PSI is hosting a global online consultation for affiliates on 6 November to address key issues surrounding the migration of health and care workers.

Two identical sessions will be held to enable maximum participation as follows:

• 8.30-10.30 CET – for Asia Pacific and Europe (English only). Register here.

• 15:00-17:00 CET – Inter-Americas, Africa and Europe (English, French and Spanish). Register here.

Background

International recruitment and the migration of health and care workers remain an increasing trend. Over the past decade, the number of foreign-trained doctors working in economically advanced countries have increased by 50%, while the number of foreign-trained nurses increased by 20% (OECD, 2019).  Health worker migration exacerbates the global shortage of 10 million health and care workers needed by 2030. It disproportionately affects poor countries that are being drained of their skilled workforce. High income countries have 12 times as many workers employed in the health sector as low-income countries (ILO, 2022). Ten high-income countries host 64% of migrant doctors and 46% of migrant nurses globally (WHO, 2022). These health inequities make the goal of universal health coverage a far reality, particularly for developing countries.

At the same time, international recruitment has become a quick-fix solution to fill staffing shortages, further exacerbating the lack of investment and political will needed to strengthen universal public health and care systems and ensure decent work in the health and care sector for all countries.

Based on a global survey that PSI conducted in July, affiliates identified the three key priorities to improve staff retention in the health workforce: (1) enhanced financial and non-financial incentives to join and stay in the workforce; (2) creation of decent jobs in the sector and (3) enhanced access to education and training. Through collective bargaining, unions are able to negotiate for these conditions and win workers’ rights, thereby improving retention and strengthening sustainability of the health and care systems and the workforce. 

Join us in a global consultation to:

1. Examine the challenges in the migration of health and care workers and identify opportunities for trade union action;

2. Get updates on developments at the World Health Organization in view of strengthening the WHO Code of Practice on the Ethical Recruitment of Health Personnel, including feedback from the PSI Report on the WHO Code; and

3. Discuss the PSI draft strategy on health and care workforce migration.

Expected outcomes from the meeting:

1. Establishment of the PSI Health and Care Workforce Migration Network

2. Inputs into the draft strategy and workplan