ILO pushes for stronger protection for migrant workers

•Warns decent work key to global stability

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has intensified calls for stronger protection for migrant workers, urging governments across the world to place decent work, fair recruitment and social protection at the heart of labour migration policies.

The renewed push came at the second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where member states adopted a Progress Declaration reaffirming their commitment to implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).

Speaking at the forum, Chief of the ILO Labour Migration Branch, Gladys Cisneros, stressed that migrant workers must no longer remain at the margins of migration governance.

“The ILO welcomes this important declaration. Migrant workers must be at the centre of migration governance. Ensuring labour rights, fair recruitment and access to social protection is essential, not only for migrant workers themselves, but also for inclusive and sustainable labour markets everywhere,” she said.

The declaration reaffirmed the need for countries to expand safe and regular migration pathways in ways that promote labour mobility and decent work, while responding to changing demographic realities and global labour shortages.

It also called for stronger systems for skills development and recognition, as well as firm measures prohibiting recruiters and employers from transferring recruitment costs to migrant workers: a practice long criticised for exposing migrants to debt bondage and exploitation.

At the high-level gathering, the ILO led several strategic discussions focused on the future of labour migration governance, social justice and workers’ rights amid growing global uncertainties.

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The discussions examined issues such as ethical recruitment, access to social protection, portability of benefits, skills recognition and the need to address the structural economic pressures driving migration across regions.

The organisation also co-hosted side events with governments and international partners, including Bangladesh, Ghana, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the European Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

The engagements focused on key workplace concerns affecting migrant workers, including wage protection systems, regular migration pathways, women migrant workers in the care economy, skills mobility and the implications of climate and economic transitions on labour migration.

ILO Special Representative to the United Nations in New York, Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, warned that the future of migration governance must remain anchored on labour rights and international standards as global economic pressures intensify.

“International migration remains overwhelmingly driven by the search for employment and a dignified livelihood and is thus intrinsically linked to the world of work,” she said.

“In the face of significant global megatrends, demographic change, climatic shifts and technological advancements — a continued focus on international labour standards and decent work as a foundation to address labour migration governance is essential.”

The second IMRF, held from May 4 to 8, brought together UN member states, workers’ organisations, employers and development partners to review progress made under the Global Compact for Migration.

As a founding member of the UN Network on Migration, the ILO said it would continue to champion fair migration policies rooted in international labour standards, social dialogue and workers’ rights protections.

The organisation noted that its renewed migration agenda is being driven through the ILO Governing Body’s fair migration action framework adopted in March 2025, alongside deeper collaboration with governments, labour unions and development institutions worldwide.