What African countries can do to improve labour mobility

Many countries have measures in place to improve regional mobility, often through a whole-of-government and multistakeholder approach, including better integration of civil society and migrant groups. Governments, including those considered to have more restrictive migration policies, have facilitated mobility by introducing visa-free travel, e-visas and other mobility opportunities through regional and bilateral agreements – for example, the agreement between Botswana and Namibia.

African GCM champion countries, like Ghana and Chad, are enhancing migrant mobility and protection through cooperation and dialogue. Ahead of the 2026 International Migration Review Forum, African countries are developing a unified position to prioritise their migration objectives at the multilateral level. Going forward, governments, migrant and civil society organisations, and international organisations that make up the UN Migration Network must focus on more action-oriented initiatives – beyond meetings and discussions – to further promote mobility across the continent.

Visa processes still remain a major obstacle

Cumbersome visa processes remain a significant barrier to movement within Africa. Despite numerous agreements and initiatives to increase regional mobility, many African countries still require visas for intracontinental travel. These onerous visa processes not only hinder the movement of labour migrants but also complicate the enforcement of labour rights and social protection. For example, regulations on work-related visas or renewals are often unclear, not easily available or only available in languages that labour migrants do not understand, leading to difficulties in complying with regulations and subsequent loss of rights.

The 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index reveals that only four African countries have visa-free entry – namely Benin, Rwanda, Seychelles and The Gambia. Countries like Angola saw improvements, while other countries, including Kenya, witnessed setbacks. Visa facilitation processes must be improved across the continent to promote labour mobility and reduce bureaucratic hurdles that currently impede movement.

As the continent looks towards tapping into mobility to improve regional development through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), it is clear that people will move, regardless of whether policies support them. Visa processes need to be simplified. In addition, various visa categories should be introduced to adequately protect workers in the appropriate visa classifications, as seen in the visa reforms undertaken in Nigeria and South Africa. 

Most countries that attract migrants have very few visa categories, which limits opportunities for individuals seeking employment or business opportunities. Successful regional practices that facilitate movement at the national or bilateral levels can be expanded to include selected countries, forming a coalition of the willing. These should prioritise mobility and the safety and protection of migrants, including labour migrants.

Protecting the rights of migrant workers

African labour migrants often encounter precarious working conditions throughout their migration journey, both within and outside the continent. In response, many African countries are adopting strategies to address these challenges. For instance, some have launched online platforms where people can identify, review and apply for jobs, and find information on their rights in destination countries.

Uganda, in particular, has adopted an innovative approach to regulating labour migration, featuring an online platform and several tools, including a hotline for migrant workers and airport helpdesks. Uganda's External Employment Management platform streamlines the recruitment process for workers migrating to the Middle East. It aims to reduce exploitation and safeguard the rights of workers – most of whom are women – particularly during recruitment.

However, many countries still lack basic social protection for labour migrants, and returnees face significant risks, including wage theft and mistreatment. With growing labour migration from the continent, African governments should develop or strengthen existing national and regional oversight of social security mechanisms, and develop standards for transferring migrants’ social security benefits and savings.

Bilateral labour agreements between African countries and partner countries have emerged as an effective tool for managing labour migration. However, research shows gaps between existing bilateral agreements and international standards, particularly in the area of social protection. Furthermore, effective implementation depends on the quality of data available, and data lapses on migrant workers complicate policy formulation and the ability to monitor the effectiveness of these agreements.

To improve the situation of their labour migrants abroad, African countries must establish mechanisms to monitor and enforce compliance with these bilateral agreements. This includes appointing labour attachés, who coordinate issues related to the welfare of migrant workers between the origin and destination country, and ensuring regular checks of working conditions. There should also be better systems to support data collection on labour migrants – including their employment conditions.

Supporting civil society for inclusive processes

Civil society organisations offer valuable insights into the realities of labour migrants, but their contributions are often underused. They help migrants navigate complex processes like visa acquisition and recruitment, and can help address the lack of social protection for returnees, which remains a significant issue.

Strengthening their role in evaluating the Global Compact on Migration and migration processes is crucial, but their involvement in member-state-driven review processes remains limited. Increasing access to information and resources could enhance their impact. Additionally, trade unions, which have historically protected workers' rights, are often excluded from migration policy discussions in many African countries. This lack of involvement leaves workers vulnerable, especially in negotiations over wages and conditions.

The GCM review process in Africa highlighted the need to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations through platforms enabling peer learning, effective stakeholder engagement, and inclusive processes to ensure that civil society can better support migrant workers. Although they were involved in several subregional multistakeholder consultation sessions and had a multistakeholder hearing, their findings were not adequately incorporated into the high-level member state review discussions.

Civil society organisations must have a more formal role in evaluating and contributing to GCM processes. Beyond consultation sessions, they should be more actively involved in panel discussions and be able to directly comment on their experiences, state policies and practices during debates as part of the formal review process. This will ensure that their perspectives are included in the discussions ahead of and during the International Migration Review Forum.

African countries must learn from each other’s successes and commit to implementing practical solutions that make migration safer and more sustainable for all. It's no longer enough to simply discuss the need for change – there must be real action on the ground.

The views are those of the author and not necessarily those of ECDPM.