Latest news with #labormigration
Globe and Mail
01-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Worksol Group CEO Urges Strategic Labor Policy During EEC 2025 in Katowice
Leading Polish Staffing Firm Calls for Long-Term Plan on Foreign Employment as Poland Emerges as European Labor Hub Katowice, Poland--(Newsfile Corp. - July 1, 2025) - At the prestigious European Economic Congress (EEC) held in Katowice, Michael Solecki, CEO of Worksol Group, addressed a packed auditorium of policymakers and business leaders, calling for a comprehensive national strategy on the employment of foreign workers. As a keynote speaker, Solecki emphasized the urgent need for Poland to adopt a long-term vision for labor migration, ensuring sustained economic growth amid evolving demographic and market challenges. "Poland is at a crossroads," said Solecki during his panel at the EEC. "We must decide whether we want to be merely a transit country for foreign workers-or a long-term destination. Without a forward-thinking policy, we risk losing the competitive advantage we've worked so hard to build." A pioneering role in cross-border staffing Headquartered in Kępno, Poland (Warszawska 32 St.), Worksol Group has built its reputation by specializing in the recruitment and legal employment of workers from countries as diverse as Colombia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Japan, UAE and beyond. With a strong focus on ethical recruitment, compliance, and operational transparency, Worksol has helped companies across Poland and Europe meet critical labor shortages in sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: "At Worksol, we don't just fill vacancies. We create sustainable partnerships between businesses and people from around the world," added Solecki. The company's approach aligns closely with the European Union's emphasis on fair labor mobility, positioning Poland not only as a growing economic force but also as a strategic labor corridor between East and West. A call to action for policymakers During his EEC appearance, Solecki underlined the pressing need for regulatory stability and institutional cooperation in the employment of third-country nationals. The call resonated strongly with the audience, especially amid ongoing debate within the EU on how to balance labor demand with integration and social cohesion. Worksol Group's presence at the EEC symbolizes more than business success-it highlights Poland's emerging role as a case study in post-transition economic resilience and innovation in workforce solutions. About Worksol Group Founded in Poland, Worksol Group is a premier temporary staffing and recruitment agency offering cross-border employment services across Europe. The company has helped hundreds of employers meet their workforce needs while facilitating ethical and legal migration for skilled and semi-skilled workers from outside the European Union.
Zawya
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia: Migrant Domestic Workers Face Severe Exploitation, Racism and Exclusion from Labor Protections
Kenyan women hired as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia endure grueling, abusive and discriminatory working conditions, which often amount to forced labor and human trafficking, Amnesty International said in a new report. The report highlights how employers subjected the women to extreme exploitation in private homes, often fueled by racism, and how domestic workers continue to be excluded from Saudi Arabia's labor law and other limited reforms. Locked in, left out: the hidden lives of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, documents the experience of more than 70 women who previously worked in Saudi Arabia. Often deceived by recruiters in Kenya about the nature of their jobs, once in Saudi Arabia they were made to work under brutal conditions, regularly toiling for more than16 hours, being denied days off and prevented from ever leaving the house. The women also faced awful living conditions and inhumane treatment including sexual, verbal and physical assault. Employers typically confiscated their passports and phones and sometimes withheld their wages. 'These women travelled to Saudi Arabia in search of work to support their families but instead endured unspeakable abuse in the homes of their employers,' said Irungu Houghton, Executive Director of Amnesty International Kenya. 'The Kenyan government is actively encouraging labor migration, and the Saudi Arabian authorities claim that they have introduced labor rights reforms, yet behind closed doors domestic workers continue to face shocking levels of racism, abuse and exploitation.' 'The Saudi and Kenyan authorities must listen to these women; who's labor sustains families and contributes significantly to the economic development of both countries. The Saudi authorities should urgently grant domestic workers equal protection under the labor law, introduce an effective inspection system to tackle widespread abuses in private homes, and fully dismantle the Kafala sponsorship system that binds foreign workers to employers, fosters exploitation and perpetuates systemic racism.' Neither the Saudi nor the Kenyan authorities responded to Amnesty's request for comment or information. 'This made me feel like it's a prison' Extreme overwork was a universal problem for the dozens of women that spoke to Amnesty International, with a typical workday consisting of a minimum of 16 hours, often more, of cleaning, cooking and looking after children. They were paid on average SAR 900 (USD 240) per month, and none were paid overtime, meaning their average wage when considering working hours equated to around USD 0.5 per hour. Moreover, some employers delayed the women's salaries or did not pay them at all. Virtually all the women interviewed reported never being given a day off during their stay in Saudi Arabia – up to two years for some. Rashida*, a former domestic worker, said: 'She [the employer] didn't think that I could get tired. There was no chance to rest… I would work for her the whole day and then even at night, I would still be working. I felt like a donkey and even donkeys find rest.' All the women said they faced severe restrictions on their freedom and privacy; the confiscation of their phones cut them off from the outside world, leading to severe isolation and denying them contact with their families. Joy* told of how she felt trapped during her time in Saudi Arabia. 'I have no freedoms, because once you are inside you never go out. You don't go out and do not see out. This made me feel like it's a prison,' she said. Eve*, added how this isolation was used to deter her from complaining about her conditions. 'The first thing my boss did was to take my passport. If you ask, they will tell you 'I have paid for everything for you,'…and you will not dare to say anything because you are in a foreign country.' Despite the excessive workload, almost all the women said that their employers deprived them of food or gave them only leftovers, leaving some to survive on bread, or dried instant noodles. Katherine* said that 'food was the main problem' and she 'survived on biscuits', with her employer only giving her leftovers, rotten food or sometimes providing nothing at all, and even throwing food that Katherine cooked for herself in the bin. Most women also described being provided with wholly inadequate living conditions, often made to sleep in a store cupboard, or on the floor of a child's bedroom, and without a proper bed, bedding or working air conditioning. 'The husband said 'you will do what I want'' Many of the women recounted how they were shouted at, called names and humiliated, while others were sexually assaulted, and in some cases raped, by their male employers. This included Judy, a single mother of two who had come to Saudi Arabia to escape her abusive husband. 'He did rape me and even threatened me not to tell the wife. I kept quiet. It was like his daily routine… I tried [to tell him stop] but men are very strong. So eventually he did rape me, five times…' While many were too afraid to report the abuse to the Saudi authorities or the Kenyan embassy, those who did ended up facing retaliation or trumped-up charges, like being falsely accused of theft, and losing their wages. 'They called us monkeys or baboons' The report also highlights how systemic racism embedded in the kafala sponsorship system, coupled with entrenched discriminatory attitudes rooted in the legacies of slavery and British colonialism in the region, perpetuated the exploitation, abuse and racial discrimination of these workers, particularly women, whose gendered vulnerabilities are often compounded by their status as migrant domestic workers. Many of the women described their employers calling them highly derogatory and racist names, including 'hayawana' (animal), 'khaddama' (servant) and 'sharmouta' (prostitute). Employers would also talk disparagingly about their skin color, comment on their body odor or prevent them from using the same cutlery or homeware as the family – something the women often referred to as being 'segregated' – because they were from Africa. Niah* said: 'Because of my dark complexion, I was always called a Black animal. The children would also come to my face to point and laugh, saying how I am a monkey.' Irungu Houghton said: 'At the heart of the abuse lies a labor system underpinned by historical and structural racism, where racialized migrant domestic workers – including Black African women – are dehumanized and treated as disposable.' Insufficient laws and reforms In recent years, as part of its 'Vision 2030' program, Saudi Arabia has introduced limited reforms to the kafala sponsorship system that binds the country's 13 million migrant workers to their employers and directly enables forced labor and other serious human rights abuses. However, even these limited reforms have been largely restricted to workers covered by Saudi Arabia's labor law, which continues to exclude domestic workers. Today, domestic workers remain subject to tight restrictions on their freedom of movement, in most cases still requiring their employer's permission to change jobs or leave the country. In 2023, updated Regulations for Domestic Workers were introduced by the government to better regulate working hours and conditions. Yet without an effective monitoring, inspection and enforcement regime, these regulations are often meaningless in practice. Many of the abuses documented are illegal under Saudi law yet were perpetrated with total impunity. 'Kenya has a big role to play in the protection of domestic workers abroad. It must work with Saudi Arabia to ensure the protection of migrant workers by better regulating recruitment practices and ensuring embassies are equipped to urgently support domestic workers in distress, including providing safe houses as well as financial and legal support for those in need,' said Irungu Houghton. *Names have been changed Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.
National Post
12-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Introducing Joblio – The Future of Ethical Recruitment
Article content Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. Article content Article content Joblio Launches to Revolutionize Ethical Recruitment and End Worker Exploitation Article content BUFFALO, N.Y. — Joblio, a global ethical recruitment platform, officially launches today to tackle the broken labor migration system—long plagued by exploitative intermediaries, high recruitment fees, and human rights abuses. With its tech-driven model, Joblio connects vetted workers with employers directly, eliminating unethical middlemen and ensuring cost-free hiring for migrant workers. Employers fund access to talent, but workers never pay—a key step in ending exploitation. Joblio's new tech-driven platform guarantees fair, transparent hiring—ending hidden fees and protecting vulnerable migrant workers worldwide. Article content A Mission Rooted in Personal Experience Article content Joblio is led by Jon Purizhansky, a refugee-turned-entrepreneur who experienced migration challenges firsthand. Forced to flee his home country as a young man, Jon faced the uncertainty and vulnerability that millions of migrant workers still encounter today. Now a globally recognized expert in global labor migration law and international workforce mobility, Jon has built Joblio to protect workers and promote a transparent hiring process. Article content 'I've lived the reality that so many migrant workers face—uncertainty, lack of information, and the constant risk of exploitation,' says Jon Purizhansky, Founder & CEO of Joblio. 'No one should have to pay exorbitant fees or risk their safety just to find work. Joblio eliminates the unethical brokers who prey on vulnerable workers and replaces them with a direct, transparent hiring model.' Article content For decades, brokers have charged excessive fees and made false promises to workers, often leading them into debt, unsafe work environments, or even forced labor. Joblio's platform disrupts this system by giving employers access to verified talent and giving workers access to real opportunities—without hidden fees, deceptive contracts, or illegal kickbacks. Article content With real-time job access, a transparent hiring process, and built-in legal safeguards, Joblio empowers workers while helping employers build more stable, reliable teams. The result: a hiring system that values human rights and delivers workforce integrity. Article content Beyond ethical hiring, Joblio helps migrant workers succeed through its ACE Program (Applicant Concierge Experience). The program offers: Article content Pre-departure training on workplace expectations, cultural adaptation, and financial literacy. On-the-ground support for workers to ensure safe and smooth transitions. Mental health resources to improve worker well-being and productivity. Article content Joblio's mission is supported by a seasoned leadership team and global advisors, ensuring compliance, advocacy, and scalability. With expertise across labor migration law, corporate governance, and labor rights, Joblio is positioned to disrupt the unethical recruitment industry and drive global change. Article content As Joblio expands globally, it is calling on governments, employers, and human rights organizations to join its movement for a future where recruitment is fair, ethical, and free from exploitation. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
