About the Migration Governance Indicators

Migrants' rights

Indicators in this domain assess the extent to which migrants have the same status as citizens in terms of access to basic social services such as health, education, and social security. It also describes the rights of migrants to family reunification, to work, and to residency and citizenship. The ratification of the main international conventions is also included within this domain.

Indicators in this category look at the extent to which migrants have access to certain social services such as health, education and social security. They also examine measures to ensure integration and access to work.

Whole of government approach

Indicators in this domain assess countries’ institutional, legal, and regulatory frameworks related to migration policies. Domain 2 also reviews the existence of national migration strategies that are in-line with development, as well as institutional transparency and coherence in relation to migration management. This domain also investigates the extent to which governments collect and use migration data.

Indicators in this category assess the institutional frameworks of cities for migration. This area also examines the existence of migration strategies consistent with development objectives, as well as institutional transparency and coherence in migration management.

Partnerships

This domain focuses on countries’ efforts to cooperate on migration-related issues with other states and with relevant non-governmental actors, including civil society organizations and the private sector. Cooperation can lead to improvements in governance by aligning and raising standards, increasing dialogue and providing structures to overcome challenges.

Indicators in this category focus on cities’ efforts to cooperate on migration issues with the national government as well as other cities and relevant non-governmental actors, including civil society organizations and the private sector.

Well-being of migrants

This domain includes indicators on countries’ policies for managing the socioeconomic well-being of migrants, through aspects such as the recognition of migrants’ educational and professional qualifications, provisions regulating student migration and the existence of bilateral labour agreements between countries. Indicators equally focus on policies and strategies related to diaspora engagement and migrant remittances.

Indicators in this category assess cities’ initiatives in terms of international student mobility, access to the labour market and decent working conditions for migrant workers. Aspects related to diaspora engagement and migrant remittances are also included in this domain.

Mobility dimensions of crises

This domain studies the type and level of preparedness of countries when they are faced with mobility dimensions of crises, linked to either disasters, the environment and/or conflict. The questions are used to identify the processes in place for nationals and non-nationals both during and after disasters, including whether humanitarian assistance is equally available to migrants as it is to citizens.

Indicators in this category examine the type and level of readiness of cities to deal with aspects of mobility crises. The questions focus on the processes in place for citizens and non-citizens both during and after disasters, especially if humanitarian assistance is available for migrants and citizens.

Safe, orderly and regular migration

This domain analyses countries’ approach to migration management in terms of border control and enforcement policies, admission criteria for migrants, preparedness and resilience in the case of significant and unexpected migration flows, as well as the fight against trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants. It also assesses efforts and incentives to help integrate returning citizens.

Indicators in this category look at the cities’ approaches to migrant safety as well as return and reintegration policies and the fight against trafficking in persons.

Key findings

Introduction

This country Profile describes examples of well-developed areas of the governance structures and areas with potential for further development, as evaluated through the six domains of the Migration Governance Indicators (MGI). These address migrants’ rights, a “whole-of-government” approach, partnerships, socioeconomic well-being of migrants, the mobility dimensions of crises, and safe and orderly migration.

Click the icons on the wheel to explore the key findings.

The Migration Governance Indicators (MGI) initiative is a policy-benchmarking programme led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and implemented with research and analysis from the Economist Impact. Funding is provided by IOM Member States.

Key findings

Migrants' rights

Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas

Moldovan citizens returning from abroad and foreigners registered as unemployed at the National Employment Agency (NEA) have a right to unemployment allowances.
Foreigners with the right of permanent residence, foreigners whose stateless status has been recognized, refugees and asylum seekers are entitled to equal access to the labour market and integration services as nationals.
Moldova signed bilateral agreements on social security issues with Belarus (2019), Greece (2021) and Italy (2021).

Areas with potential for further development:

The government lacks agreements on the portability of social benefits for Moldovan labour migrants and on access to disability pensions caused by labour accidents or professional disease for its nationals working abroad.
Moldovan citizens’ participation in elections from abroad is difficult due to the limited coverage by the consular networks.

Key findings

Whole of government approach

Migration governance: examples of well-developed areas

A Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of the inter-institutional reference mechanism for (re)integration of returned Moldovan citizens was signed in 2018 by Moldovan local authorities.
The Diaspora Relations Bureau (DRB) coordinates cooperation efforts with the diaspora following the National Diaspora Strategy 2025 and the Action Plan for its implementation.
Migration issues are addressed in the Moldova 2030 National Strategy.
The Diaspora-Migration-Development online communication platform launched in August 2021 aims to strengthen multilateral partnerships between diaspora communities, government, central and local public authorities, academia, the private sector, the business environment, hometown associations, local communities and civil society.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) publishes annual migration data disaggregated by sex and age groups and the National Employment Agency (NEA) collects and publishes annually data on labor migration.

Key findings

Partnerships

Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas

In 2020, Moldova conducted a voluntary national review in relation to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration to assess its progress in implementing migration processes.
The Diaspora Relations Bureau regularly involves the Moldovan diaspora in public consultations on policy documents.
Moldova developed an innovative partnership model to involve migrants in the development of their native localities.

Areas with potential for further development:

Advancing negotiations on cooperation on human mobility issues (work, academic, etc.) with destination countries for Moldovan citizens.

Key findings

Well-being of migrants

Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas

The Government approved in 2018 the list of priority jobs for which there is a local labor shortage and established the Labor Market Observatory to identify labor trends, including in the field of migration.
International students can work in the country after graduation if complying with the general conditions for granting the right of temporary residence.
Foreigners with the right to temporary residence while studying in the country are granted the right to work.
The Law on the promotion of employment and on unemployment insurance (2018) promotes the ethical recruitment of migrant workers and establishes rules for private recruitment agencies.

Areas with potential for further development:

There is no monitoring and coordination mechanism on the implementation of the strategy for ensuring equality between women and men in the Republic of Moldova and its Action Plan.

Key findings

Mobility dimensions of crises

Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas

The National Bureau of Statistics produces data on emigration and immigration, with all movements recorded at entry and exit points.
In 2017, the Government approved the national mechanism for unitary and coherent management in the event of an increased influx of foreigners and established an Inter-agency Working Group to monitor and manage possible large-scale population movements in times of crisis.
The “Moldova 2030” development strategy (2020) includes objective 10, “ensuring the fundamental right to a healthy and safe environment”, and targets specific vulnerable groups of the population, including migrants.

Areas with potential for further development:

Mobility dimensions of environmental and climatic issues are not integrated within the draft National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy.
The Automated centralized notification system of the Civil Protection and Emergency Situations Service is outdated.

Key findings

Safe, orderly and regular migration

Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas

The government implements several projects to develop integrated tools to ensure information and data on migration and asylum can be accessed from a single source at the national level.
The National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for 2018-2023 ensures the continuity of state policies to protect the rights of victims of human trafficking.
Moldova has signed cooperation agreements related to combating organized crime, smuggling, illicit trafficking in drugs and psychotropic substances, terrorism and other serious offences, as well as international and regional conventions and protocols in these areas.

Areas with potential for further development:

More active cooperation of the Government with civil society from the country and abroad in the field of migration
The development of reintegration services for returned migrants.

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