United Nations Human Rights Council
Exploitation of Migrant Workers Under Sponsorship Systems
Migrant workers play an essential role in supporting economies and societies around the world. They are people who travel to other countries in search of better job opportunities, better standard of living, and to support their families.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), there are approximately 169 million migrant workers globally. However, despite their significant contribution to society, these people are vulnerable to exploitation under sponsorship systems. Exploitation under sponsorship systems refers to situations where employers (or sponsors) abuse the rights of labour migrants because the workers cannot freely leave, change jobs, or file a complaint against the employer without risking their legal stay in the country. This creates a significant power imbalance, allowing employers to stop workers from changing jobs, confiscate passport and ID documents, delay workers’ wages or completely withhold them, force workers to work for long hours without rest and proper protective equipment, and since the visa and IDs of the labourers lies with the sponsor, losing a job means losing legal status in the country. About 28 million people are estimated to be in forced labour worldwide, enduring severe exploitation. Domestic workers are among the most vulnerable, with a high risk of hidden abuse because their job conditions place them in private households, making it hard for inspectors to monitor conditions, live-in domestic workers rely on their employers to provide them with food, shelter, and visa. With over 169 million migrant workers globally and millions still vulnerable to forced labour, the issue demands urgent international attention.
The Swiss Confederation believes that protecting migrant workers is essential to upholding human dignity, safeguarding fundamental human rights, and promoting fair and ethical labour practices worldwide. Switzerland recognizes the significant contributions made by migrant workers to its economy and supports efforts to eliminate all forms of labour exploitation, forced labour, and poor standards of living for migrant workers. Switzerland supports the strengthening of legal protections for migrant workers, improving access to safe working conditions and fair wages, and ensuring that employers who exploit or abuse workers are held accountable for their actions. According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, In 2024, Switzerland received approximately 136,000 new long-term or permanent immigrants, of whom 74% benefited from free mobility agreements, 2% were labour migrants, 15% were family members, and 10% were humanitarian migrants.