This paper explores the impacts of the rights of migrant workers (‘migrant rights’) on the human development of actual and potential migrants, their families, and other people in migrants’ countries of origin. A key feature of the paper is its consideration of how migrant rights affect both the capability to move and work in higher income countries (i.e. the access of workers in low‐income countries to labor markets of higher‐income countries) and capabilities while living and working abroad. The paper suggests that there may be a trade‐off between the number and some of the socio‐economic rights of low‐skilled migrant workers admitted to high‐income countries, and explores the implications for human development. © 2010, Copyright United Nations Development Programme.

Migrant rights human development Immigration policy Global labor markets

[No Keywords available]