Tag: responsible recruitment

For Guatemala, a country rich in talent and potential, legal labor pathways abroad offer a life-changing opportunity for thousands of workers. A 2023 study by the organization Action Against Hunger (Acción contra el Hambre) found that Guatemalan workers involved in seasonal labor programs in Canada and the United States experienced increased sending of remittances, improved economic situations for households of migrant families, and a greater availability of work for those who stay behind.¹ Temporary labor opportunities through schemes like H-2A visas in the United States and the SAWP in Canada consistently grow as labor demand in those destination countries increases each year. That said, Guatemalans’ ability to access these opportunities is often complicated, at best. Complex bureaucratic requirements and the presence of malicious actors can make even regular migration pathways risky.²

Private Sector Recruiters Lead the Way for Responsible Labor Mobility in Guatemala

Launched in 2023, the Association of Responsible International Recruitment Agencies (GAREX for its initials in Spanish) emerged out of a collective desire to transform Guatemala’s labor recruitment ecosystem. The first responsible recruitment association in Latin America, GAREX is conformed of twelve Guatemalan recruitment agencies united by a mission to promote safe, transparent, and ethical recruitment practices for Guatemalans. Each year, its members help connect more than 20,000 Guatemalan workers to jobs in sectors like agriculture, construction, hospitality, landscaping, and food processing—primarily in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

As private sector labor recruiting agencies, GAREX members carry the responsibility of protecting migrant workers’ rights and ensuring compliance and transparency in their operations. GAREX has also recently taken the important step of developing an internal Code of Conduct and Complementary Protocol which establish concrete mechanisms to ensure adherence to the association’s rules and principles. In doing so, GAREX is further fostering a system of mutual accountability—not only by aligning quality standards, but also by equipping members with practical tools that build towards consistent responsible recruitment services.

GAREX: A Regional First Mover 

The services and activities of GAREX members have, from the start, gone beyond job placement alone. Member agencies guide workers and employers through every step of the recruitment journey—from visa processing and travel logistics to pre-departure orientation for employers and workers alike. Their operations provide a much-needed alternative to irregular migration while maintaining high standards of responsible recruitment services. Now united under GAREX, these agencies are not just filling jobs—they are collectively leading by example. To date, the association has:

• Inter-governmental collaboration: established cooperation with key government entities such as Guatemala’s Ministry of Labor and the Migration Institute to ensure faster passport processing and worker protections while abroad; 

• Multi-sectoral partnerships: built ongoing partnerships with international organizations like the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) to leverage the knowledge and experiences of diverse actors and achieve the shared goals of responsible and ethical labor mobility; 

• Responsible recruitment promotion: participated in international forums, like with the National Council of Agriculture Employers (NCAE), to attract more opportunities for Guatemalans abroad and promote responsible recruitment practices; and 

• Association principles formation: agreed upon association principles and signed the ILO Code of Conduct for Recruitment Agencies of Migrant Workers. Through support from LaMP, GAREX members have also recently developed their own internal Code of Conduct and Complementary Protocol.

This Code of Conduct and Complementary Protocol draw on the ILO code of conduct but take a more targeted approach to the principles, rules, and circumstances pertaining specifically to responsible recruitment practices for private sector recruiters as an association. This includes developing tailored principles of inter-member relationships, the prevention and management of conflicts of interest, and a mechanism for member infractions and sanctions. More information about the Code of Conduct and Complementary Protocol content can be found below.

Overview of Garex Code of Conduct and Implementation Protocol.

Too often, private recruiters are painted with a broad brush—primarily through lenses of exploitation or predation. However, this framing overlooks the critical role that well-regulated, professional recruiters can play in facilitating safe labor migration opportunities. GAREX’s activities and actions illustrate a privately-driven recruitment model that aspires and works towards integrity, transparency, and mutual accountability. As such, this responsible recruitment association continues to find itself at the forefront of industry innovation.

Why LaMP Supports GAREX 

At LaMP, we envision a world where safe and fair labor migration pathways develop into a mainstream mechanism for development – a vision closely aligned with GAREX’s own objectives and recruitment outcomes. With support from the Walmart Foundation, LaMP has provided strategic guidance to GAREX from legal inception to operational framework to future growth plans. We focus on three pillars of support: 

1. Recognition: Facilitating collaboration with government agencies to reduce bureaucratic barriers.
2. Integrity: Establishing and enforcing ethical recruitment standards among all members.
3. Growth: Connecting global employers to Guatemala’s talented and experienced workforce. 

We at LaMP believe that recruitment businesses can “do well while doing good.” GAREX’s presence and principles demonstrate this mission in action, setting an example of what’s possible when recruiters decide to organize on the basis of collective accountability.  

Fewer than two years since the association’s inception, GAREX’s impact is already undeniable: tens of thousands of workers placed, millions of dollars in remittances generated, and most importantly, a new standard set for international recruitment practices. This is just one example of how small steps can build a world where ethical labor mobility is the norm rather than the exception.

We invite governments, employers, civil society, and development partners to join us in this journey. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to contact us.

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This initiative is supported by funding from the Walmart Foundation. The findings and conclusions presented in this blog are those of LaMP alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Walmart Foundation.

References

1 “Impact of Regular Temporary Migration to Canada and the United States: on the living conditions and migration intentions of families and communities in Guatemala,” Action Against Hunger, May 2023, https://accioncontraelhambre.org.gt/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Impact-of-regular-temporary-migration-to-Canada-and-the-U.S.-FINAL-INFORM-2023.pdf. 

2 Gordon, Jennifer. “Regulating the human supply chain.” Iowa Law Review. 102 (2016): 445.