Overview
Since 2016, Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) in Pakistan have been providing accurate, reliable, and timely information to potential, intending, outgoing, and returning migrants. Their primary focus is to promote safe, orderly, and regular migration while highlighting the risks and consequences of irregular migration. To achieve this, MRCs in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar offer a range of services, including information on overseas employment, migrant rights and protection, access to education abroad, skills development, vocational training programmes in Pakistan, as well as reintegration and referral support.
In Pakistan, the MRCs operate under the auspices of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD) and the Labour And Human Resource Department (L&HRD), Punjab.
MRCs strive to provide:
- Clear, accessible, and understandable information is provided to potential, intending, outgoing, and returning migrants on opportunities for orderly migration, as well as relevant rules and regulations, including pre-departure information.
- Pre-departure orientation and information on work and living conditions abroad and their rights and obligations to outgoing migrants.
- Raising awareness and providing accurate information to potential, intending, outgoing, and returning migrants about the risks and dangers associated with irregular migration
Services
- Country-specific pre-departure training
- Career counselling and information on scholarship opportunities
- Counselling on behavioural adaptability and communication skills for intending, outgoing, and returning migrants
- Community-level awareness campaigns on safe and regular migration
- Awareness and information sessions at public and private educational institutions
- Reintegration support for returning migrants, including immediate assistance, mid to long term assistance, reintegration counselling, psychosocial counselling, TVET referrals and remigration counselling