IOM-MPI Issue in Brief No. 4 - Regulating Private Recruitment in the Asia-Middle East Labour Migration Corridor

The Middle East represents one of the most sought-after and competitive labour markets in the world, with an estimated 10 million contract workers in the Gulf states alone – 70 per cent of whom are Asian. 

The vast majority of this temporary labour movement is brokered by recruitment agencies; and with the supply of labour overwhelmingly outweighing demand, oversight of recruitment practices is extremely difficult. Migrant workers are willing to pay a stiff premium to work in the Middle East, even in the face of onerous placement fees and less-than-ideal work and living conditions once at destination. 

In Regulating Private Recruitment in the Asia? Middle East Labour Migration Corridor, author Dovelyn Rannveig Agunias examines how sometimes unscrupulous recruitment agencies take advantage of the migrants they purport to serve, by charging excessive placement fees and offering expensive pre-departure loans. 

The issue brief, the fourth in a series launched by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and the International Organization for Migration’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, discusses the policy options that could be implemented to curb abuses by increasing government intervention in recruitment operations. 

Available policy levers for regulating recruitment practices are many and should aim to achieve the following overarching goals: (1) reduce the number of recruitment agencies to an optimal level to prevent cut-throat competition, (2) bring subagents and brokers into the formal sector, (3) regulate transactions among recruiters and between recruiters and employers and (4) harmonize regulations governing recruitment agencies at origin and destination. 

The issue brief suggests that governments at both origin and destination should become involved by introducing parallel measures (such as provision of equal treatment and basic rights) that empower labour migrants and give them the needed negotiating leverage in an otherwise unequal employment relationship. 

The IOM-MPI issue briefs, a monthly joint-publication offering succinct insights on migration issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region today, are available at IOM Online Bookstore and Migration Policy Institute.

 

Pathways for empowering employment: Diversity and challenges for women migrant workers of Bangladesh

The study focuses on short term overseas employment of semi-skilled and low-skilled workers because most Bangladeshi female workers fall under this category. It covers only regular migration because there is insufficient data available on irregular, undocumented migration.

Committed to ensuring the protection and empowerment of women migrant workers in alignment with the outlined targets, the Government of Bangladesh recognizes the need to explore new employment markets and additional trade opportunities that are safe and that provide dignified work opportunities. For this reason, UN Women (in collaboration with the International Labour Organization and financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation) commissioned these two studies: an analysis of Japan as a potential destination for work for Bangladeshi women and an analysis of caregivers in health care and beauticians in beauty parlours as two potential formal labour sector occupations.

 

Analysis Report of Recruitment Reviews from Nepali migrant workers

This report explores recruitment practices of recruitment agencies based on the reviews from 1,593 reviewers provided to Recruitment Advisor.

The study found that:

- Sub-agents and middlemen continue to play an important role in facilitating the migration of Nepalis in foreign employment.

- Migrant workers are paying high recruitment and other related fees.

- Majority of migrant workers took pre-departure training.

- Migrant workers continue to be deceived about their job, salary, and benefits. 

- Passports of the workers were withheld by the employer. 

- Migrant workers were deprived of freedom of association and right to return. 

- Most migrant workers less informed about recruitment agency and employer.

The report also proposes ways forward regarding the identified problems.

Extracts of the first thematic dialogue of Alliance 8.7 Pathfinder Countries

This video presents extracts of the first thematic dialogue of Alliance 8.7 Pathfinder Countries. The online event brought together members of the Alliance to discuss how to accelerate progress towards target 8.7 of the 2030 sustainable development goals. This target seeks to eradicate forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking, and child labour.

The thematic dialogue, held in May 2022, focused on the topic of recruitment, and what practical measures are taken by governments and social partners to promote fair recruitment in their respective countries.

 

In these videos we present speakers from Mexico and from Tunisia.

In the first video, we hear from Maestra Ingrid CEBALLOS, the General Director for Institutional Affairs, in the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare of the Government of Mexico. Maestra CEBALLOS is also the co-chair ILO Fair Recruitment Initiative’s advisory committee.

We then hear from Mrs Luz Maria CHOMBO, Certification Manager for the employer’s organisation AHIFORES (International Horticultural Alliance for the Promotion of Social Responsibility).

In this video, we hear from Mr. Ahmed MESSAOUDI, Director General at the Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment; Mr. MESSAOUDI is a member of the Advisory Committee of the ILO Fair Recruitment Initiative. We then hear from Mr. Abdelkader Mhadhbi from the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT).

The webinar was facilitated by Ms. Laura de Franchis (ILO, Geneva), and organised by Ms. Gaëla Roudy Fraser (ILO, Geneva) as part of the implementation of the Integrated Programme on Fair Recruitment (FAIR, phase II) supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

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