The International Labour Organization has called for stronger rights-based labour migration governance and renewed commitments to decent work for migrant workers worldwide.
The call was made at the second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), where members of the Forum adopted a Progress Declaration on 8 May, thereby reaffirming their political commitment to implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, or GCM.
"The ILO welcomes this important declaration. Migrant workers must be at the centre of migration governance. Ensuring labour rights, fair recruitment and access to social protection is essential, not only for migrant workers themselves, but also for inclusive and sustainable labour markets everywhere," said Gladys Cisneros, Chief of the ILO Labour Migration Branch.
The Progress Declaration reaffirms the need to strengthen efforts to enhance and diversify the availability of pathways for safe, orderly and regular migration in a manner that facilitates labour mobility and decent work, reflecting demographic and labour market realities. This includes through enhanced skills development and recognition systems and prohibiting recruiters and employers from charging or shifting recruitment fees and related costs to migrant workers.
At the IMRF, the ILO organized roundtables and side events that focused on its key policy priorities on decent work, social justice and social dialogue. These included roundtable discussions focused on objectives addressing adverse drivers and structural factors driving migration, fair and ethical recruitment and decent work, skills development and recognition, and access to and portability of social protection.
The ILO also co-hosted side events with key stakeholders, including social partners, the governments of Bangladesh, Ghana, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Spain, as well as the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union, about a range of world of work issues including wage protection and social protection; skills, mobility and the just transition; decent work and regular pathways; and empowerment and rights protection of women migrant workers in the care economy.
"International migration remains overwhelmingly driven by the search for employment and a dignified livelihood and is thus intrinsically linked to the world of work. In the face of significant global megatrends - demographic change, climatic shifts, and technological advancements - a continued focus on international labour standards and decent work as a foundation to address labour migration governance is essential," said Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, the ILO's Special Representative to the UN in New York.
The International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) is the primary intergovernmental platform to review implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM). The second Forum was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 4-8 May 2026, and brought together UN member States and stakeholders, including social partners.
In line with its unique mandate to protect migrant workers and its tripartite structure, the ILO is a founder member of the UN Network on Migration, the UN's coordination body which supports GCM implementation.
The ILO continues to drive meaningful advancement towards decent work for migrant workers, driven by international labour standards and the fundamental principles and rights at work and the ILO agenda and action on fair migration, adopted by the ILO Governing Body in March 2025, and through cooperation with Member States, social partners and development partners.
You can replay and watch highlights of the ILO co-hosted Roundtables and side event on ILO Live
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