• Home
  • About RSIS
    • Introduction
    • Building the Foundations
    • Welcome Message
    • Board of Governors
    • Staff Profiles
      • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
      • Dean’s Office
      • Management
      • Distinguished Fellows
      • Faculty and Research
      • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
      • Visiting Fellows
      • Adjunct Fellows
      • Administrative Staff
    • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
    • RSIS Endowment Fund
    • Endowed Professorships
    • Career Opportunities
    • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
    • Research Centres
      • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
      • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
      • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
      • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
      • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
    • Research Programmes
      • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
      • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
    • [email protected] Newsletter
    • Other Research
      • Future Issues And Technology (FIT)
      • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
    • Graduate Programmes Office
    • Overview
    • MSc (Asian Studies)
    • MSc (International Political Economy)
    • MSc (International Relations)
    • MSc (Strategic Studies)
    • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
    • PhD Programme
    • Exchange Partners and Programmes
    • How to Apply
    • Financial Assistance
    • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
    • RSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
    • Alumni
    • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
    • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
    • SRP Executive Programme
    • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
    • RSIS Publications
      • Annual Reviews
      • Books
      • Bulletins and Newsletters
      • Commentaries
      • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
      • Commemorative / Event Reports
      • IDSS Paper
      • Interreligious Relations
      • Monographs
      • NTS Insight
      • Policy Reports
      • Working Papers
      • RSIS Publications for the Year
    • Glossary of Abbreviations
    • External Publications
      • Authored Books
      • Journal Articles
      • Edited Books
      • Chapters in Edited Books
      • Policy Reports
      • Working Papers
      • Op-Eds
      • External Publications for the Year
    • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
    • Cohesive Societies
    • Great Powers
    • Sustainable Security
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Other Resource Pages
    • Media Highlights
    • News Releases
    • Speeches
    • Vidcast Channel
    • Audio/Video Forums
  • Events
  • Giving
  • Contact Us
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
RSISVideoCast RSISVideoCast rsis.sg
Linkedin
instagram instagram rsis.sg
RSS
  • Home
  • About RSIS
      • Introduction
      • Building the Foundations
      • Welcome Message
      • Board of Governors
      • Staff Profiles
        • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
        • Dean’s Office
        • Management
        • Distinguished Fellows
        • Faculty and Research
        • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
        • Visiting Fellows
        • Adjunct Fellows
        • Administrative Staff
      • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
      • RSIS Endowment Fund
      • Endowed Professorships
      • Career Opportunities
      • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
      • Research Centres
        • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
        • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
        • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
        • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
        • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      • Research Programmes
        • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
        • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      • [email protected] Newsletter
      • Other Research
        • Future Issues And Technology (FIT)
        • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      • Graduate Programmes Office
      • Overview
      • MSc (Asian Studies)
      • MSc (International Political Economy)
      • MSc (International Relations)
      • MSc (Strategic Studies)
      • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
      • PhD Programme
      • Exchange Partners and Programmes
      • How to Apply
      • Financial Assistance
      • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
      • RSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
      • Alumni
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
      • SRP Executive Programme
      • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
      • RSIS Publications
        • Annual Reviews
        • Books
        • Bulletins and Newsletters
        • Commentaries
        • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
        • Commemorative / Event Reports
        • IDSS Paper
        • Interreligious Relations
        • Monographs
        • NTS Insight
        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • RSIS Publications for the Year
      • Glossary of Abbreviations
      • External Publications
        • Authored Books
        • Journal Articles
        • Edited Books
        • Chapters in Edited Books
        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • Op-Eds
        • External Publications for the Year
      • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
      • Cohesive Societies
      • Great Powers
      • Sustainable Security
      • COVID-19 Resources
      • Other Resource Pages
      • Media Highlights
      • News Releases
      • Speeches
      • Vidcast Channel
      • Audio/Video Forums
  • Events
  • Giving
  • Contact Us
  • instagram instagram rsis.sg
Connect

Getting to RSIS

Map

Address

Nanyang Technological University
Block S4, Level B3,
50 Nanyang Avenue,
Singapore 639798

View location on Google maps Click here for directions to RSIS

Get in Touch

    Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
    RSISVideoCast RSISVideoCast rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
    instagram instagram rsis.sg
      RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    RSIS Intranet

    S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
    Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University

    Skip to content

     
    • RSIS
    • Publication
    • RSIS Publications
    • NTS Bulletin July 2021
    • Annual Reviews
    • Books
    • Bulletins and Newsletters
    • Commentaries
    • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
    • Commemorative / Event Reports
    • IDSS Paper
    • Interreligious Relations
    • Monographs
    • NTS Insight
    • Policy Reports
    • Working Papers
    • RSIS Publications for the Year

    NTS Bulletin July 2021

    26 July 2021

    download pdf

    Through the Cracks: How Migrants Cope during the Pandemic

    By The Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
    S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS)
    Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore

    Since its emergence in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted almost every part of modern life – from the way we work to travelling – severely affecting already vulnerable communities. With pandemic responses significantly disrupting human mobility in particular, migrants have been one of the hardest hit communities. Although vaccines against COVID-19 have been made available, not everyone has equal access to COVID-19 vaccines, thereby making any protection incomplete at best.

    Travel (or the lack of) during the pandemic

    Worldwide travel has since slowed to a trickle with 228 countries, territories and areas still with various forms of restriction and/or conditions for entry. This has affected the ability of migrants to travel, with some estimates suggesting that the pandemic may have slowed the growth of the number of international migrants by around two million by mid-2020, 27 per cent less than expected since mid-2019.

    The restrictions and conditions placed on travel and entry have particularly affected labour migrants, irregular or otherwise, with their ability to earn limited. A major fear during the beginning of the pandemic was its effect on remittances, with 33 per cent of migrant workers in 2019 and three of the top five remittance recipient countries are from the Asia-Pacific. Any significant decrease in remittances could be disastrous – especially to poor households. With most migrants in the region being temporary migrant workers, the loss of jobs and wages among them have been particularly high. This will further endanger progress made in poverty reduction. According to World Bank estimates, the global extreme poverty rate has increased for the first time since 1998 due to the likelihood of between 71 million and 100 million people being pushed into extreme poverty in 2020.

    Access to healthcare

    Another troubling issue facing migrants is their access – or lack of – to vaccines. Although migrants face the same health threats from COVID-19 as their host populations, they are particularly vulnerable due to potential discriminatory measures. This is further heightened for low-skilled, low-paid migrants. With most of them drawn to urban centres in search of work, they also tend to live in overcrowded facilities with poor sanitation – making them more vulnerable to the spread of disease.

    While these migrant workers are vital to the overall infrastructure of the countries in which they work, their low status among the community, language barrier and high costs limit their ability to access services such as legal services and especially, healthcare.

    As such, equitable vaccine distribution is especially vital to these communities. Although there has been constant emphasis to vaccinate the entire population in a jurisdiction in order to avoid a small cluster of non-vaccinated people undermining herd immunity, not all countries are including regular migrants in their national vaccination campaigns – let alone refugees, asylum seekers or irregular migrants. Moreover, even in countries which grant migrants access to vaccines, in-practice inclusion may differ from official policy. This could be due to a number of reasons including a lack of clarity in national vaccine deployment plans, policymakers avoiding publicising this access to avoid xenophobic reactions from the public, and the inability of migrants to have the required documents.

    However, in some countries, migrants – particularly those working in front-line, high-risk areas – have been prioritised. For example, in 2020, Singapore experienced a sudden massive surge in COVID-19 cases among its migrant worker population. In order to prevent another similar situation, Singapore included migrant workers in the early parts of its national campaign along with other workers in critical functions.

    COVID-19 has exposed the gaps in our system. It has highlighted the critical role of migrant workers in the region as well as the vulnerabilities they are subject to. While the creation of effective vaccines has offered us a cautious glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel – of finally emerging from this pandemic – it is important to keep in mind the need for equity in any response to the pandemic. After all, COVID-19 has taught us that until all people – including those most vulnerable – are well-protected, the journey towards a ‘New Normal’ will be slow and frustrating.

    Categories: Bulletins and Newsletters / / Southeast Asia and ASEAN

    Last updated on 26/07/2021

    Through the Cracks: How Migrants Cope during the Pandemic

    By The Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
    S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS)
    Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore

    Since its emergence in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted almost every part of modern life – from the way we work to travelling – severely affecting already vulnerable communities. With pandemic responses significantly disrupting human mobility in particular, migrants have been one of the hardest hit communities. Although vaccines against COVID-19 have been made available, not everyone has equal access to COVID-19 vaccines, thereby making any protection incomplete at best.

    Travel (or the lack of) during the pandemic

    Worldwide travel has since slowed to a trickle with 228 countries, territories and areas still with various forms of restriction and/or conditions for entry. This has affected the ability of migrants to travel, with some estimates suggesting that the pandemic may have slowed the growth of the number of international migrants by around two million by mid-2020, 27 per cent less than expected since mid-2019.

    The restrictions and conditions placed on travel and entry have particularly affected labour migrants, irregular or otherwise, with their ability to earn limited. A major fear during the beginning of the pandemic was its effect on remittances, with 33 per cent of migrant workers in 2019 and three of the top five remittance recipient countries are from the Asia-Pacific. Any significant decrease in remittances could be disastrous – especially to poor households. With most migrants in the region being temporary migrant workers, the loss of jobs and wages among them have been particularly high. This will further endanger progress made in poverty reduction. According to World Bank estimates, the global extreme poverty rate has increased for the first time since 1998 due to the likelihood of between 71 million and 100 million people being pushed into extreme poverty in 2020.

    Access to healthcare

    Another troubling issue facing migrants is their access – or lack of – to vaccines. Although migrants face the same health threats from COVID-19 as their host populations, they are particularly vulnerable due to potential discriminatory measures. This is further heightened for low-skilled, low-paid migrants. With most of them drawn to urban centres in search of work, they also tend to live in overcrowded facilities with poor sanitation – making them more vulnerable to the spread of disease.

    While these migrant workers are vital to the overall infrastructure of the countries in which they work, their low status among the community, language barrier and high costs limit their ability to access services such as legal services and especially, healthcare.

    As such, equitable vaccine distribution is especially vital to these communities. Although there has been constant emphasis to vaccinate the entire population in a jurisdiction in order to avoid a small cluster of non-vaccinated people undermining herd immunity, not all countries are including regular migrants in their national vaccination campaigns – let alone refugees, asylum seekers or irregular migrants. Moreover, even in countries which grant migrants access to vaccines, in-practice inclusion may differ from official policy. This could be due to a number of reasons including a lack of clarity in national vaccine deployment plans, policymakers avoiding publicising this access to avoid xenophobic reactions from the public, and the inability of migrants to have the required documents.

    However, in some countries, migrants – particularly those working in front-line, high-risk areas – have been prioritised. For example, in 2020, Singapore experienced a sudden massive surge in COVID-19 cases among its migrant worker population. In order to prevent another similar situation, Singapore included migrant workers in the early parts of its national campaign along with other workers in critical functions.

    COVID-19 has exposed the gaps in our system. It has highlighted the critical role of migrant workers in the region as well as the vulnerabilities they are subject to. While the creation of effective vaccines has offered us a cautious glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel – of finally emerging from this pandemic – it is important to keep in mind the need for equity in any response to the pandemic. After all, COVID-19 has taught us that until all people – including those most vulnerable – are well-protected, the journey towards a ‘New Normal’ will be slow and frustrating.

    Categories: Bulletins and Newsletters

    Last updated on 26/07/2021

    Back to top

    Terms of Use | Privacy Statement
    Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
    This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
    OK
    Latest Book
    NTS Bulletin July 2021
    Through the Cracks: How Migrants Cope during the Pandemic By The Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre) S. Rajaratnam School o ...
    more info