Much of recent human rights research and reporting on migrant labor in the Gulf has revolved around working conditions for laborers upon arrival. But very little is known about how these migrants are recruited in their home countries. In November, the Center traveled to India on a fact-finding mission as part of its project on the recruitment of Gulf-bound migrant construction workers.
The trip confirmed many of the Center’s initial hypotheses about the migrant recruitment process, but also revealed some surprising and important complexities. As part of the trip, we met with several recruitment “sub-agents” – unlicensed recruiters, mostly at the local or village level, who connect would-be migrants to employment opportunities. Some sub-agents have been accused of promising job opportunities to migrants that turn out to be inaccurate or nonexistent, but they are also seen by many as offering unique and valuable economic opportunities to willing community members...
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