The International Labour Organization (ILO) has called for stronger rights‑basedThe International Labour Organization (ILO) has called for stronger rights‑based labour migration governance and renewed commitments to decent work for migrant workers worldwide. The announcement came during the second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), where member states adopted a Progress Declaration reaffirming their commitment to implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
ILO officials emphasized that migrant workers must be placed at the centre of migration governance, with labour rights, fair recruitment, and access to social protection seen as essential for inclusive and sustainable labour markets. The Progress Declaration highlighted the need to expand safe and regular migration pathways, strengthen skills development and recognition systems, and prohibit recruiters and employers from charging recruitment fees to workers.
At the IMRF, the ILO organized roundtables and side events focused on key priorities such as addressing structural drivers of migration, promoting ethical recruitment, enhancing skills recognition, and ensuring access to portable social protection. These discussions involved governments, social partners, and international organizations, with particular attention to wage protection, mobility, the just transition, and the empowerment of women migrant workers in the care economy.
ILO representatives stressed that international migration is overwhelmingly driven by the search for employment and dignity, making it inseparable from the world of work. In the context of global megatrends such as demographic change, climate shifts, and technological advancements, they underscored the importance of international labour standards and decent work as the foundation for effective migration governance.
The IMRF, held at the UN Headquarters in New York from 4–8 May 2026, serves as the primary intergovernmental platform to review implementation of the Global Compact for Migration. The ILO, as a founding member of the UN Network on Migration, continues to advance decent work for migrant workers through international labour standards, cooperation with member states, and its fair migration agenda adopted in 2025.
