Tripartite Technical Meeting on Labour Migration

Representatives from governments, workers and employers discuss labour migration and consider possible areas for ILO intervention.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) hosted a five-day tripartite technical meeting on labour migration to discuss key issues such as the effective protection of migrant workers, matching skills with labour market needs, as well as international cooperation.

The Governing Body proposed the Meeting at its 316th Session (November 2012) and approved the composition of the Meeting at its 317th Session (March 2013).

The Meeting brought together 12 government, 12 employers' and 12 workers' representatives, all of whom were nominated after consultations with each group. Other delegates as well as representatives from International Governmental Organisations and Non-governmental Organisations attended as observers.

A background paper had been prepared by the Office to serve as a basis for the Meeting's deliberations. The issues identified for discussion in the background paper were the following:
  • labour migration in the context of debates on international migration and development of the post-2015 development framework;
  • the effective protection of migrant workers, with reference to the particular vulnerabilities of low-skilled and middle-skilled workers;
  • sound labour market assessment needs, and skills recognition and certification; and
  • international cooperation and social dialogue for well-governed national and international labour migration and regional mobility.
The Meeting adopted conclusions (English, Français, Español), giving priorities for the Office moving forward.

High-level panel


The meeting includes a high-level panel that will take place on Wednesday 6 November at 15:00 - 16:30. It will focus on the outcomes of the UN GA High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development (HLD).

The event will provide an opportunity for participants to better understand the outcomes of the HLD – including the priorities for action – that are related to labour mobility and labour migration, and in anticipation of the post-2015 development debates.

The panel will be composed of the ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, the IOM Director-General, William Lacy Swing, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Flavia Pansieri, the Ambassador and chair of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, Eva Åkerman Börje, as well as representatives from The International Trade Union Confederation and the International Organization of Employers.