Background

For migrant workers, when recruitment intermediaries connect them to decent work opportunities in destination countries and are properly regulated, they play a crucial role in, facilitating labour market efficiency, and contribute to broader social justice efforts.  Unfortunately, migrant workers often face abuses and discrimination and are three times more at risk of forced labour. Common abuses include deception about working conditions, confiscation of passports, illegal wage deductions, debt bondage due to recruitment fees and related costs, and threats or intimidation. Such practices can lead to forced labour and trafficking in persons.

In 2014, the ILO Director General ILO launched the Fair Recruitment Initiative (FRI). Grounded in international labour standards, social dialogue and gender equality, the FRI adopts a holistic approach to recruitment. Since its launch, there has been an increased national uptake of the ILO fair recruitment guidance, particularly the General Principles and Operational Guidelines and the accompanying Definition of recruitment fees and related costs. Several countries have implemented reform measures of their recruitment governance frameworks in line with ILO guidance on fair recruitment.

This event is an opportunity to highlight promising practices and challenges to realising fair recruitment within and across national contexts. It presents avenues for ILO Constituents and other stakeholders to engage in a peer-to-peer learning exchange on strategies for mainstreaming global guidance on fair recruitment. 

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Key documents