Nowadays the whole world is facing the phenomenon of globalization, which includes large increase in labour migrations. Workers mainly leave developing countries and search for opportunities in highly developed countries, and in the same time, highly developed countries have labour shortages in certain sectors. Migrant workers face many difficulties in new countries, one of the most important is their inclusion in the social security systems and acquisition of rights from those systems. Countries around the world vary widely in social security schemes and types of rights, often not providing those rights or provide them in very limited scope, and even discriminating migrant workers.
The international community tries to improve the social status of migrant workers. The United Nations, the International Labour Organization, the Council of Europe and the European Union adopt and develop instruments to impose obligations on Member States to protect migrant workers. In addition to conventions, recommendations and regulations, countries conclude bilateral agreements, which are an important instrument as well. With agreements, states provide agreed level of social security to workers from contracting state and protect its own national who leaves its territory to work abroad.
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