Running in Circles: Progress and Challenges in Regulating Recruitment of Filipino and Sri Lankan Labor Migrants to Jordan

Abstract

In recent years, Jordan became a major recruiter of domestic labour, the migrants being mainly from Philippines and Sri Lanka. Recruitment agencies play an important role in facilitating such employment, and this brings up the possibility of abuse and exploitation of the migrants. To circumvent this, several regulatory mechanisms relating to recruitment practices have been put in place by state agencies in both countries. Monitoring and adjudication systems are also in operation to ensure compliance with such regulation, this being done by a dedicated office or department mandated to deal with foreign employment and recruitment. Despite these steps, migrants still remain vulnerable at the hands of unscrupulous recruitment agencies.