Allegations of abuse against migrant workers surged 37 percent globally in the first half of 2025, with Indian nationals among the most affected, according to a report by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre.

A total of 445 cases were documented from January to June, up from 324 during the same period in 2024. The cases were linked to 327 identifiable companies, many of which were headquartered in the United States, the United Kingdom and Taiwan.

India was the country with the highest number of affected migrant workers, cited in 49 cases, followed by the Philippines with 38 and Bangladesh with 37 instances.

Abuses most commonly occurred in the U.K., with 45 cases, followed by Saudi Arabia with 41, Taiwan with 38, and the U.S. with 37.

Top Global Brands Implicated

U.S.-based companies were most frequently named, with 80 firms appearing in the dataset. These included major brands such as Meta with 8 cases, Starbucks 7, Levi Strauss 7 and VF Corp. 7, according to the NGO, which tracks the human rights performance of global businesses.

Meta was linked to the alleged exploitation of migrant content moderators employed by outsourced firms in Colombia, Germany, Ghana and Kenya. The company was also cited for enabling exploitative recruitment practices through its platforms.

A civil lawsuit filed against Starbucks in Brazil claimed that seven coffee farms in its supply chain subjected internal migrants to forced labor.

VF Corporation and Levi Strauss were both named in investigations linking them to Taiwanese suppliers accused of abusing migrant workers from Southeast Asia.

Repeat Offenders and Widespread Exploitation

Roughly 16 percent of the companies were linked to more than one abuse case, with U.S. firms particularly likely to reappear. In many instances, allegations pointed to failure to investigate or remedy reported violations.

Wage theft was the most common form of abuse, reported in 145 cases, followed by 115 cases of barriers to accessing remedy and 107 occupational health and safety violations.

Catriona Fraser, migrant rights researcher at BHRRC, said the data reflected a troubling trend in global supply chains.

“The first half of 2025 saw severe allegations of abuse against migrant workers. The wealthiest nations — and the multinational corporations operating in them — are profiting from the exploited labor of migrants from the Global South,” Fraser said.

“Particularly alarming is the high prevalence of workers facing barriers to accessing remedy. Companies accused of abuse must be held accountable, including through mandatory human rights due diligence legislation.”

Agri-Food and Construction Lead in Abuse Cases

The agri-food sector accounted for the largest number of abuse allegations, with 118 cases recorded. These included reports of 83 cases of exploitation on farms and fishing vessels, 35 in food processing and packaging and 5 at distribution and retail points.

Wage theft with 55 cases, unsafe working conditions with 35, and restricted access to remedy with 30 were the most reported abuses. In one case, a Guatemalan worker was allegedly left without medical care after suffering a pelvic injury on a Canadian farm.

The construction sector ranked second, with 75 cases, including the highest number of fatal incidents. Deaths were recorded in 34 of the cases — more than double the proportion seen during the same period in 2024.

Most fatalities occurred in Saudi Arabia, with 22 worker deaths across 13 cases, and India, with 48 worker deaths across 8 cases.

Many of these incidents were linked to infrastructure projects tied to the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup, including stadiums, mega-developments such as NEOM and Qiddiya, and the Jeddah Superdome.

Call for Stronger Regulation

BHRRC called on governments and companies to implement stronger human rights due diligence measures and ensure access to remedy for exploited workers.

“Labour rights violations by unscrupulous employers continue to widen the gulf between the richest and the poorest around the world,” Fraser said.

Further sector- and region-specific data is available upon request, the NGO added.