Fraudulent practices at the recruitment stage can leave low-skilled workers extremely vulnerable. These practices might include debt bondage linked to payment by low-skilled migrant workers of excessive recruitment fees, costs and charges and deception about the nature and conditions of work, often leading to detrimental contract substitution and human trafficking for labour exploitation. A complex and opaque web of intermediaries including sub-agents and outsourcing agents facilitate visa trading and drive up recruitment charges for low-skilled migrant workers. Collusion between labour brokers at origin and destination can perpetuate these practices, through such methods as kickback payments. Within the Asia-Arab States corridor, the ILO has collaborated with constituents to promote fair migration during several forums. This White Paper serves to further stimulate policy dialogue for fair migration in the interlinked Asia-Arab States region. It outlines the main challenges to fair recruitment in the Asia-Arab States corridor, and proposes concrete measures for reform. Reform will require harmonizing legislation, accreditation and monitoring between countries of origin and destination, as well as significant cooperation with the private sector for the review of business practices by corporate contractors and employers of domestic workers. © ILO Regional Office for the Arab States
