A new ILO anthology titled Temporary Labour Migration: Towards Social Justice? has been released, offering fresh insights into the challenges and opportunities of temporary labour migration worldwide. The book gathers contributions from leading academics and experts who examine how temporary labour migration programs have evolved and what they mean for both local labour markets and migrant workers.
The anthology explains that many temporary migration programs can leave workers with poor working conditions, limited rights, and exclusion from labour laws. However, the publication also highlights recent policy innovations that aim to improve these programs. Some new ideas offer workers more freedom to change employers and better protection of their rights. By bringing together diverse perspectives from different regions and historical periods, the book provides practical policy recommendations to make migration fairer and more just.
The volume is organized around four key themes: the changing views on temporary labour migration; an analysis of new mobility programs; issues related to the governance of migration, including the impact of international trade; and policy tools that protect migrant workers along with lessons from history. In exploring both the economic and legal sides of temporary labour migration, the anthology emphasizes the urgent need for social justice. It calls for equal treatment for migrant workers, stronger protection mechanisms, and more coherent migration policies.
The publication, available for download on the ILO website, is edited by Christiane Kuptsch and Fabiola Mieres, senior migration and labour market specialists at the ILO. Their work provides a detailed look at how temporary labour migration affects millions of workers and offers a roadmap for improving the system to ensure fairer treatment and better opportunities for all involved.
This new resource is designed to help policymakers, researchers, and advocates better understand and address the complex issues surrounding temporary labour migration. With its comprehensive analysis and forward-looking recommendations, the ILO anthology serves as an important tool in the global effort to secure social justice for migrant workers.