Migrant workers' irregularity, precarity, dignity, and relevant actors: A critical review of selected literature around key concepts and questions of the DignityFIRM project. Horizon Europe project DignityFIRM.

The aim of this state-of-the-art report is to provide a (common) conceptual starting point and basis for the empirical research to be carried out within work packages four and five of the DignityFIRM project (Horizon Europe grant agreement ID: 101094652), on the conditions of “irregular migrant workers” (IMWs) employed in Farm to Fork Sectors and along the Food Production Chain. It is based on a selective review of existing literature related to four key elements that are defined in the project proposal: First of all, it discusses (1) IRREGULARITY in relation to (a) migration/status – especially the complexities of the concept and emerging analytical frameworks for studying the phenomenon as such – as well as (b) employment. It then reviews some of the literature that links irregularity to (2) LABOR PRECARITY on one hand, and to (3) DIGNITY on the other. The last part focuses on (4) the most relevant ACTORS involved in the governance of irregular migrant work, highlighting the multilevel- and multiactorness of the corresponding regulatory infrastructure(s) or framework(s) that cut across various fields of public policy (migration, labor market, welfare, etc.) and significantly rely on third sector and private actor engagement. This working paper has been jointly produced by the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB) and FIERI (Forum Internazionale ed Europeo di Ricerche sull'Immigrazione, Torino, Italy). For the current collection, the Radboud University acts as both publisher and administrator. The Radboud University handles the storage and access of the data through the Radboud Data Repository, in consultation with and on behalf of the partners of the Horizon Europe project.