Trapped in the Gulf: The Secret Exploitation of Overseas Laborers

Promises of high salaries and dignified working conditions quickly vanished for hundreds of migrant workers upon arrival at overseas construction sites. Confiscated passports, unpaid wages for up to eight months, and overcrowded labor camps remain harsh realities.

This cross-border investigation traces the supply chain of unlicensed middlemen who charge exorbitant recruitment fees, plunging low-income families into crippling debt cycles before they even step on the airplane.

Advocacy groups and diplomatic missions are pushing for stricter enforcement of bilateral labor agreements to hold predatory recruitment agencies accountable.