Labour Mobility

Labour mobility contributes to societies’ welfare, prosperity, and competitiveness. 

Labour mobility pathways and migrants’ improved integration and inclusion can contribute to delivering on the promise of safe, orderly, and regular migration while supporting the world’s most vulnerable. 

Rights-based labour mobility is key to achieve a just transition and sustainable development for diverse societies, and help address structural and emerging labour shortages and skills imbalances, achieve digital and social rights, gender equality, climate neutrality, and foster social cohesion. 

Similarly, integration and inclusion are inherent aspects of labour mobility. Promoting migrant inclusion and social cohesion is at the core of IOM’s work worldwide.

IOM’s Global Thematic Unit on Labour Mobility works closely with the European Union (EU) Institutions, Bodies, and Agencies to support the establishment, expansion and enhancement of labour mobility pathways, empower migrants, promote integration and inclusion and foster welcoming societies. IOM also works to harness the development potential of labour mobility promoting a multi-stakeholder approach and enhanced partnerships with governments at central and local level, private sector, social partners, civil society, academia, and diasporas.

The Global Thematic Unit on Labour Mobility supports IOM’s strategic thematic engagement with the EU; maintains the direct relationship between IOM and EU leveraging IOM’s expertise and experience to enhance labour mobility, integration, inclusion and development polices; provides evidence-based recommendations regarding labour mobility and migration-related topics, policies, and programs; and guides and supports IOM Country Offices worldwide in their advocacy on EU-related labour mobility issues and EU programming.