Facilitating Worker Mobility: A Randomized Information Intervention among Migrant Workers in Singapore

Area of Science:

• Labor Economics
• Migration Studies
• Development Economics

Background:

• International migrant workers frequently encounter substantial job search expenses and incomplete knowledge regarding their legal entitlements to switch employers.
• These informational deficits can impede the economic advantages of international migration, potentially trapping workers with their current employers and compelling them to accept suboptimal employment terms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of an information intervention designed to enhance the mobility of migrant workers.
• To investigate how improved access to information about legal rights influences job conditions and employer transitions among Filipino domestic workers in Singapore.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted involving Filipino domestic workers in Singapore.
• The intervention provided information aimed at increasing awareness of legal rights concerning job changes and employer transitions.

Main Results:

• The information intervention successfully enhanced workers' understanding of their legal rights related to changing jobs.
• Significant improvements were observed in job conditions, including better working hours and overall work environments.
• Treatment effects were most pronounced among workers with initially low knowledge of their rights and those experiencing poor initial job conditions, who also showed increased likelihood of changing employers.

Conclusions:

• Imperfect information plays a critical role in the labor market for migrant workers, particularly in hindering job-to-job transitions.
• Facilitating worker mobility through targeted information interventions can lead to tangible improvements in employment conditions and empower migrant workers.