For more than 2 years, the world has been facing Covid-19 and its socio-economic impact. This pandemic has made each nation-state tighten migration flows through official channels. More restrictive regulations on migration lead to a situation where transnational mobility is less easily accessible with obstacles such as more expensive costs for people who wish to migrate to another county including, and not limited to, migrant workers.

Reducing the costs relating to migration, particularly fees charged to migrants and their families, is one of the key steps towards ethical recruitment of migrant workers and protection their rights. To achieve this, it is important to understand what kind of costs and fees inccur during the recruitment and placement process as well as to identify how these fees charged to workers could lead to exploitation.  

Why is this happening? What are the root causes? Who are the actors responsible for these unfair situations faced by migrant workers for a very long time?" This episode explore these questions.

If you are interested in knowing more about this topic, listen to this VOICESEA Podcast conversation with Pamungkas Ayudaning Dewanto, the lead researcher of BEBESEA’s latest research on excessive placement and recruitment fees or migrant workers. Don’t miss it!

This episode is sponsored by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.