Joblio.co is a social impact project that protects labor migrants globally and creates efficiency for employers and governments alike. Jon Purizhansky is the founder of Joblio, who points out the importance of the Montreal Recommendations for Recruitment. In 2020 the International Organization for Migration (IOM) published new guidelines for the recruitment and protection of migrant workers, stressing that these people are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Migrant workers can be vulnerable to abuse and exploitation during migration and employment due to factors including unethical recruitment, migration status, fear of deportation, or the inability to find alternative employment, particularly during the current COVID-19 crisis.
It was for this reason, Jon Purizhansky says, that the IOM published new guidance for member states on the regulation of international recruitment and protection of migrant workers. The UN agency said in a statement that the guide, called The Montreal Recommendations on Recruitment: A Roadmap towards Better Regulation provides clear guidance to policymakers on how to protect migrant workers during recruitment, migration, and employment.
The guide is designed to help develop comprehensive, multi-faceted approaches to promote ethical recruitment, enhance transparency and accountability. Regulators have a responsibility to establish and effectively enforce the legal and policy framework under which labor recruiters and employers operate and guarantee their compliance.
Jon Purizhansky also stresses that 100 regulators from more than 30 countries gathered at the Global Conference on the Regulation of International Recruitment, in Montreal, Canada, in June 2019. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) co-hosted this conference in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Gouvernement du Québec, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the United States. The event brought together senior policymakers, leading experts and practitioners from ministries of Labour, Foreign Affairs and Immigration, supported by experts from international and regional organizations, including IOM, International Labour Organization (ILO) and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Jon Purizhansky accents that participants adopted the following recommendations:
(1) Protecting migrant workers;
(2) Recruitment fees;
(3) Registration and licensing;
(4) Administration, inspections and enforcement;
(5) Ratings, rewards and rankings;
(6) Access to grievance mechanisms and dispute resolution;
(7) Bilateral, regional and multilateral mechanisms;
(8) Migrant welfare and assistance; and
(9) Maintaining the momentum on regulation. The 55 recommendations, reproduced below with accompanying commentary, are consistent with international human rights and labour standards, the ILO General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment1 and the multi-stakeholder standard established by the International Recruitment Integrity System (IRIS).2 they provide diverse, practical guidance to governments to enable more effective regulation of international recruitment and protection of migrant workers
Jon Purizhansky concludes that it’s essential that the Montreal recommendations are implemented because they truly reflect the solutions that the global ecosystem requires. The implementation of the Montreal Recommendations is the only practical way to protect labor migrants globally.
