Migrant workers must not be left behind in global migration policy

As governments prepare for the 2026 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) in New York on 5-8 May 2026, the IUF joins the call of the Global Unions (available in English and Spanish) to warn that proposed changes risk weakening protections for millions of migrant workers, including those who sustain global food systems and tourism industries. For many of them migration is not a choice, but a necessity driven by economic hardship, conflict, and climate change.

The IUF is deeply concerned that the current draft of the IMRF declaration shifts away from a rights-based approach toward a narrow focus on labour market needs. This risks treating migrant workers as disposable labour rather than as workers with rights and dignity. For IUF sectors, this shift has serious implications. In agriculture and hospitality, where informality and abuse are already widespread, strong labour protections are essential. Weakening commitments to international labour standards, labour inspections, and trade union rights will further expose migrant workers to exploitation.

The absence of clear guarantees for freedom of association and collective bargaining is particularly alarming. Without the right to organize, workers in farms, factories, and hotels cannot defend themselves against wage theft, unsafe conditions, or abusive employers. The Global Unions also highlight the continued prevalence of exploitative recruitment systems. Many migrant workers in the food and tourism sectors are forced into debt through illegal recruitment fees. While the draft acknowledges this issue, it fails to establish binding enforcement measures.

To address these challenges, we need a strong, rights-based IMRF declaration that ensures full labour rights for all migrant workers, regardless of status, including the right to organize and bargain collectively, binding regulation of recruitment practices, effective labour inspections in high-risk sectors, equal access to social protection and public services, and pathways to regularization to end precarious employment.

Migrant workers are central to feeding the world and sustaining tourism. Protecting their rights is essential not only for their dignity, but for fair and sustainable food and hospitality systems globally. The IUF urges governments to reaffirm that migration governance must be grounded in human rights, international labour standards, and social justice for all workers.