Global Forum on Migration & Development Business Mechanism

The Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) is an international forum that brings together governments, the private sector, mayors and civil society, to exchange on migration and development issues. The GFMD Business Mechanism serves as the channel to include the private sector to the State-led process, thereby fostering the public-private dialogue. The IOE hosts the Business Advisory Group on migration, a network of businesses and employers’ organizations that advocates for transparent, predictable and humane migration policies in support of business, competitiveness, and job and wealth creation. This voice is brought to the GFMD and beyond.

Why the Business Advisory Group on Migration?

Global Forum on Migration and Development

The GFMD is the key international forum to address migration and development interconnections, with a focus on action. Created by Kofi Anna, former UN Secretary-General, in 2006, it is an informal, non-binding, voluntary and government-led process that reflects the progressive acknowledgement of the value of multilateral approaches to migration and development. In 2015, the GFMD participating States decided to set up a separate mechanism for private sector engagement and created the GFMD Business Mechanism, which coordination was given to the IOE. The United Arab Emirates are chairing the 2020 GFMD.

Global Compact for Migration

In 2018, the United Nations governments adopted a landmark document: the Global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration (GCM). With 23 objectives, the GCM serves as a framework for cooperation in the management of migration. Human centered, it recognizes all aspects of migration, including regular pathways for employment, responsible recruitment practices and skills development for the migrant workforce, which are key aspects for the private sector.

Business Advisory Group on migration

There is clearly a mutual interest for governments, the private sector, and civil society, in promoting more transparent, effective and humane migration policies, taking into account labour market needs.

The overarching goal of the Business Advisory Group on migration is to highlight the private sector perspective on a sensitive political issue, by advocating for sound migration policies which take into account economic perspectives. We aim at a regulatory environment where labour migration policies support businesses, build competitiveness and resilience, and hence play a key role in society by creating decent jobs and wealth. This voice is brought to the GFMD, as well as to governments, as they implement the GCM.

Benefits for business

The Business Advisory Group on migration provides a unique platform for businesses to engage with governments at the global level. Business expertise and experience are invaluable as we refine migration policy recommendations to governments. This network provides access to policymakers with a view to:

The GFMD Business Mechanism provides a unique platform for businesses to engage with governments at the global level. Business expertise and experience are invaluable as the Business Mechanism refines migration policy recommendations to governments. The Business Mechanism provides access to policymakers with a view to:

  • Decreasing the difficulty and cost of recruitment:

The Business Advisory Group contributes to shaping policy that eases recruitment efforts, decreases costs, and helps scale businesses. Improvement in migration policies and frameworks will allow companies to attract and retain top talent. The dissemination of evidence-based regional and global data indicating benefits from talent flow is necessary.

  • Making companies shape the rules of the game:

The UN Member States agreed on a historic compact that aims to establish a global framework for managing migration, the Global Compact for Migration (GCM). The Business Advisory Group gave business a voice in the negotiation process and will continue to follow the implementation process. We offer an avenue to contribute to the solutions of one of the largest current global challenges: the vast number of migrants moving around the globe.

  • Sharing strategies for integrating immigrants into the workforce:

The demographic challenges will make it harder to fill positions in your company. The economic case for migration is well proven. The private sector is a key actor in integrating immigrants into the workforce and thereby contributing to closing the skills gap.

  • Acquiring tools to navigate the complex world of migration policy and regulation

Business and migration intersect in many ways. The Business Advisory Group on migration covers a wide range of migration issues, giving a fuller understanding of the complexities of migration policy.

How to contribute to the Business Advisory Group on migration?

The network is open to all IOE members, partners, and to individual companies with a stake in skills mobility issues.  It is composed of a large network of companies and employers’ organisations which contribute to the work of the network either through panel participation, or input to the publications.

To be updated on the activities of the network, please visit the website of the Business Advisory Group on Migration.

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