The Hybrid Approach to the Free Flow of Skilled Labour in ASEAN: Analysis and Implications

The free flow of skilled labour, business persons, and talents (referred to as skilled labour) is considered as one of the elements contributing to the foundation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Economic Community (AEC). The facilitation of ASEAN’s free flow of skilled labour is arguably unsuccessful because ASEAN members have preserved many constraints on the mobility of skilled workers. This research aims to analyse the hybrid approach to the free flow of skilled labour in ASEAN, which combines the liberalization of the movement of natural persons and qualification harmonization in accordance with the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS), ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement, ASEAN Agreement on Natural Persons, Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs), and ASEAN Qualification Reference Framework). The authors conceptualize the hybrid approach to the free flow of skilled labour in ASEAN to more effectively implement the regional provisions on the free flow of skilled and analyse its appropriateness and limitations. The research concludes that, for the long-term goal of upgrading the skills of ASEAN’s workforce, the hybrid approach is appropriate to ASEAN’s regional labour integration, under the principle of non-interference and the status of shortage of skilled labour. The authors propose several implications for ASEAN’s Member States to take advantage of the hybrid approach, maximize opportunities and reduce impediments from the impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the ‘job polarization’ phenomenon.