What does this research mean for the field?

Unethical recruitment in transnational care labor markets is driven by the externalization of care costs onto migrant workers via fees, weak enforcement, and immigration policies, indicating that true ethical recruitment requires employers and states to bear these costs. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine how ethical and unethical recruitment practices are understood, negotiated, and violated within transnational care labour markets.

September 2, 2026Work Employment and SocietyOpen Access

Transnational Care Labour Markets and the Making of (Un)Ethical Recruitment

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Authors

ISIsabel Shutes

Discussion

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Overview

Qualitative study reveals how immigration policies and fee-shifting drive unethical recruitment of migrant care workers, indicating true reform requires states and employers to bear labour costs.

Key Points

To examine how ethical and unethical recruitment practices are understood, negotiated, and violated within transnational care labour markets.
Qualitative interview design evaluating perspectives and practices of international care worker recruiters operating within the United Kingdom.
Theoretical and thematic analysis applying frameworks of market-making and the externalisation of care labour costs onto international workers.
Unethical recruitment emerges systematically through worker fee-charging, minimal enforcement of ethical codes, and the structural design of state immigration policies.
Although recruiters often frame themselves as ethical actors upholding migrant rights, systemic cost-shifting by employers and states fundamentally sustains unethical recruitment practices.

Cite This Study

Isabel Shutes (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a97e20ec562ede874ec6279 https://doi.org/10.1177/09500170261467642

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September 2, 2026Work Employment and SocietyOpen Access

Transnational Care Labour Markets and the Making of (Un)Ethical Recruitment

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

ISIsabel Shutes

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Qualitative study reveals how immigration policies and fee-shifting drive unethical recruitment of migrant care workers, indicating true reform requires states and employers to bear labour costs.

Key Points

To examine how ethical and unethical recruitment practices are understood, negotiated, and violated within transnational care labour markets.
Qualitative interview design evaluating perspectives and practices of international care worker recruiters operating within the United Kingdom.
Theoretical and thematic analysis applying frameworks of market-making and the externalisation of care labour costs onto international workers.
Unethical recruitment emerges systematically through worker fee-charging, minimal enforcement of ethical codes, and the structural design of state immigration policies.
Although recruiters often frame themselves as ethical actors upholding migrant rights, systemic cost-shifting by employers and states fundamentally sustains unethical recruitment practices.

Cite This Study

Isabel Shutes (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a97e20ec562ede874ec6279 https://doi.org/10.1177/09500170261467642

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark