An analysis of the capacity and practice of recruitment agencies in Ethiopia to protect the safety and rights of migrant workers

Abstract

The escalating outflow of Ethiopian labour migrants, predominantly women in search of domestic work in the Middle East, is persistently followed by reports of severe exploitation, contract deception, and human rights violations. This thesis critically examines the operational capacity, ethical conduct, and accountability of Private Employment Agencies (PrEAs) in Ethiopia, assessing their practices against the Ethiopian Overseas Employment Proclamation (No. 1389/2025) and international standards. Anchored in New Institutional Economics (NIE) and benchmarked against the IOM Migration Governance Framework (MiGOF) and SDG Target 10.7, the study employs a mixed-methods design combining surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews with a wide range of stakeholders. This approach provided both quantitative insights into agency structures and processes, and qualitative perspectives from migrant workers, government officials, civil society organizations, and employers. The study setting was Addis Ababa, with participants drawn from registered recruitment agencies and related institutions. Findings reveal systemic institutional failure within Ethiopia’s recruitment ecosystem. Widespread deception and cost-shifting practices undermine the “Employer Pays” principle, leaving migrants vulnerable to debt bondage, contract substitution, and abandonment post-deployment. PrEAs face critical capacity and enforcement gaps, with weak organizational structures, limited grievance mechanisms, and inadequate government monitoring that allows non-compliant agencies to re-register and evade penalties. Policy misalignment further exacerbates risks, as Ethiopia’s recruitment practices diverge from global norms for safe and responsible migration. The thesis concludes that the current system prioritizes recruiter profit while externalizing risks onto workers, severely compromising their safety and rights. To address these challenges, the study proposes a reform agenda focused on mandatory ethical certification and professionalization of PrEAs, centralized and fee-free grievance and repatriation mechanisms, and strengthened government oversight through verifiable and decentralized recruitment processes. These reforms are essential to align Ethiopia’s migration governance with international standards, protect migrant workers’ dignity and rights, and contribute to the achievement of SDG Target 10.7 for safe, orderly, and responsible migration.