies that would provide realistic data on migration:

• - Extended migration profile (OIM, 2010) is to be renewed;
• - Cartography of Moldovan Diaspora (OIM, ENPI, UE 2012, 2013);
• - Migration Profile in Moldova (NEXUS, 2012, 2013);
• - Children Left behind are quantitative benchmarks that allow institutions to build need-based and high impact policies. 

The Disposition of the Prime-Minister on the implementation of the-whole-of-Government approach on Migration and Diaspora wsa signed on 07.06.2013. According to the document in all national authorities (30 state institutions) there is a focal point responsible for implementation, and a key person responsible for promotion of the Diaspora Policies. The novelty of the Moldovan Mainstreaming is based on two key items – empiric-based approach to policy design and policy coherence issue.

The purpose of the project on Mainstreaming migration into national development strategies is to enable the governments involved and their United Nations Country Team partners to develop a context-specific, evidence-based, participatory, and holistic approach to migration and development at the national level, based on guidance provided by the GMG Handbook on Mainstreaming Migration into Development Planning that was endorsed by governments at the 2010 GFMD in Mexico.

In projects’ context and with international partners support, some major changes took place:

The Swedish Public Employment Service leads a 3-year project 2012-2014 aiming to strengthening the capacity of Moldovan authorities to manage return migration and supporting social and economic reintegration of returning Moldovan citizens, informing the Moldovan population on the possibilities of working and living legally in the EU and enhancing the capacity of Moldovan Diaspora Associations to better maximize the links between migration and labour market development in destination countries and in Moldova.

The Economic Excellence Community is a group of well-known economic professionals, consultants and experts from diaspora and from Republic of Moldova. Among the members of the group is an economist working at IMF, professor from the Business School of Rotterdam, Erasmus University, director of an economic think tank, financial analysts. The aim of the group is to create connections, exchange ideas and opinions, share best practices and experiences, participate in joint programmes and projects, contribute to the development of Goverment’s strategic documents and policy papers.

Moldova has recently established a Bureau for Diaspora Relations, aiming to coordinate the implementation of state policy in relations with the diaspora, contributing, in this way, to the preservation and promotion of the ethnic, cultural and linguistic identity of Moldovans abroad, as well as turning to good account the human and material potential of diaspora.

The Joint Information and Services Bureaus (JISBs) has been introduced in rural areas of Moldova to offer women, as well as potential or returned migrants, better access to quality information and services. The JISBs operates like a “one-stop-shop” for any information or service that women and migrants may need.