Services

IOM provides assistance to facilitate migration under organized and regular migration schemes, and helps improve existing processes to make it easier, more efficient and reliable for both migrants and the governments concerned. These services, tailored to meet the specific needs of each programme, are provided at different stages of the process: information and application, interview and approval, and post-approval. Similar assistance is also provided to experts participating in international technical cooperation activities, to scholarship holders and students studying abroad and, in some cases, to their dependents. An important feature of migrant processing and assistance is the preparation of migrants and refugees in their move to a new country through pre-departure and cultural orientation. The better prepared they are, and the more realistic their expectations, the smoother and quicker they can settle into their new community. And the quicker they can settle in, the more cost-effective it is for the host government, for example in terms of social services.

Related to this, at the request of migrant-receiving states, health assessments are provided to persons accepted for resettlement before their departure. This aims to reduce and better manage the public health impact of population mobility on receiving countries, facilitate the integration of migrants through detection and cost-effective management of health conditions as well as to provide information on the medical condition of migrants. In addition to offering large-scale pre-departure treatment for high-prevalence conditions like malaria and intestinal parasites, treatment is also provided to migrants with tuberculosis and certain sexually transmissible infections. Furthermore, the migrants are immunized against preventable conditions and counselling services are offered pre- and post-HIV testing. Migrants travelling under the auspices of the Organization's programmes are assessed to ensure they are fit for travel before departure and medical escorts are arranged for migrants who need assistance and care en route.