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Migration and Migrant Labour in the Gig Economy: An Intervention

Author

Listed:
  • Niels van Doorn

    (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Fabian Ferrari

    (University of Oxford, UK)

  • Mark Graham

    (University of Oxford, UK)

Abstract

In urban gig economies around the world, platform labour is predominantly migrant labour, yet research on the intersection of the gig economy and labour migration remains scant. Our experience with two action research projects, spanning six cities on four continents, has taught us how platform work impacts the structural vulnerability of migrant workers. This leads us to two claims that should recalibrate the gig economy research agenda. First, we argue that platform labour simultaneously degrades working conditions while offering migrants much-needed opportunities to improve their livelihoods. Second, we contend that the reclassification of gig workers as employees is by itself not sufficient to counter the precarisation of migrant gig work. Instead, we need ambitious policies at the intersection of immigration, social welfare, and employment regulation that push back against the digitally mediated commodification of migrant labour worldwide.

Suggested Citation

  • Niels van Doorn & Fabian Ferrari & Mark Graham, 2023. "Migration and Migrant Labour in the Gig Economy: An Intervention," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 37(4), pages 1099-1111, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:37:y:2023:i:4:p:1099-1111
    DOI: 10.1177/09500170221096581
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Davide Però, 2020. "Indie Unions, Organizing and Labour Renewal: Learning from Precarious Migrant Workers," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 34(5), pages 900-918, October.
    2. Chih-Mei, Luo, 2018. "Are Labour Market Reforms the Answer to Post-Euro-Crisis Management? Reflections on Germany’s Hartz Reforms," European Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(4), pages 738-754, October.
    3. van Dijck, José & Nieborg, David & Poell, Thomas, 2019. "Reframing platform power," Internet Policy Review: Journal on Internet Regulation, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), Berlin, vol. 8(2), pages 1-18.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ma, Liang & He, Qiqi & Gan, Qixu, 2025. "Impact of short-term labor contracts on financial health: Evidence from migrant worker households in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 448-463.
    3. Guogui Huang & Fei Guo & Lucy Taksa & Zhiming Cheng & Lihua Liu & Klaus F. Zimmermann & Massimiliano Tani & Marika Franklin, 2026. "The ‘Healthy Migrant Effect’ and Ageing: Life Expectancy and Healthy Life Expectancy of the Migrant and Native-born Populations in Australia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 182(3), pages 1-26, April.
    4. Alex J Wood & Nicholas Martindale & Brendan J Burchell, 2025. "Beyond the ‘Gig Economy’: Towards Variable Experiences of Job Quality in Platform Work," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 39(5), pages 1154-1178, October.
    5. Pedro Mendonça & Nadia K Kougiannou, 2025. "‘We Are Not All the Same’: The Capacity of Different Groups of Food Delivery Gig Workers to Build Collective and Individual Power Resources," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 39(2), pages 311-335, April.

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