Research Consultant (Labour Pathways and Immigration and Border Governance)

Job Description

The consultancy is part of the research project titled "Contributing to Regular Labour Pathways in Target Pacific Island Countries Through Enhanced Immigration and Border Management Practices", jointly designed and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Samoa Office and the Pacific Immigration Development Community (PIDC). 

Labour migration makes a substantial contribution to the economies of many Pacific Island countries and remains a key strategy to improve livelihoods for Pacific islanders. Remittances play a crucial role in the economies of Pacific Island countries, supporting education, healthcare, and overall well-being of many families. 

In recent years, labour migration flows from/to the Pacific have become increasingly diverse. Historically, labour migration flows in the Pacific have mostly consisted of migration to the Pacific Rim, including Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Since the reopening of borders after COVID-19 in mid-2022, there has been a substantial increase in Pacific labour migration flows to Australia and New Zealand. 

There has been a small but consistent flows of Pacific islanders to other non traditional destinations such as Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Intra-regional labour migration is also on the rise, with Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Palau, the Cook Islands and American Samoa receiving a number of Pacific Islander labour migrants every year.

As a result of rapidly expanding labour mobility schemes and arrangements between governments, the Pacific region is experiencing severe shortage of skilled and unskilled workers. As such, there is an increasing need to accept foreign workers to fill the labour shortages, but currently the Pacific Island countries are largely restrictive to the movement of foreign labour migrants into the Pacific to fill the gap. 

Access to labour pathways is often dependent upon immigration and border management practices. This includes immigration and border management policies covering topics such as proof of legal identity, civil registration, travel document issuance, identity management and verification processes. 

In light of rapidly changing regional labour mobility landscape which Pacific countries need to continuously adjust, the proposed research will look into how the Pacific Immigration and border management policies and practices are facilitating and/or limiting access to Pacific regular labour pathways. This will include providing practical recommendations to ensure effective, robust, and internationally compliant immigration and border management processes, enabling safe orderly and regular labour migration. 
 

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager based in IOM Samoa in close coordination with the Pacific Immigration Development Community (PIDC) Secretariat in Samoa, IOM Country offices in Palau and Solomon Islands, and Regional Thematic Specialist based in Bangkok. 

Responsibilities

Inception Report

• Initial stakeholder consultations with Immigration (online)
• Desktop analysis
• Literature review
• Design, development and finalization of the research methodology
• Development of field research plans and research protocols, including a list of stakeholders to be interviewed
• Development of the outlines of the final reports and policy briefs

Field Survey in Samoa, Palau and Solomon Islands and Progress Report

• National consultation meetings
• Interviews with relevant stakeholders (Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, etc)
• Data collection
• Submission of the progress report

Development of Research Papers and Policy Briefs

• Development and presentation of the first draft including policy brief summaries
• Revisions based on feedback and additional information to be received
• Development and presentation of the second draft including draft policy briefs
• Revisions based on feedback and additional information to be received
• Development and presentation of all final drafts (to be validated by stakeholders)

Preliminary list of stakeholders to be interviewed in each country (to be updated during the inception phase): 

• Ministries, Agencies, Departments and other entities working in the areas of: immigration, labour migration, visa and travel document issuance, civil registration, custom, foreign affairs, police, and women/gender. 
• Migrants, local community stakeholders and CSO representatives
• Visa Application Centers
• International and regional organizations including: Pacific Immigration Development Community (PIDC), Pacer Plus, Pacific Community (SPC), UN agencies working on Civil registration and Vital Statistics and Legal Identity Agenda 
• Diplomatic missions 

Presentation of Papers and Policy Briefs

The consultant is expected to make an online presentation and lead discussions on the implementation of the study recommendations during the national dissemination meetings to be held in each country (March – April 2026) and the PIDC Regular Annual Meeting (June 2026) respectively. A new or extended contract will be issued to pay for 3 additional days to carry out the tasks upon successful completion of the research phase. 

• High quality of work aligned with the research objective
• Innovative, context specific and practical recommendations for both technical (immigration) and non technical stakeholders.
• Engagement and collaboration with key stakeholders in the case study countries.
• High level of satisfaction with the research outcomes from the PIDC and the member countries.

Qualifications

Required Skills

Job info