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International Migration Branch ILO/MIGRANT

Conditions of Work and Equality Department

International Labour Office 4 Route des Morillons

Geneva

CH - 1211

Switzerland

Tel:+41 22 799 6667

Website:www.ilo.org/migrant

Email:migrant@ilo.org

ILO home > About the ILO > How the ILO works > Departments and offices > Social Protection Sector > Departments > International Migration Branch

International Migration Branch

The ILO's mandate requires it to reach out to those who are most vulnerable, who face great insecurity and for whom the denial of social justice is most cruel. They are often hard to reach, and yet they are great in number. The example of domestic workers shows what can be done. The ILO must also give priority to...migrant workers."
Mr. Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General
in his Vision Statement

In this era of globalisation, almost all countries in the world are involved in migration as countries of origin, destination, or transit—or all three. Of the several millions of people living outside their countries of birth, the ILO estimates that almost 90 per cent are migrant workers and their families. While international migration can be a positive experience for migrant workers, many suffer poor working and living conditions, including low wages, unsafe work environments, a virtual absence of the social safety net, denial of freedom of association and workers’ rights, discrimination and xenophobia. Therefore, the ILO approaches international labour migration—international migration undertaken for work—from a labour market and rights-based perspective with the intent to promote decent working conditions for migrants as well as migrants’ labour and human rights.

As the UN specialized agency on labour issues, the ILO has been dealing with labour migration since its foundation in 1919. The very Constitution of the ILO specifically mandates the organization in its Preamble to give attention to the "protection of the interests of workers when employed in countries other than their own". The International Migration Branch (MIGRANT) is the main unit responsible for labour migration issues in the ILO.

MIGRANT promotes the ratification and implementation of international standards; facilitates the participation of ILO's tripartite constituents in formulating and implementing migration policy; provides advisory services and a forum for consultations; serves as a global knowledge base on international labour migration; and conducts or coordinates various projects to strengthen the capacity of ILO's tripartite constituents and other relevant partners such as non-governmental organizations and migrants' associations, to deal with a wide range of labour migration issues.

What's new

Promote mobility and protect the rights of migrant workers (in french)

18 March 2012

The creative blog BITMIGRANT highlights practical tools for financial education identified in the framework of the ILO project entitled "Good Governance of Labour Migration and its link to development in Mali, Mauritania and Senegal".
Labour Migration Academy : Enhancing Protection, Promoting Development and Facilitating Governance

18 April 2011

This interregional training activity aims at providing advanced knowledge and enhancing the capacity of key migration actors to better understand labour migration challenges and opportunities in a changing global political, economic and social context. In addition to general sessions such as a daily plenary forum focusing on key topics that constitute the foundations for the training programme, the Academy offers parallel elective courses on good labour migration governance, protection of migrant workers, and migration and development.
Bahrain: Decree 79 aims at ending sponsor system

31 August 2009

In 2009, Bahrain adopted the strongest sponsorship reform in the region by permitting migrant workers to change employment without their employer’s consent and in the absence of allegations of nonpayment of wages or abuse. Majeed al Alawi, the minister of labor in Bahrain, likened the kafala (sponsorship) system to slavery when justifying the reform.
ILO welcomes Manila Call to Action to protect rights of migrant women

30 September 2008

Governments from 38 countries, trade unions, employers’ organizations, the private sector, civil society organizations including women’s and religious associations, academe and international organizations adopted a Manila Call to Action here to enhance opportunities and protect the rights of migrant women and their families all over the world.
New UN initiative to fight human trafficking and poverty in Tajikistan

09 July 2007