Migrant Domestic Workers

In response to increasing concern for migrant workers social protection rights, this Guide seeks to provide policymakers and practitioners with an overview of the legal framework and policy options relating to migrants and refugees access to social protection.
It also offers practical guidance based on country and regional practices that may inspire countries when engaging in legal reforms, negotiating social security agreements and designing social protection schemes.

Established in 2015, Saudi Arabiaís Musaned is the online digital recruitment platform for domestic workers in Saudi Arabia. Overseen by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MoHRSD), Musaned has provided the MoHRSD with a wide range of data and tools to enhance their monitoring capabilities over the employment of migrant domestic workers.

Musaned was established, in part, to address issues faced by migrant domestic workers, including unethical or illegal recruitment and employment practices in Saudi Arabia

Haho commits to strengthening the integration and social cohesion of migrant, displaced, and marginalized communities within the city. Haho attracts many ethnic groups from surrounding rural areas, which sometimes leads to social tension and violence within the city. To address these tensions, Haho’s project activities are grouped into two components.

This action was submitted through the GFMD Mayors Mechanism Call to Local Action for Migrants and Refugees.

Barranquilla is a recipient of the Global Cities Fund, the Mayors Migration Council’s response to the unmet needs of cities as they support migrants, refugees, and internally displaced people.

This action was submitted through the GFMD Mayors Mechanism Call to Local Action for Migrants and Refugees.

Addis Ababa is a recipient of the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees (GCF), the Mayors Migration Council’s response to the unmet needs of cities as they support migrants, refugees, and internally displaced people.

Labour Market Regulatory Authority launched the optional insurance for domestic workers, which covers cases of absence from work in violation of work permit terms, or unjust dismissal, compensation in case of injury, disability or death and repatriation costs. The insurance is available to employers who recruit domestic workers directly or through licensed employment offices acting as intermediaries.

Migrants as Messengers is a peer-to-peer messaging campaign by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) where returning migrants share with their communities and families the dangers, trauma, and abuse that many experienced while attempting irregular migration.  From smartphones to social media platforms and social networks, returning migrants from Senegal, Guinea, and Nigeria share their stories to generate awareness and provide advice and information on misconceptions about living abroad.

The Viet Nam Association of Manpower and Supply (VAMAS) has published an updated Code of Conduct  for the recruitment of workers for overseas jobs to improve ethical recruitment and better protect migrant workers. 

The Code and its monitoring tools were launched with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization of Migration (IOM) in Hanoi on 24 April 2018. 

This paper is part of the IOM Migration Research Leaders Syndicate’s contribution toward the Global Compact for Migration. It is one of 26 papers that make up a consolidated Syndicate publication focused on proposing ways to address complex and pressing issues in contemporary international migration. The Migration Research Leaders Syndicate, convened as part of IOM’s efforts to extend policy and technical expertise in support of the Global Compact for Migration, comprises senior researchers from diverse geographic, disciplinary and thematic backgrounds. 

The Poverty Reduction through Safe Migration, Skills Development and Enhanced Job Placement in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Thailand (PROMISE) project funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) aims to improve the employability of migrants; to promote safe migration from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar into Thailand; and to contribute to poverty reduction in the region.