Labour Recruitment to the UAE: Gaps between Policy and Practice in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and the Philippines

Abstract

Private recruitment agents continue to operate a wide and profitable network which offer several services to migrant workers as well as employers, although several other channels provide similar services to access the overseas job markets. Most sending countries including Sri Lanka, have set in place regulations and guidelines for the protection and welfare of the workers and the recruitment agencies are required to abide by them. Recently, the UAE, being a major receiving country has also brought in measures to regulate employment agencies operating in their country. However, in spite of this, migrants experience untold hardship, abuse and mistreatment due to the gaps between such regulations and its implementation. The paper identifies these gaps and provides recommendations to overcome them.