Publications on labour migration

May 2021

  1. Report

    Promoting fair and ethical recruitment in a digital world

    17 May 2021

    This joint report by the ILO and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) explores innovative state-facilitated digital technology platforms from four different contexts, with a focus on the Employment Permit System of the Republic of Korea, Musaned from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, eMigrate from the Republic of India and the European Network of Employment Services.

January 2021

  1. ILO Brief

    Labour Migration in Asia and the Pacific

    01 January 2021

    A brief on ILO's priorities in Asia and the Pacific, January 2021 edition

February 2019

  1. Labour migration

    Access to the labour market for admitted migrant workers in Asia and related corridors

    07 February 2019

    This publication aims to help policy makers and stakeholders develop informed strategies and programmes supporting greater flexibility and decent work for migrant workers while enhancing labour market efficiency and labour migration governance.

August 2016

  1. Labour migration

    Regional guidelines on the return and reintegration of migrant workers participating in the Employment Permit System of the Republic of Korea

    25 August 2016

    Since 2012, the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme labour migration component has focused on migration and development. Research and national and regional workshops have focused on return and reintegration, leading to the development and adoption of these Regional Guidelines on Return and Reintegration Programmes.

  2. Labour migration

    Smart remittance guide for workers migrating to the Republic of Korea

    25 August 2016

    The Smart Remittance Guide has been prepared for migrant workers to inform them of the procedures to send remittances from the Republic of Korea through regular channels. The purpose of distributing this information is to improve migrant workers’ ability to send home remittances in a safe, cost-conscious, and transparent manner. Since 2012, the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme labour migration component has focused on migration and development. Research on remittance service in the Republic of Korea and remittance sending patterns of migrant workers in the Republic of Korea have led to the production of this brochure.

February 2015

  1. International Migration Papers No. 119

    The Republic of Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS): Background and Rapid Assessment

    10 February 2015

    For the majority of the 20th century, the Republic of Korea was a country of net emigration, but it has entered the 21st century as a clear country of destination, in particular for workers from other Asian countries, who come to work mainly in small-and-medium sized enterprises and in agriculture. The Employment Permit System (EPS) is an example of a non-seasonal temporary labour migration programme that operates through bilateral government-to-government memoranda of understanding (MOU). This paper provides some background to the creation of the EPS, gives an overview of its functioning, and assesses its strengths and weaknesses in terms of migration governance and the protection of migrant workers. The paper is based mainly on existing desk-research as well as interviews with stakeholder representatives.

December 2011

  1. Publication

    Research on occupational safety and health for migrant workers in five Asia and the Pacific countries: Australia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand

    01 December 2011

    This working paper presents trends and facts relevant to the five target countries’ OSH environments for migrant workers, with the long term aim of raising awareness of workplace safety for migrant labour forces and instilling the significance of sound OSH practices at work in all stakeholders, including governments, employers, workers and NGOs.