Vientiane, Nov 11 — The Lao government has endorsed a National Action Plan for 2026-2030 aimed at strengthening migration management, protecting migrant workers' rights and promoting safe, orderly and legal migration.
The plan was officially endorsed at a ceremony in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday, co-chaired by Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Anoupharb Vongnorkeo and Tanja Pacifico, chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Laos and Thailand. More than 70 representatives from government agencies, United Nations organizations, international organizations, and other relevant sectors attended the event.
As a country of origin, transit and destination for international migrants, Laos faces growing challenges and opportunities associated with cross-border migration, particularly as people seek employment and better livelihoods abroad, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The new action plan aims to ensure that migration takes place through safe, orderly and legal channels while safeguarding migrant workers' rights, according to a report from the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.
Developed with support from IOM, the plan outlines nine strategic areas covering cross-cutting and sector-specific priorities. Its overarching vision is to make migration a choice rather than a necessity, while ensuring that all workers have access to decent work and social protection.
Speaking at the ceremony, Anoupharb highlighted the long-standing contribution of migration to Laos' socio-economic development. He emphasized that effective migration management is essential to strengthening human resource development and supporting sustainable economic growth.
In October, the Lao government officially released the results of the 2025 Population and Housing Census, revealing that the working-age population has grown to 65 per cent of the country's total population, creating an opportunity to accelerate economic growth.
The findings, released Tuesday, show that Laos has an estimated combined resident and non-resident population of 7.55 million, including 7.24 million people living in the country and 313,766 Lao citizens residing abroad. Among the resident population, females account for 49.2 per cent, while males make up 50.8 per cent.
People aged 15-64 represent 65 per cent of the resident population, offering Laos an opportunity to benefit from a demographic dividend through job creation, skills development, and investment in human capital.
In terms of education, the overall literacy rate for individuals aged six and above has risen to 83.6 per cent.
For the first time, the census employed modern technologies, including electronic maps to define survey areas, digital devices for data collection through computer-assisted personal interviewing, and real-time data monitoring to improve efficiency and accuracy.