To stay competitive, countries need to attract global talent. To do this, talent must be able to relocate when and where needed.

Among other factors, global demographic and economic imbalances further strengthen the case for skills mobility including to facilitate the movement of professionals across countries where their skills are needed.

Skills mobility can be facilitated in a systematic way by implementing mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) with other countries. MRAs recognize foreign professional qualifications, which are not just educational.

They also include aptitudes, knowledge and skills, all embodied in the competency level.

MRAs can be established in general terms or by profession in line with a country’s needs as well as its skills development strategy. But in ASEAN, full skills mobility through MRAs under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is still far from complete. Until countries express a stronger commitment.