Consultant for Regional Study on Informal Employment of Migrants in the Middle East & North Africa

Introduction

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations and the leading UN agency in the field of migration. Working closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners, IOM promotes humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It saves lives and protects people on the move, drives solutions to displacement, and facilitates pathways for regular migration, while providing services and advice to governments and migrants. 

IOM is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and supportive workplace where all employees can thrive professionally and feel valued. By creating such an environment, IOM aims to better harness the full potential of migration and strengthen its support to people on the move.

IOM invites candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply and provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process when required. Learn more about IOM’s workplace culture at IOM workplace culture | International Organization for Migration

Project Context and Scope

1. Duty Station of the Consultancy: Remote and working with IOM Regional Office for MENA- Cairo, Egypt. 

    

2. Duration of Consultancy:  Four (4) months, subject to the medical clearance.

3. Nature of the consultancy: Consultancy to conduct the Regional Study on Informal Employment of Migrants in the Middle East and North Africa: Data, Practices, and Policy Options.

Category B Consultancy

4. Project Context and Scope:   

   Informal employment constitutes one of the most significant yet least understood dimensions of migrant labour markets across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Despite its prevalence in sectors such as construction, agriculture, domestic work, hospitality, and small‑scale commerce, informal migrant employment remains poorly captured in national data systems. Most countries do not systematically collect migrant‑disaggregated information on informality, creating major evidence gaps and limiting the ability of national institutions to develop targeted, effective labour market and protection policies.

   Given this limited data availability, the study will rely on broader informal economy datasets and apply estimation approaches developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Economic Research Forum (ERF) to infer the potential scale and characteristics of migrant participation in informal employment. Protection risks—including exploitation, wage theft, unsafe conditions, and trafficking in persons—are often insufficiently captured in existing labour reporting systems, despite being closely linked to informality. Gender dynamics will be integrated as a cross‑cutting lens to reflect differentiated vulnerabilities and experiences without shifting the study’s primary focus.

   The research will also examine how skills, education levels, and recognition of prior learning (RPL) shape access to formal and informal labour markets, particularly for migrants, women, and youth. Existing literature from other regions, including IOM’s work in LAC, will help integrate a light economic perspective to highlight how informal labour contributes to national economies and how this evidence can support policy discussions on formalization and, where relevant, regularization pathways

   The study will generate a multi‑country comparative analysis of data systems, policy frameworks, institutional coordination mechanisms, and protection challenges. It will produce actionable recommendations to strengthen labour market governance, enhance data collection and reporting systems, and reinforce cross‑governmental collaboration to support more coherent and protection‑sensitive migration and labour policies.

    

5. Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing:  

   Regional Data Hub (RDH), IOM Regional Office for Middle East and North Africa (MENA)