This case study was conducted by the Middle East Centre for Training and Development (MECTD).
A study by the Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs (PCLA) in Dubai, in collaboration with Quezon City Migration and Development Council (QC-MD).
Type of Research
This study adopts a qualitative case study approach. It is exploratory in nature, focusing on the practices of local governments in labour sending and receiving cities through the cases of Quezon City (Philippines) and Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
Research Methodology
The study employed qualitative descriptive analysis. Data was collected through primary and secondary sources, including interviews, official reports, policy documents, and media materials. The Middle East Centre for Training and Development (MECTD) conducted interviews with personnel from the Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs (PCLA) in Dubai and Quezon City representatives, validated through follow-up questionnaires and discussions.
Sample
The research focused on two case study sites: the Emirate of Dubai as a labour-receiving city, represented by PCLA, and Quezon City as a labour-sending city, represented by its Public Employment Service Office and Migrants Resource Centre. Officials, administrators, and key stakeholders from both locations formed the sample base through interviews and consultations.
Research Aim
To explore how local governments in labour sending and receiving contexts provide services, protections, and welfare support for migrant workers, and to highlight best practices that can be replicated across similar jurisdictions.
Research Objectives
– To map initiatives carried out by PCLA and Quezon City to address migrant worker welfare issues.
– To demonstrate how local governments engage in collaborations, policy reforms, and service provision.
– To highlight best practices and create space for peer-learning between sending and receiving cities.
– To contribute to the discourse of safe, orderly, and regular migration through local government involvement.
Main Findings
The study revealed that both Dubai and Quezon City play crucial but complementary roles in migrant welfare. Dubai’s PCLA emphasizes post-arrival orientation, labour inspection, and welfare services for in-service migrants, while Quezon City focuses on pre-departure training, safe migration, reintegration programs, and psychosocial support. Both cities actively collaborate with multiple stakeholders, including regional and international consultative processes, national governments, and public/private entities. The findings underline the importance of city-to-city cooperation, knowledge sharing, and policy innovation to protect migrant workers throughout the migration cycle.
Abstract
This study examines the role of local governments in supporting migrant workers by presenting two case studies: the Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs (PCLA) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as a labour-receiving city, and Quezon City in the Philippines as a labour-sending city. The research adopts a qualitative case study design, using descriptive analysis based on primary interviews, secondary literature, and official reports. It identifies the initiatives, collaborations, and policy reforms undertaken by both local governments to safeguard the welfare of migrant workers. The findings indicate that while Dubai focuses on post-arrival services such as labour inspections, orientation programs, and welfare activities, Quezon City emphasizes pre-departure training, reintegration support, and migrant family services. The study concludes that effective collaboration and knowledge-sharing between sending and receiving cities can significantly enhance safe, orderly, and regular migration. This work contributes to the global discourse on migration governance by emphasizing the often-overlooked but critical role of municipal and local-level authorities.
This research was conducted by the Middle East Centre for Training and Development (MECTD) in collaboration with the Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs in Dubai and the Quezon City Migration and Development Council.