Bangladeshi envoy backs short-term visas for specialists

Date: 05/12/02

By Peter Chapman

MEMBER states and other wealthy countries should agree to changes in world trade rules to give highly-skilled workers such as IT specialists the right to short-term work visas abroad, according to Bangladesh's ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Toufiq Ali told a Brussels conference on trade in services that such a temporary scheme could boost incomes in developing countries by up to €l200 billion per year.

'That is half to two-thirds the benefit from complete liberalisation of all trade in goods,' said Geneva-based Ali, who also represents his country at United Nations bodies in the city.

The diplomat stressed the visa scheme would not amount to a carte blanche for mass migration. It would cover as little as 3% of the most skilled workers in poor countries.

Workers returning home would bring back vital foreign currency to their families, said Ali, with the result that their countries would be far less reliant on foreign aid. At the same time, workers would be encouraged to train in sought-after skills, from software engineering to accounting.

European Commission Director-General for trade Peter Carl told the conference that the EU was broadly supportive of efforts to boost worker mobility through the WTO's 'General Agreement on Trade in Services'. This would also increase the potential for EU workers to take short-term contracts outside the Union and make it easier for EU multinational companies to post executives abroad.

Negotiations on services are expected to intensify in the run-up to 31 March - the deadline for countries to make initial offers to other WTO members of areas where they might be willing to liberalise.

Member States and other wealthy countries should agree to changes in world trade rules to give highly-skilled workers such as IT specialists the right to short-term work visas abroad, according to Bangladesh's ambassador to the World Trade Organization, Toufiq Ali.