Embedded Files
By: Kacie Matthews
Country Overview
Liechtenstein located in Central Europe seems to be concealing, and not reporting any migrant worker exploitation. Many reports of forced labor and the vulnerability migrant workers have to exploitation have been brought up in the past five years.
Statistics
40,000 migrant workers in 2020
40% of Liechtenstein’s workforce
Gender Breakdown: 72.2% Female participation, and an 83.4% Male participation
Main Sectors: Private home care & Agriculture
Countries of Origin
Switzerland
Austria
Germany
Legal Gaps
Greta; Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, has called out Liechtenstein's authorities as from 2018-2023 there have been many human trafficking cases, and work exploitation cases that have never been prosecuted, and put 9 lives at risk. There has been an increase in exploitation of asylum seekers and migrants who have come to Liechtenstein. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, the sector in which most migrant workers work is private home care, such as domestic work, including home care nurses, housekeepers and more. One would believe that these workers are entitled to the same governmental rights as anyone else, however, according to Liechtenstein’s law, since these jobs are being taken in a private sector, it doesn’t fall within national law or compliance to be treated the same, and be paid at the same rate. Along with that, Liechtenstein doesn’t have any minimum wage, and there are large wage gaps between gender, religion, and other factors.
NGO & Support Resources
Greta; Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
United Nations Refugee Agency
“The authorities should also pay increased attention to the identification of victims of trafficking among asylum seekers and migrants” (GRETA).
Sources
Council of Europe. “GRETA Publishes Its Third Report on Liechtenstein.” Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Council of Europe, 3 Feb. 2025, www.coe.int/en/web/anti-human-trafficking/-/greta-publishes-its-third-report-on-liechtenstein.
---. “Liechtenstein Urged to Improve Identification of Trafficking Victims and Step up Efforts to Combat Trafficking for Labour Exploitation.” Portal, Council of Europe, 3 Feb. 2025, www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/liechtenstein-urged-to-improve-identification-of-trafficking-victims-and-step-up-efforts-to-combat-trafficking-for-labour-exploitation.
https://rm.coe.int/greta-evaluation-report-on-the-implementation-of-the-council-of-europe/1680b3d920
Google Sites
Report abuse