Bilateral labour agreements (BLAs) are part of the broader set of frameworks, laws, technical instruments and practices that make up national labour migration policies. Improving the quality and efficiency of BLAs in ensuring rights-based labour migration requires State and non-State actors (social partners and key stakeholders) involved in the development and implementation of BLAs to develop their expertise and capacity in this increasingly technical area. This guide is designed to assist the South African Development Community Member States and other stakeholder organizations and institutions to increase their knowledge of existing standards, frameworks and good practices, as well as to provide an accurate understanding of the technical processes and components of BLAs.