Fair Recruitment for Decent Work: A Dialogue on Promising Practices in the Western Hemisphere

On December 10, the U.S. Department of Labor, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), hosted an event to spotlight the 10th anniversary of the Fair Recruitment Initiative (FRI). This dialogue, titled “Fair Recruitment for Decent Work: Best Practices in the Western Hemisphere,” highlighted the critical need to address recruitment-related abuses such as discrimination, contract deception, and the extortion of high fees, which are key drivers of forced labour and human trafficking.

Recruitment abuses disproportionately impact migrant workers, who are three times more likely to experience forced labour than other workers. Recent ILO research revealed that illegal profits generated from recruitment fees paid by migrants in forced labour amount to $5.6 billion, undermining labour markets and worker protections globally.

The ILO Fair Recruitment Initiative, launched in 2014, adopts a comprehensive approach by collaborating with governments, employers, workers’ organizations, to ensure recruitment practices are transparent, effectively regulated, and uphold workers’ rights. It also serves as an enabler of decent work and inclusive labour markets.

This dialogue was particularly timely given the ongoing efforts in the Western Hemisphere, such as the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection and the ILO Regional Strategy on Labour Migration and Human Mobility 2023–2030, which prioritizes fair recruitment. Participants from across the Americas highlighted progress made under the FRI and discussed ongoing challenges, shared lessons learned and explored opportunities to amplify fair recruitment efforts. Participants underscored the importance of fair recruitment as a pathway to ensuring decent work, protecting workers’ rights, and fostering resilient labour markets.