Six steps to better protect migrants from labour exploitation

The ‘Six points for labour inspectors – EU law safeguards for non-EU workers’ outlines areas inspectors should focus on:

1. Better information - non-EU workers often do not know their rights. Inspectors can provide migrants with information on their rights and obligations during site visits or through targeted campaigns.
2. Justice - most non-EU workers do not report exploitation out of fear of losing their job and their residence permit. Workers who are not in the EU legally are afraid of being caught or even deported. Inspectors can help migrants report exploitation, file complaints and seek justice.
3. Identify exploitation - inspectors can detect violations of labour law and labour exploitation, and refer victims to support organisations.
4. Full pay - every worker, regardless of their status, has a right to be paid for their work. Labour inspectors can inform migrants about their rights and support them in getting the wages owed to them.
5. Decent housing - employers often provide workers with poor accommodation, without running water, electricity or proper sanitation. Inspector should recognise inadequate housing and monitor employers’ compliance with standards, in cooperation with relevant authorities.
6. Changing job – some categories of non-EU workers have a right to change employer, something which is particularly important in case of abuse. Labour inspectors should proactively inform migrant workers about this right.

FRA has been working with labour inspectors across the EU to develop a practical manual to support them in detecting labour exploitation and protecting migrants’ rights. The manual will be released in autumn 2024.

This guidance is part of FRA’s ongoing work on labour exploitation. Previously, the Agency published reports on Protecting migrants in an irregular situation from labour exploitation – Role of the Employers Sanctions Directive and Protecting migrant workers from exploitation in the EU: workers’ perspectives.