Labor Migration and Legal Pathways

Labor migration is a pervasive phenomenon in Africa, driven primarily by economic factors. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), approximately 80% of African migration is economically motivated. In 2019, the African diaspora sent over $48 billion in remittances to their countries of origin, exceeding official development assistance (ODA) and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to the continent.

Data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reveals that between 2015 and 2020, over 4 million Africans migrated to Europe, with a significant proportion undertaking irregular journeys due to limited access to legal pathways. The absence of affordable legal travel options, coupled with increasing visa restrictions and deteriorating economic conditions in countries of origin, compels many migrants to rely on smugglers and traffickers, exposing them to human and labor rights violations.

The setup of accessible legal pathways for labor migration can help guarantee that both sending and receiving countries attain the development potential of migration. Sending countries can mitigate the high exodus of skilled and vital professionals, while receiving countries can target skilled labor migrants to fill gaps in their respective economies. Moreover, promoting legal pathways and labor migration serves as an alternative solution to combating irregular migration, which has not been effectively addressed through securitization efforts.

Furthermore, the promotion of legal pathways for labor migration is crucial for addressing the human rights vulnerabilities faced by migrants. Irregular migration routes are often treacherous, and migrants face numerous physical, sexual, and labor abuses along their journey. Women are disproportionately more vulnerable than their male counterparts. By providing accessible legal pathways, migrants can be protected from these human rights abuses, and their dignity and well-being can be upheld.