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The objective of this study is to provide a long-term perspective for the ongoing policy dialogue on the management of labor migration in Europe and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. It is organized as follows. Chapter one puts the report and migration in the context of the economic and social development in MENA countries. Chapter two provides the historical context of MENA migration patterns and an overview of the presence and skill characteristics of migrants in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries today. This chapter also discusses the potential for insourcing, that is, migration of jobs into the region as an alternative or complement to labor migration. Chapter three analyzes the demand and supply framework for migration, the determinants of migration patterns, and the potential demand for labor in the European Union (EU), and the characteristics and trends of MENA labor supply. Chapter four looks to the worldwide impact of demographic and labor force developments in the decades ahead and their implications on labor and job mobility. The chapter analyzes the likely population and labor force growth in Europe and MENA, the challenges this growth poses, and the scope for demographic arbitrage between the two regions. This chapter provides the basis for the fifth and concluding chapter. Chapter five covers the institutional setup and the various economic and social protection policies and practices worldwide that have a strong and positive bearing on migration flows and presents a conceptual framework on both the labor and job sending and receiving sides that can be used by policy makers to articulate, defend, and implement a collaborative approach to the challenges ahead.

Improving Labor Markets --- International Migration --- Job Creation --- Labor Market --- Labor Markets --- Labor Mobility --- Migration --- Poverty Reduction --- Rural Development --- Rural Labor Markets --- Social Protection and Risk Management --- Social Protections and Labor

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Malaysia's economic growth has slowed down but remains resilient to external headwinds. The economic growth rate slowed from 5 percent in 2015 to 4.2 percent, year on year, in the first three quarters of 2016. Private consumption growth slowed down due to a softening labor market and households' ongoing adjustment to a context of fiscal consolidation. Public investment in infrastructure is offsetting moderation in investment in the oil and gas sector. The gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate is projected to reach 4.2 percent in 2016, with slow improvement moving forward. The fiscal consolidation process remains on track despite lower oil-related revenues. External developments pose the greatest risk to Malaysia's growth trajectory. Uncertainty regarding the impact of potential US fiscal stimulus policies on global trade, energy prices, financial flows and exchange rates is a major source of external risk, as evidenced with the recent financial outflows from emerging markets and its impact on the value of the ringgit. Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has introduced measures to curb ringgit trading in offshore markets while developing and deepening onshore foreign exchange future markets. Continuing good performance on fiscal outcomes, in large part thanks to the introduction of GST, is important in building confidence in the policy framework. This could be supported by further mobilizing and diversifying fiscal revenues, including by broadening the base for the personal income tax and removing some exemptions in the GST. Also, raising efficiency of operational expenditure (i.e. improving the targeting of social assistance) and development expenditures (i.e. greater inter-agency coordination) could provide some additional fiscal space.

Economic Forecasting --- Economic Growth --- Economic Management --- Economic Statistics, Modeling and Forecasting --- Improving Labor Markets --- Macroeconomic Management --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Poverty Reduction --- Productivity --- Risk --- Social Protection and Risk Management

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While the Philippines has achieved remarkable progress in raising the education level of its labor force, the standard proxy for educational attainment, years of formal schooling, is increasingly inadequate as a measure of workforce skills. About one-third of employer's report being unable to fill vacancies due a lack of applicants with the requisite skills. Most of these 'missing skills' are not forms of academic knowledge or technical acumen, but rather socioemotional skills,' also known as a 'non-cognitive skills', 'soft skills' or 'behavioral skills.' Emerging international evidence suggests that socioemotional skills are increasingly crucial to the types of jobs being created by the global economy. Whereas in the past, literacy, numeracy, and various forms of administrative and technical know-how drove gains in worker productivity, structural economic transformation is creating a burgeoning demand for jobs that require skills related to individual behavior, personality, attitude, and mindset. However, governments and educational institutions in many countries, including the Philippines, are only beginning to fully recognize the importance of socio-emotional skills and develop strategies to foster their development. The following study presents new evidence from employer and household surveys on the role of socioemotional skills, as well as more traditional cognitive and technical skills, in the Philippine labor market. The Philippines is still at an early stage in terms of its ability to measure and develop socioemotional skills. Studies suggest that primary school is the optimal age for shaping socioemotional skills, but the elementary education curriculum devotes limited resources to their development. Schools continue to be judged solely by students' performance in cognitive achievement tests, but no on soft-skills competences, and teachers are not appropriately trained to foster the development of them. Developing those should be a priority. Finally, interventions targeting workers entering the labor force can also effectively bolster their socioemotional skills, complementing effects to improve labor-market information and vocational counseling.

Education --- Education For All --- Employment --- Employment and Unemployment --- Human Development --- Improving Labor Markets --- Labor Market --- Labor Markets --- Skills Development and Labor Force Training --- Social Protection and Risk Management --- Social Protections and Labor --- Vocational & Technical Education

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This Jobs Diagnostic presents the characteristics and constraints of the labor market in Bangladesh, identifies the objectives of the jobs agenda, and proposes a policy framework to progress toward them. This multisectoral diagnostic assesses the relationships between supply- and demand-side factors that interact to determine job creation, quality, and inclusion outcomes. Understanding the factors that influence jobs outcomes requires a holistic approach capturing issues such as access to markets, inputs, capital, technology, skills, and matching of supply and demand. Standard labor analysis tends to miss crucial aspects of the demand side of job creation, while growth diagnostics have no direct link to jobs. The Jobs Diagnostic thus intends to provide the comprehensive evidence base to support the development of a national jobs strategy that focuses on policies to foster an environment for more, better, inclusive jobs in Bangladesh.

Demographics --- Economic Growth --- Enterprise Development & Reform --- Improving Labor Markets --- Job Creation --- Labor Market --- Labor Markets --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Poverty Reduction --- Private Sector Development --- Social Protection and Risk Management --- Social Protections and Labor --- Spatial analysis

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This report adds value because its inclusive approach of engaging with a broad-based group of stakeholders at the time of both analysis and engagement has served a means of building support for needed reforms. The goal was to generate ownership among Mindanawons through consultations which were guided by mostly local technical experts. For the analysis, the World Bank partnered with leading universities, think tanks, experts, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Some 90 percent of the extended team came from within Mindanao, and they contributed more than 40 background papers. The study's inclusive approach was to listen intently to government, business, labor, civil society, and vulnerable groups who are often left out in the engagement process, such as indigenous people, Moro women, out-of-school youth, combatants, and internally displaced people. From January 2015 to June 2016, some 1,500 stakeholders were consulted. Finally, 10 eminent individuals with government, business, labor, and civil society experience provided strategic advice to the report team. Finally, building on the dialogue with the Philippine government and stakeholders in Mindanao, this report proposes a strategy for regional development in Mindanao. The three main components are to (1) raise agricultural productivity and improve farm-to-market connectivity; (2) boost human development; and (3) address drivers of conflict and fragility and strengthen institutions in ARMM and conflict-affected areas. The World Bank engagement for Mindanao will be based on this strategy. Policy recommendations are made in four separate categories: (1) increasing agricultural productivity by improving extension and irrigation services, along with price reforms to realize Mindanao's agriculture potential; (2) building up logistics and transport connectivity by improving road networks and the efficiency of shipping services to reduce trade costs; (3) improving the supply of reliable power and the speed, affordability ,and quality of information and communications technology (ICT) services by fostering competition; and (4) supporting private investment by addressing the growing skills gap, the high regulatory burden for businesses, and by improving financial inclusion and the governance of land. A separate section considers economic policy measures to support the resolution of Mindanao's longstanding violent conflicts.

Access to Finance --- Agriculture --- Analysis of Economic Growth --- Business Environment --- Conflict --- Economic Growth --- Economic Management --- Improving Labor Markets --- Infrastructure --- Investment Climate --- Job Creation --- Labor Markets --- Labor Policies --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Poverty Reduction --- Private Investment --- Skills Development and Labor Force Training --- Social Protection and Risk Management --- Social Protections and Labor