Liberalising Labour Mobility under the GATS

This publication is an analysis of negotiations concerning the temporary movement of workers from developing to developed economies, taking place under the auspices of the GATS negotiations covering the trade in commercial services. It focuses on the temporary movement of unskilled and semi-skilled workers and considers the benefits of easing the restrictions on the temporary movement of labour. The main theme underlying the paper is the mutual benefit to both developed and developing countries in permitting a temporary movement of workers in these categories. In the next 20 years developed economies will experience an increasing shortage of labour at the lower end of the labour market due to an ageing population and a more educated workforce.