Social Protection
Overview
Migrant workers from countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) remain insufficiently protected in terms of their life cycle needs. Impediments accessing social protection schemes, as well as the cross-border nature of migration, result in migrant workers being routinely excluded from financial protection mechanisms or denied access to entitlements.
Rather than being a drain on social protection programmes, migrants are, more often than not, a net benefit to the public purse. Arriving in destination countries as adults and often leaving before retirement age, migrants tend, on average, to be fitter, younger and more likely to be in full-time employment than their native-born peers. What is more, the trend towards migration policies based on temporary residence makes it more difficult for migrants to ever see the fruits of their contributions.
MMN believes governments of destination countries and countries of origin both have a role to play in developing inclusive policies relating to social protection. Access to various forms of benefits and entitlements should be facilitated, while any barriers migrants may face when accessing social protection must be removed. Governments also need to ensure that sufficient mechanisms are in place so that migrants and their families do not incur any loss of rights and benefits throughout the migration cycle.
To enhance migrants’ access to social protection programmes when they are abroad and upon returning home, MMN has conducted several pieces of research on existing social protection programmes, including healthcare and social security systems, and sought to understand the difficulties migrants face when accessing their entitlements. These findings were presented to various stakeholders in destination countries and countries of origin in an effort to inform responsible actors of areas in need of improvements, and ultimately to catalyse changes in relevant policies to shape a more inclusive social protection framework in the GMS.
Social Security System (SSS)
The Social Security System, administered by the Ministry of Labour (MOL), is tailored for migrants who have regularised their status. This scheme is accessible to those who have either completed the National Verification (NV) process or migrated under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) procedures between Thailand and the countries of origin. However, it is important to note that this scheme is not inclusive of all migrant workers. Specifically, it does not cover migrant workers employed in the informal economy, nor does it extend benefits to those who entered Thailand with a Section 64 Border Pass. The SSS requires compulsory enrolment for eligible workers, funded by a 5 per cent salary contribution from employers and employees, with an additional 2.75 per cent government contribution. Migrants under the SSS benefit from a range of services, including medical care, maternity benefits, and compensation for work-related injuries. To qualify for this insurance, migrants must possess the necessary documentation proving their regularised status and employment within the formal economy.
Related policy: https://www.sso.go.th/wpr/main/law/พระราชบัญญัติ_category_list-label_1_106_0
Migrant Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS)
The Migrant Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS), managed by the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), was introduced in 1999 to provide health insurance to migrants who are not covered by the Social Security Scheme (SSS). The MHIS is mandatory for all eligible migrants, although enrolment of dependants is optional. One of the distinguishing features of the MHIS is its accessibility; it does not require proof of a work permit or residency. There are four coverage periods with different premiums to choose from:
- 3 months: premium 500 baht
- 6 months: premium 900 baht
- 1 year: premium 1,600 baht
- 2 years: premium 3,200 baht
Additionally, migrant workers must pay THB 500 for a health check-up to buy this insurance. Despite its mandatory status, the MOPH has not yet fully established a robust system to ensure that all eligible migrants are enrolled in the scheme. This gap highlights an ongoing challenge in the implementation of the MHIS.
Related policies: https://fwf.moph.go.th/Admin/announce
Key Milestone
Related Initiatives
MMN’s Roles of Countries of Origin (ROCO) Project places great emphasis on migrants’ access to social protection. For more information about the ROCO project, please click here.
In November 2015, MMN commenced a project entitled, Beyond ‘Tolerance’: Working Hand-in-Hand to Promote the Social Inclusion of Migrants and their Families, supported by the Toyota Foundation. The project was part of MMN’s long-term efforts to promote social cohesion in the region…
Inflexible healthcare systems in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) often exclude people who are not living in their hometown, who do not have documentation, and/or who have not contributed to a healthcare scheme. Due to these exclusions and other factors, migrant women often lack access to healthcare and treatment, rendering them vulnerable in times of ill health…
The idea for From our Eyes: Migrant Reflection was born at the workshop on Migration Trends and Responses in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and Beyond, held on 31 August 2010 in Chiang Mai, and co-organised by MMN, MAP Foundation, and the Asian Migrant Centre…
