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With the ASEAN Year of Skills underway, Lao PDR is revamping its national skills certification system to align with regional efforts on labour mobility and recognition.
As ASEAN countries rally towards improving labour mobility and recognising skills across borders, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is enhancing its national skills assessment and certification system.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), since July 2024, Lao PDR has been participating in the Mutual Recognition of Skills (MRS) Capacity Building Programme under the ILO/Korea Partnership. This initiative, as shared by the ILO, includes a series of workshops, and technical skills demonstrations aimed at preparing countries for regional skills recognition. This is a key aspect of the Vientiane Declaration on Skills Mobility, Recognition and Development for Migrant Workers.
At the centre of this effort is a strong partnership between Lao People’s Democratic Republic’s Skills Development Institute under the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and Thailand’s Department of Skill Development under the Ministry of Labour, with ILO’s technical facilitation. Through this partnership, Lao PDR’s national skills assessment and certification system has been significantly strengthened.
One of the main outcomes of the MRS programme is the development of an updated Skills Assessment Manual and Assessor Guideline. As shared by ILO, these tools will be rolled out across all occupational sectors to support a more consistent, fair, and industry-aligned skills standards.
The updated manual was introduced at a soft launch held in Vientiane on 11 June 2025. Speaking at the event, Phongsavanh Sourivanh, Deputy Director General of the Skills Development Institute, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare said: "The updated Skills Assessment Manual — once approved — will serve as a cornerstone for a more robust framework, fostering greater confidence and trust in the quality and recognition of Lao PDR’s national skills certificates."
Hochul Shin, Chief Technical Adviser of the ILO/Korea Partnership Programme, described the launch as a key milestone, adding that the manual is expected to support the implementation of the Vientiane Declaration on skill mobility, recognition, and development for migrant workers.
Xiaoyan Qian, Director of the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR, said the achievement represents further progress in advancing skills development and labour mobility within the ASEAN Economic Community. She highlighted that 2025 has been designated the ASEAN Year of Skills, with talent mobility being a key focus.
The outcomes of the MRS Capacity Building Programme and broader MRS initiative, she added, are well aligned with this goal, positioning Lao PDR to take a leading role in implementing the Vientiane Declaration.
Lead image / ILO
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