Bridging the Digital Divide: Assessment of the Digital Skills of Migrant Workers and the Perspective of Employers in Thailand

Amid the rapid digital transformation, ensuring digital inclusion and upskilling for all members of society, including migrant workers, is of paramount importance. This report assesses the current usage of digital technology among migrant workers, including their skills level and needs across different digital competence areas, as well as the perception of employers regarding digital skills. The study adopts the European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens, also known as DigComp 2.0, which has been used on a global scale, as the conceptual reference model for identifying and measuring digital skills across various competence areas. Through a mixed-methods approach, a total of 456 migrant workers in Thailand were surveyed using the snowball sampling method and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 employers across the sectors of manufacturing, construction and hospitality. The findings from this study will be used to design needs-based digital skills training programmes and curricula as well as to identify entry points to promote digital inclusion among migrant workers in Thailand.