Irregular migration and migrants' informal employment: a discussion theme in international migration governance

Unequal development in neoliberal globalization causes economic, social, and political problems that force people into irregular migration and to become part of informal labour markets. Although informal sector enterprises in both developed and peripheral countries depend mainly on migrant labour, this demand is usually not recognized in official migration policies, thus increasing the vulnerability of migrant workers. The relationship between informal employment and irregular migration has been one of the main themes in the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) since its foundation. The general approach in the GFMD can be summarized as acceptance of this interrelationship, without discussing the underlying causes behind it. This article reviews discussions in the literature by focusing on the interrelations between the informal sector, informal employment, and irregular migration. Then, it investigates how this issue has been tackled in the Forum's Government and Civil Society Days.