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In most countries even legally admitted workers do not enjoy the same rights as the national workforce, while irregular workers and those who have been trafficked are vulnerable to the worst forms of abuse and exploitation.
Rights abuses may emerge at the outset when workers arrive to discover that they have been enticed into employment under false pretences — that they are not doing the work for which they signed the contract or that they face harsh working conditions. Many workers also have their passports or other documents confiscated by their employer.
They may also be working for less pay than they have been promised or their pay may be delayed, or they can suffer deductions from their salaries without their consent, even if these will supposedly be given to them when they return to their country of origin. They may also find themselves working for up to a year effectively for nothing if they are required to pay off excessive recruitment fees. Generally they lack access to health services or social security, and migrant women are particularly vulnerable
to violence and sexual abuse.
Migrants who attempt to protect themselves can also experience discrimination. They may, for example, be dismissed or blacklisted when they join or establish workers’ organizations. Or ultimately they may be summarily expelled from the country.
What the ILO can offer
For the the protection of workers' rights the clearest guidance comes from ILO standards and recommendations, and the Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration. We also produce guidelines and encourage networking between governments, trade unions and employers organizations in both sending and receiving countries on ways to protect workers.
As part of an international network, ILO experts provide information on and access to the best practices from other countries and regions.
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