Background

The COVID-19 impact on mobility of workers across borders is creating unique vulnerabilities for migrant workers. At the same time, employers in countries of destination are being challenged by critical labour shortages. Governments are facing extraordinary challenges in designing and enforcing appropriate regulations.

Ensuring fair, ethical and responsible recruitment during this volatile period is more essential than ever. The crisis has exposed new as well as pre-existing, often structural, challenges in the recruitment of migrant workers for all actors involved and the overall functioning of labour markets.

This side event to the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) will explore how the COVID-19 crisis has changed the recruitment landscape, how different stakeholders are responding, and what kind of policy and practical action is needed to contribute to a better post-COVID-19 recruitment landscape.

Agenda:

Opening remarks:

• Ms. Simone Giger, Head of Global Programme Migration and Development, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
• Mr Francesco Luciani, Head of Unit of Unit G6 Migration and Forced Displacement DG for International Partnerships

Panel discussion:

• Hon. Donaciano Domínguez, Deputy General Coordinator, National Employment Service, Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare, Mexico
• Mr. A. Bhantoo, Director of Employment service at the Ministry of Labour, Mauritius
• Mr Menno Bart, Public Affairs Manager, The Adecco Group
• Ms Henriette McCool, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Vinci. Member of the IHRB Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment
• Mr Alex Au,  Vice President, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2)
• Mr Joe Martinez, Executive Director, CIERTO Global, Servicios Profesionales de Trabajadores Agrícolas, USA
• Ms Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

Interpretation in English and Spanish will be available.

To register for the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) visit: https://gfmduae.org/ .

Key documents