Promising practices for fair recruitment in Côte d'Ivoire: Development of an international placement service by the Youth Employment Agency

Côte d’Ivoire's Youth Employment Agency (Agence nationale pour l’insertion et l’emploi des jeunes), with ILO support, has developed an international placement service to promote fair recruitment and labour migration.

This initiative comes in response to the significant informal recruitment sector in Côte d’Ivoire, despite existing regulatory frameworks. Historically a labour immigration destination, the country has seen a rise in emigration in recent years, with a substantial portion of the youth workforce (63 per cent aged 14-35) seeking decent work opportunities abroad, often leading to irregular migration.

The Agence Emploi Jeunes, under the Ministry of Youth, focuses on job placement, regulation of private employment agencies, and supporting job creation and skills development. Following a systemic organizational assessment in April 2023, the need for a dedicated international placement service was identified. This led to a strategic workshop in November 2023, where operational guidelines and a roadmap for implementation were established.

In May 2024, Ivorian representatives learned from Morocco's successful international placement practices, which were then adapted and finalized for local implementation. By February 2025, staff training and the launch of nine pilot sites were completed, resulting in 25 successful international placements. This initiative highlights the importance of local ownership, international collaboration, and strong political commitment in advancing fair recruitment practices.

Content available in English and French.

Promising practices for fair recruitment in Hong Kong (China): Promoting fair recruitment of domestic workers: Behavioural insights to encourage employer due diligence

This promising practice presents the findings from a behavioural research study conducted as part of the ILO’s FAIR III project, which aims to promote fair recruitment.

In Hong Kong, despite the 2017 Code of Practice for Employment Agencies, unfair and illegal recruitment practices persist. Employers play a critical role in shaping recruitment outcomes, yet many remain unaware of their responsibilities or the risks involved. This research explored how behavioral science (the study of how individuals make decisions and respond to various influences) can be applied to encourage employer due diligence and support fair recruitment.

Through qualitative interviews, a randomized-controlled trial and the development of an innovative online game, the study tested different message framings to influence employer behaviour. The findings provide practical recommendations to strengthen policies, interventions, and outreach strategies so as to better protect migrant domestic workers and promote fair recruitment practices in Hong Kong.

Labor Migration in Asia: Fair recruitment, training, and development

This ADBI-OECD-ILO joint publication captures new and emerging trends in labour migration in Asia, with a focus on recruitment, training and development.

This report is based on the discussions at the 14th ADBI-OECD-ILO Roundtable on Labor Migration in Asia: Maximizing the Impact of Labor Migration on Development, held on 28-29 May 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. The annual roundtable brings together labour experts and policymakers from across Asia to discuss trends in labour migration and emerging policy and issues on migrant workers. 

Chapter 1 reviews labour migration trends through the end of 2024, highlighting shifts by origin, destination, and student mobility. Chapter 2 examines recent trends and challenges in migrant worker recruitment in the region. Chapter 3 explores emerging models of pre-departure skills training for labour migrants in Asia and the Pacific. Finally, Chapter 4 highlights remittances as a key source of external finance that supports development and poverty reduction, while also noting risks such as brain drain, trade imbalances, and economic overreliance on remittances. Statistical annexes provide updated economy-specific notes and comparative tables on country-level migration flows.

Thematic Note: Ensuring fair recruitment for migrant care workers

This Note explores some of the key fair recruitment challenges for migrant care workers and outlines key policy priorities.