Protection of migrant workers’ rights

GATS mode 4: Movement of natural persons and protection of migrant workers’ rights

The paper indicates that while labour standards might affect the international trade in goods, there is no indication that they actually slow down international migration. Rather, in the changed global scenario since the Uruguay Round, escalating demands for temporary overseas workers necessitates the incorporation of migrant worker protection clauses into any multilateral framework that deals with temporary migration.

The paper suggested several ways by which the International Labour Organization (ILO), as the leading international organization on workers’ rights, can influence the debate on GATS Mode 4 both by collaborating with the WTO and also independently, by using its unique tripartite structure, international outreach and technical assistance.