plunging view of textile workers in a factory

Topic portal

Fair recruitment

© ILO

In today’s globalized economy, workers are increasingly looking for job opportunities beyond their home country in search of decent work and better livelihoods. In addition, millions of workers migrate internally in search of decent work. 

Public and private employment agencies, when appropriately regulated, play an important role in the efficient and equitable functioning of labour markets by matching available jobs with suitably qualified workers. However, concerns have been raised about the growing role of unscrupulous employment agencies, informal labour intermediaries and other operators acting outside the legal and regulatory framework that prey especially on low-skilled workers. 

In response to those challenges, the Fair Recruitment Initiative (FRI) was launched in 2014 as part of the ILO Director General’s call for a Fair Migration Agenda.

Media engagement on forced labour and fair recruitment

Media engagement on forced labour and fair recruitment

The ILO Fair Recruitment Initiative

The ILO Fair Recruitment Initiative

Integrated Programme on Fair Recruitment (FAIR)

Integrated Programme on Fair Recruitment (FAIR)

News and articles

From registration to return: Strengthening overseas employment governance in Bangladesh with ILO support
Launching of OEP

Labour migration

From registration to return: Strengthening overseas employment governance in Bangladesh with ILO support

Private Employment Agencies Step Up for Fair Recruitment in Nigeria
Participants take a group photo at a workshop on fair recruitment and protect the rights of Nigerian workers

Private Employment Agencies Step Up for Fair Recruitment in Nigeria

Most recent publications

Guide to private employment agencies

Second (revised) edition

Guide to private employment agencies

Fair Recruitment Initiative Strategy 2026-2030: The way forward, from policy to practice

Fair Recruitment Initiative Strategy 2026-2030: The way forward, from policy to practice

Labor Migration in Asia: Fair recruitment, training, and development

ADBI-OECD-ILO joint publication

Labor Migration in Asia: Fair recruitment, training, and development

Subscribe to the Fair Recruitment Initiative Newsletter