As part of their commitment to promoting labor mobility, many countries have entered into national mobility agreements (NMAs) with one another. These agreements allow for the free movement of workers between the signatory countries, ensuring that employers can access the talent they need and workers can take advantage of job opportunities both within and outside their home countries.
However, not all countries are signatories to NMAs, and the list of signatories can change over time. For this reason, it`s important to stay up-to-date on the current state of mobility agreements and which countries are part of them.
As of 2021, some of the major NMAs include the European Union`s freedom of movement agreement, which allows citizens of EU member states to live and work anywhere within the EU; the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which allows for the movement of certain workers between the United States, Canada, and Mexico; and the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER Plus), which facilitates labor mobility between Pacific Island countries and Australia and New Zealand.
Other examples of NMAs include the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services, which pushes for greater labor mobility within Southeast Asia, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) agreement, which allows for the free movement of labor across the continent.
However, it`s worth noting that signing an NMA doesn`t necessarily mean that workers can move between countries without any restrictions. In many cases, there are still certain criteria that must be met in order for workers to be eligible to move, such as having a specific skillset or qualifying for a certain type of visa.
Additionally, not all countries have the same level of interest in promoting labor mobility, so some potential signatories may be hesitant to enter into NMAs. Political factors, such as concern about job security or fear of losing highly skilled workers to other countries, can also influence a government`s decision to sign such agreements.
Despite these challenges, NMAs remain an important tool for promoting labor mobility and creating a more interconnected global workforce. By staying informed about which countries have signed such agreements and what the terms of those agreements are, employers and workers alike can take advantage of the opportunities created by these frameworks.