Objective 6: Facilitate fair and ethical recruitment and safeguard conditions that ensure decent work

Under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), the movement of natural persons is one of the four ways through which services can be supplied internationally. Otherwise known as “Mode 4”, it covers natural persons who are either service suppliers (such as independent professionals) or who work for a service supplier and who are present in another WTO member to supply a service. It is a multilateral framework available on a non-discriminatory basis to all WTO Member States.

ILO conducted three research studies on West, North and East African countries aimed at assisting governments and social partners to address the fundamental building blocks of effective policy and practice to regulate labour migration. Understanding that good policy depends on good data, this study assesses the current state of data collection and suggests specific measures to improve and harmonize collection and analysis of statistical data on labour migration and to more effectively use it in policy and administration. 

The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), under its Regional Programme on 'Empowering Women Migrant Workers in Asia', partners with recruiting/placement agency associations in some Asian countries to negotiate favourable contracts, benefits and working conditions for women; and to inform them of their rights. 

The programme began implementation in 2001, promoting women’s human rights and empowerment by:

The Associated Marine Officers and Seafarers Unions of the Philippines (AMOSUP) provides a roster of services to its members, including hospitalization and medical benefits to the seafarers, their spouses and families under a broad preventive, diagnostic and curative program. AMOSUP also provides legal representation, pension plans, life insurance and burial benefits for its members covered by Collective Bargaining Agreements between workers and ship operators.

The IOM Independent Network of Labour Migration and Integration Experts (LINET) was created in 2009 by the International Organization for Migration in order to provide the Directorate General of Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission with expert analysis and advice on economic migration and labour market integration of third country nationals.

The Skills Passport guarantees English language proficiency to designated levels and technical skills against Saskatchewan's Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) certificate and diploma program standards.

All people working in Australia, including foreign workers, are entitled to basic rights and protections in the workplace. Workplace laws in Australia generally apply equally to all workers employed in Australia. Employers engaging foreign workers must ensure they comply with Australian workplace laws. These laws, including the payment of minimum rates of pay and conditions under awards and agreements, are enforced by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

The Triple Win Project, coordinated by Germany's Development Ministry (GIZ), aims to match a surplus of qualified experts in countries of origin with unfilled vacancies in Germany. Participating third countries are Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Philippines. The term "triple win" refers to the benefits for the migrant and the labour market in the country of origin, the shortage sector in the country of destination and the development stimulus received by the country of origin through remittances.

The Employer Sanctions Directive sets out rules to target employers who employ irregular migrants. For example, employers hiring undeclared workers would face sanctions, including fines and paying back wages to their workers. In some cases – such as repeated or conscious hiring of undocumented migrants, or hiring of children or victims of human trafficking – the employers could be punished under criminal law. Furthermore, the legislation includes protection measures in favour of non-EU workers, especially those exploited by unscrupulous employers.