Third Country National
Encyclopedia
Third Country National (TCN) is a term often used in the context of migration
, referring to individuals who are in transit and/or applying for visas in countries that are not their country of origin (i.e. country of transit), in order to go to destination countries that is likewise not their country of origin. In the European Union
, the term is often used, together with "foreign national
" and "non-EU foreign national", to refer to individuals who are neither from the EU country in which they are currently living or staying, nor from other EU Member States.
In terms of employment, the term is often used to designate "an employee working temporarily in an assignment country, who is neither a national of the assignment country nor of the country in which the corporate headquarters is located."
In the US, it is often used to describe individuals of other nationalities hired by a government or government sanctioned contractor who represent neither the contracting government nor the host country or area of operations. This is most often those performing on government contracts in the role of a private military contractor. The term can also be used to describe foreign worker
s employed by private industry and citizens in a country such as Kuwait
in which it is common to outsource work to non-citizens.
Examples of this hierarchy are as follows:
Contract personnel being used by the US government to fight the global war on terror in Iraq consist of Expats, namely those personnel of US citizenship that represent a private military contractor being contracted by the US Government, Indigenous Iraqi and Kurdish personnel and TCNs such as are currently being employed by many of the Private Military Contracting Firms currently under contract.
TCNs such as have been employed by the United States military (through contractors) for operations in the Middle East for many years. The accommodations, security, and treatment of TCNs can vary greatly from the way that U.S. and multinational coalition personnel are treated. Their contracts often require them to work for four years continuously without a break to return to their home countries. Many TCN contractors have also been lured by preemployment deals that have guaranteed them the job as long as they give a percentage of their pay to an 'employment agent' or 'representative'. TCN housing compounds are generally in less secure areas outside of the main base. As a result many TCNs in such high-risk areas have been injured or killed, however most military installations will provide life-saving medical care as required.
Since April 2006, the Pentagon now demands that contractors fight labor trafficking and low quality working conditions in Iraq endured by tens of thousands of low-paid south Asians working under US-funded contracts in Iraq.
In an April 19 memorandum to all Pentagon contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Joint Contracting Command demands that the widespread practice of taking away workers passports come to end. Contractors engaging in the practice, states the memo, must immediately "cease and desist."
"All passports will be returned to employees by 1 May 06. This requirement will be flowed down to each of your subcontractors performing work in this theater."
Despite the Pentagon crackdown, civilian contractors still report problems of poor working conditions.
Human migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
, referring to individuals who are in transit and/or applying for visas in countries that are not their country of origin (i.e. country of transit), in order to go to destination countries that is likewise not their country of origin. In the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, the term is often used, together with "foreign national
Foreign national
Foreign national is a term used to describe a person who is not a citizen of the host country in which he or she is residing or temporarily sojourning. In Canada, a foreign national is defined as someone who is not a Canadian citizen nor a permanent resident of Canada...
" and "non-EU foreign national", to refer to individuals who are neither from the EU country in which they are currently living or staying, nor from other EU Member States.
In terms of employment, the term is often used to designate "an employee working temporarily in an assignment country, who is neither a national of the assignment country nor of the country in which the corporate headquarters is located."
In the US, it is often used to describe individuals of other nationalities hired by a government or government sanctioned contractor who represent neither the contracting government nor the host country or area of operations. This is most often those performing on government contracts in the role of a private military contractor. The term can also be used to describe foreign worker
Foreign worker
A foreign worker is a person who works in a country other than the one of which he or she is a citizen. The term migrant worker as discussed in the migrant worker page is used in a particular UN resolution as a synonym for "foreign worker"...
s employed by private industry and citizens in a country such as Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
in which it is common to outsource work to non-citizens.
Use of the term in the US
Generally speaking, the US government classifies contract personnel under one of three headings:- Ex-pat - those personnel who are of the same nationality as the contracting government. (In Iraq, foreign nationals working as a member of a US contractor are regarded as Ex-pats)
- TCN or Third Country National – those personnel of a separate nationality to both the contracting government and the AO or "Area of operations".
- HCN's (Host country nationals), LN's (Local Nationals), Indigs (Indigenous Personnel) – those personnel who are indigenous to the area of operations.
Examples of this hierarchy are as follows:
Contract personnel being used by the US government to fight the global war on terror in Iraq consist of Expats, namely those personnel of US citizenship that represent a private military contractor being contracted by the US Government, Indigenous Iraqi and Kurdish personnel and TCNs such as are currently being employed by many of the Private Military Contracting Firms currently under contract.
TCNs such as have been employed by the United States military (through contractors) for operations in the Middle East for many years. The accommodations, security, and treatment of TCNs can vary greatly from the way that U.S. and multinational coalition personnel are treated. Their contracts often require them to work for four years continuously without a break to return to their home countries. Many TCN contractors have also been lured by preemployment deals that have guaranteed them the job as long as they give a percentage of their pay to an 'employment agent' or 'representative'. TCN housing compounds are generally in less secure areas outside of the main base. As a result many TCNs in such high-risk areas have been injured or killed, however most military installations will provide life-saving medical care as required.
Since April 2006, the Pentagon now demands that contractors fight labor trafficking and low quality working conditions in Iraq endured by tens of thousands of low-paid south Asians working under US-funded contracts in Iraq.
In an April 19 memorandum to all Pentagon contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Joint Contracting Command demands that the widespread practice of taking away workers passports come to end. Contractors engaging in the practice, states the memo, must immediately "cease and desist."
"All passports will be returned to employees by 1 May 06. This requirement will be flowed down to each of your subcontractors performing work in this theater."
Despite the Pentagon crackdown, civilian contractors still report problems of poor working conditions.
External links
- Definition of "Third Country National" on the Eurofound website.
- Blood, Sweat & Tears: Asia’s Poor Build U.S. Bases in Iraq, by David Phinney, CorpWatch October 3rd, 2005
- Pentagon Attacks Labor Trafficking by US Contractors, by David Phinney, CorpWatch, April 24th, 2006
- US Fortress Rises in Baghdad, by David Phinney, CorpWatch, October 17th, 2006
- Probe into Iraq Trafficking Claims, CNN.com, May 5, 2004
- Indian Contract Workers in Iraq Complain of Exploitation, New York Times, May 7th, 2004
- Underclass of Workers Created in Iraq, Washington Post, July 1, 2004