Migration and Migrant Labour in the Gig Economy: An Intervention

Area of Science:

• Socioeconomics
• Labour Studies
• Migration Studies

Background:

• Urban gig economies globally rely heavily on migrant labor.
• Research on the intersection of gig economy platforms and labor migration is limited.
• Platform work significantly impacts the structural vulnerability of migrant workers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze how platform work affects migrant workers' structural vulnerability.
• To propose recalibrations for the gig economy research agenda.
• To advocate for comprehensive policy interventions for migrant gig workers.

Main Methods:

• Action research projects conducted in six cities across four continents.
• Qualitative analysis of the experiences of migrant platform workers.
• Comparative case study approach.

Main Results:

• Platform labor presents a dual impact: degrading working conditions while providing livelihood opportunities for migrants.
• Reclassifying gig workers as employees is insufficient to address the precarity of migrant gig work.
• Existing regulatory frameworks fail to adequately protect migrant platform workers.

Conclusions:

• Ambitious, integrated policies spanning immigration, social welfare, and employment are necessary.
• These policies must counteract the digital commodification of migrant labor.
• Addressing migrant worker precarity requires a multi-faceted regulatory approach beyond simple reclassification.