The first Safe Mobility Offices (SMOs) are being established in Guatemala, Colombia, and Costa Rica through partnerships between host countries, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United States, and NGOs. These SMOs will serve as central hubs that connect eligible refugees and migrants to potential humanitarian, labor, family reunification, and other pathways to partner nations such as the U.S., Canada, and Spain.

The SMO initiative could transform hemispheric approaches to humanitarian protection and migration management, providing new opportunities to facilitate access to regular pathways while reducing irregular migration and preserving territorial access to asylum. While humanitarian protection is SMOs’ priority, identifying legal pathways to work visas for prospective migrants is also critical. One legal pathway that policymakers should consider is the increased use of the rarely-discussed yet highly flexible C-1/D visa.

The C-1/D visa is a combination visa that allows qualified migrants to enter the U.S. temporarily to work aboard commercial sea vessels, like cruises. Expanded use of the C-1/D visa, either through SMO-based recruitment or local training facilities in the hemisphere, is a significant economic opportunity for migrants seeking employment. It is also an opportunity for the growing cruise industry, where it is estimated that 31.5 million passengers will board cruise ships this...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5pc2thbmVuY2VudGVy...