Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 96) - Egypt (Ratification: 1960)

Part II. Progressive abolition of fee-charging employment agencies conducted with a view to profit and regulation of other agencies. The Committee notes the detailed report provided by the Government for the period ending in June 2005. The Government states that there are no private fee-charging employment agencies conducted with a view to profit. Some 545 agencies obtained a permit for the recruitment of Egyptian labour abroad in conformity with Law No. 12 of 2003. The Committee draws the Government’s attention to the fact that it is difficult to avoid abusive practices in relation with the recruitment of workers to be placed abroad and emphasizes the urgent need to grant effective protection to migrant workers. To this end, the non-binding multilateral framework for migrant workers in a global economy was designed in agreement with the tripartite constituents to assist member States in improving the effectiveness of their policies relating to labour migration. It provides particularly for the licensing and supervision of recruitment and contracting agencies for migrant workers, in accordance with the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181), with the provision of clear and enforceable contracts by those agencies (Provisional Record No. 22, pages 60-61, ILC, 92nd Session, Geneva, 2004). The Committee recalls that Convention No. 181 recognizes the role played by private employment agencies in the functioning of the labour market. In this regard, it recalls that the ILO Governing Body invites the States parties to Convention No. 96 to contemplate ratifying, as appropriate, Convention No. 181, the ratification of which will, ipso jure, involve the immediate denunciation of Convention No. 96 (document GB.273/LILS/4(Rev.1), 273rd Session, Geneva, November 1998). The Committee invites the Government to keep it informed of any developments which, in consultation with the social partners, might occur in this regard.