IRIS certification guidelines for international labour recruitment

ISLAMABAD: The Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment has issued guidelines regarding the International Recruitment Integrity System (IRIS) certification for Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs).

The IRIS is a globally recognised initiative aimed at promoting ethical practices in international labour recruitment and establishing integrity as a standard within cross-border labour mobility systems.

Developed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with governments, civil society organisations, and private sector stakeholders, IRIS reflects a multi-stakeholder approach to strengthening recruitment governance worldwide.

The system serves as a transformative framework for Overseas Employment Promoters seeking access to European and other developed labour markets.

The primary objective of IRIS is to ensure that international recruitment processes remain fair, transparent, and accountable for all stakeholders, including migrant workers, employers, recruiters, and both countries of origin and destination.

Pathway to Certification

Under the IRIS framework, labour recruiters must follow a structured and voluntary certification process designed to implement ethical recruitment principles in practice.

The certification standard acts as a recognised benchmark against which recruiters’ practices are evaluated. Recruiters are required to establish formal and documented management systems demonstrating compliance with ethical recruitment standards.

Certification is granted only after recruiters consistently meet the required standards through verifiable evidence and assessments conducted by accredited auditors.

Guidelines for Overseas Employment Promoters

To comply with IRIS standards, labour recruiters must operate in accordance with all applicable national laws and relevant international agreements governing recruitment activities.

A key requirement under the framework is the strict prohibition on charging recruitment fees or related costs to migrant workers, either directly or indirectly. Such expenses must be fully borne by employers.

Recruiters are also required to uphold workers’ freedom of movement by ensuring that migrant workers retain possession of their personal documents, including passports and identity papers. These documents cannot be withheld without the worker’s informed written consent, and recruiters are prohibited from demanding financial deposits as a condition of employment.

Additionally, recruiters must provide workers with clear and understandable written employment contracts before deployment. The contracts must outline all terms and conditions of employment in a transparent and non-coercive manner, in a language fully understood by the worker.

The guidelines further emphasise the protection of personal data, requiring recruiters to maintain strict confidentiality standards and disclose information only with the explicit consent of the worker.

Moreover, recruiters are required to establish accessible and effective grievance redress mechanisms, enabling migrant workers to raise complaints and seek remedies without fear of retaliation or adverse consequences.