THE SALVADORAN EXPERIENCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL

LABOR MARKET

April 2009

In our country, like in many others, migration is a cross-cutting process affecting all aspects of the social, economic, and political reality of society.

This is reflected in the health services and education required by migrant workers in each nation, which cannot, and should not, be denied.

Migrant workers become vectors of development, improve productivity, and pay taxes in the country of destination and in addition, stimulate the economy through remittances in their country of origin.

Groups of highly qualified workers exist who help improve the qualification level of local labor through their work.

MIGRATION: A CROSS-CUTTING THEME

EL SALVADOR: COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AND DESTINATION FOR

MIGRANT WORKERS

Nationals from other Countries Hondurans

Nicaraguans

North America

Asia

Europe

Other Destinations

SALVADORAN PROGRAM FOR TEMPORARY WORKERS

ABROAD (PROSALTEX)

WHO ARE WE?

We are an institution that is responsible for developing the component of foreign policy to integrate Salvadorans worldwide with El Salvador, protect their rights, potentiate their opportunities, strengthen their links, safeguard their interests, promote their projects, and strengthen national identity, with awareness and a social focus.

VICE-MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS FOR SALVADORANS LIVING ABROAD

Human rights and legal assistance

Migratory stability and family reunification

Remittances and local development

Social assistance and humanitarian aid

Economic integration

Consular services

Links with communities

abroad and citizen participation

National identity

STRATEGIC THEMES

SALVADORAN PROGRAM

FOR TEMPORARY WORKERS ABROAD

OBJECTIVE OF PROSALTEX

Recognizing the global reality in labor markets, PROSALTEX searches for orderly, safe, and favorable alternatives for Salvadorans to work abroad, thus leading to an improvement of the qualifications of workers in the country and an increased investment in communities of origin.

PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS

Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare: Pre-selects workers, together with IOM, and is in charge of visa procedures.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Supports the entire process: Embassies, General Consulates, and Consulates of El Salvador ensure the wellbeing of temporary workers in their respective jurisdiction and Mobile Consulates are sent to employment locations, when appropriate.

International Organization for Migration (IOM): Has joined the process, with the aim of achieving more transparency, and collaborates in each process.

OTHER SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONSINSAFORP and ITCA (training), several universities (psychological tests), National Civil Police – PNC (police clearances), General Directorate of Migration and Immigration – DGMyE (passports), Ministry of Security and Justice (criminal records), Mayors’ Offices (civil registration), etc.

961 Salvadoran workers have been hired in Canada and Spain.

CANADA

In 2001, staff from our Embassy in Canada carried out advocacy actions and visited fairs to gather information about employment opportunities.

In early 2002, a first offer from a meat products company was received and the first group of 44 workers was hired to work in Manitoba.

A second group was hired to work in Alberta in 2004.

A third group was hired to work in Manitoba in 2004.

Since 2007, Salvadoran workers have been hired to work in hotels, restaurants, on dairy farms, and in chemical products enterprises.

SPAIN

In 2006, staff from our Embassy in Spain initiated advocacy actions with the Spanish Government regarding employment opportunities for Salvadorans.

Five Salvadorans were hired to work in the fireworks industry in 2007.

14 auxiliary clinical staff were hired in 2008.

MILESTONES OF PROSALTEX

AREAS ADDRESSEDBY PROSALTEX

TOTAL NUMBERS OF WORKERS: • CANADA 942• SPAIN 19• TOTAL 961

CAPACITY BUILDING

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have signed an Agreement.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare has established a Unit for Temporary Work Abroad (UTTE).

The Directorate for Community Affairs (DACom) of the Vice-Ministry has been appointed to follow up on this matter.

IOM has designated a Head of Permanent Mission and has hired additional staff for the IOM office in San Salvador.

THE PROCESS OF PROSALTEX

1. Labor Intelligence: Searching for opportunities and employment offers through coordinated efforts of diplomatic and consular representatives from El Salvador and central government institutions.

2. Labor Mediation: A process of recruiting, pre-selection, selection, and hiring based on an established profile provided by the enterprise that is interested in hiring Salvadoran labor.

3. Labor Integration: Process where workers begin to work in the hiring enterprise. Assistance and services by Mobile Consulates are provided to meet the needs of workers in their new country of residence.

THE PROCESS OF PROSALTEX

THE PROCESS OF PROSALTEX

THE PROCESS OF PROSALTEX

SERVICES FOR MIGRANT WORKERS IN EL SALVADOR

WHAT DO WE DO?

Facilitate the entry of temporary workers from Central American countries through the issuance of special work permits to harvest coffee, sugar cane, and cotton.

Facilitate the issuance of work permits for temporary or permanent employment of nationals from all countries in an expedited and transparent manner, as much as possible.

Ensure compliance with labor and migration legislation.

SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE SALVADORAN GOVERNMENT FOR MIGRANT

WORKERS

Since the entry into force of the Double Currency Law in 2001, El Salvador has become a country of destination for Central American temporary migrant workers.

The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare signed a Cooperation Agreement in 2002, with the aim of improving and providing efficient services to all foreigners applying for a residence and work permit in El Salvador.

This is put into practice at the customer service windows of the General Directorate of Migration and Immigration (now attached to the Ministry of Security and Justice), together with the Unit of Migrant Workers of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MINTRAB).

Through implementation of the above mentioned Agreement the time required by MINTRAB to issue authorizations has been reduced to a maximum of 60 working days.

RELEVANT MILESTONES

Labor Code, Articles 2 and 7-10.

Migration Legislation

International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, Articles I & II.

LEGAL BASIS

MIGRANT WORKERS FROM COUNTRIES OTHER

THAN CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES

MIGRANT WORKERS FROM COUNTRIES OTHER THAN

CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES

TEMPORARY (SEASONAL) WORKERS

CONCLUSIONS

1. The Salvadoran Program for Temporary Workers Abroad has become a viable and appropriate alternative to irregular migration processes.

2. The inclusion of various actors and organizations into the process has allowed institutionalizing the Program and its procedures.

3. El Salvador considers appropriate to try to apply the structure of the Program for south-south employment opportunities. Consensus can be built – based on this workshop – within the RCM.

4. Based on this workshop we can exchange information about potentialities and open employment niches in each country.

5. With the above described information, national employment agencies can be developed with participation of governmental, private, and academic institutions, as well as IOM and NGOs interested in the subject, as transparent mechanisms to facilitate the migration of temporary workers.

Thank you

Vice-Ministry of Foreign Affairs for

Salvadorans Living Abroad