ASEAN Adopts Fair Recruitment Declaration to Protect Migrant Workers
ASEAN leaders adopted a fair recruitment declaration at the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila on November 15. It calls for stronger oversight and cross-border cooperation to curb excessive fees, labor exploitation and cross-border job scams. Initial implementation activities are expected in early 2027.
On November 15, 2026, ASEAN leaders adopted a declaration on fair, ethical and sustainable recruitment at the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila, Philippines. It aims to protect migrant workers and curb illegal recruitment, labor exploitation and cross-border job scams.
Lê Minh Hưng poses with heads of delegations at the opening ceremony of the 49th ASEAN Summit.（VietVance）
The declaration calls for transparent, fair and responsible recruitment, seeks to prevent excessive or unreasonable recruitment fees, and aims to ensure equal employment opportunities. It also calls for stronger regulation and oversight of labor brokers and recruitment agencies, better access to legal remedies and protection of migrant workers’ rights, and closer cooperation among member states.
Philippine Secretary of Migrant Workers Hans Leo Cacdac said that day that online recruitment and job scams pose new risks of exploitation. Countries that send and receive workers need to coordinate more closely, including through mutual recognition of recruitment licensing systems and procedures. He said the new cooperation framework would also support joint efforts to rescue and repatriate citizens trapped in online scam centers and help workers access legal assistance and welfare services in their host countries.
Philippine Assistant Secretary of Migrant Workers Levinson Alcantara said implementation of the declaration has been included in the 2026–2030 work plan of ASEAN’s mechanism for protecting migrant workers’ rights, with initial activities expected to begin in early 2027. The declaration does not prescribe penalties for member states that fail to address unethical recruitment effectively. It focuses on capacity building, stronger institutions and regional cooperation.
Alcantara said the long-term goal is to eliminate recruitment fees charged to migrant workers across ASEAN, although member states have yet to agree on uniform rules and oversight mechanisms. The new declaration builds on ASEAN’s commitments in 2007 and 2017 to protect migrant workers’ rights.
Source: VietVance
