Karachi, In a significant effort to empower aspiring migrant workers and enhance their employability, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development (MOP&HRD), distributed 150 National Skills Passports in Karachi.
According to Employers’ Federation of Pakistan, announced that this initiative, part of a pilot project supported by the Joint UN Programme “Governance of Labour Migration in South and Southeast Asia” (GOALS) and funded by the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), involved a thorough assessment of skills in trades such as plumbing, electrician, and cooking. The award ceremony was attended by about 300 senior representatives from various sectors, including government, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and the Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoters Association (POEPA), with Mohammad Younus Dagha, Minister for Revenue, Industries and Commerce, Government of Sindh, as the chief guest.
Minister Mohammad Younus Dagha highlighted the credibility of the National Skills Passport (NSP) initiative, emphasizing its potential to improve the employability of migrant workers both domestically and internationally. He advocated for the expansion of the NSP to other provinces in Pakistan.
Chihoko Asada-Miyakawa, Assistant Director General and Regional Director for ILO Asia and Pacific, stressed the role of the Skills Passport in promoting fairer and safer labour migration. She noted that it facilitates transparency in skills recognition, encourages upskilling, and supports sustainable reintegration of migrant workers. She urged the Government of Pakistan to implement the National Skills Passport widely across the country.
Malik Tahir Javaid, President of the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan, congratulated the recipients of the National Skills Passport for their achievements and acknowledged the Steering Committee NSP’s guidance in implementing the pilot in Sindh. This initiative marks a vital step towards equipping migrant workers with the necessary skills and certifications for better job opportunities in the global labor market.