In 2015, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community (AEC) is set to launch, transforming ASEAN into a region with free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor and capital. The AEC Blueprint highlights the need for increased mobility of persons as ASEAN becomes more interconnected with a greater exchange of skilled labor. ASEAN member states have agreed to create a standardized system to measure professional education and experiences obtained in eight priority sectors – architectural services, surveying, medicine, nursing, dental services, engineering, accounting and tourism. Developing and implementing national qualification frameworks would allow workers in these sectors to transfer jobs within the ASEAN countries.

USAID and the International Organization for Migration support ASEAN’s senior labor officials to address the varied and limited levels of workers’ ability, preparedness and industry coordination that exist among ASEAN member states. Challenges remain in coordinating, collecting and distributing labor market information. Project activities are expected to increase availability and accessibility of labor market information to governments, employers and workers. This information enables workers to meet labor demand and provide economic opportunity for ASEAN citizens in the regional labor market. An integrated market also supports companies operating in the region by narrowing the gap among skilled workers and by providing a harmonized method of comparing skills and qualifications. All of these factors promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth.