Thousands of Migrant Workers in Lithuania Report Widespread Exploitation and Contract Abuse

Migrant workers arriving in Lithuania are reporting a pattern of exploitation, according to anti-trafficking NGOs and trade unions. Kristina Mišinienė of the Centre Against Human Trafficking highlighted that many foreigners arrive already abused, with employers confiscating passports or residence permits and imposing contracts solely in Lithuanian that often deny workers a copy. Audrius Cuzanauskas of the Trade Union Alliance described extreme financial pressure, citing a Brazilian employee at Rosteka who would owe €10,000 if he left early and another case involving a €265,000 claim.

Workers are also forced into 200-328 hours of monthly overtime in refrigerated poultry plants, often without payslips. Emilis Starodubovas noted that some firms use service contracts that make employees liable for fines. MP Tomas Tomilinas said the government will take “very serious steps” to regulate migration, while officials from labour inspectorates were criticized for weak enforcement. The Migration Department reports about 227,000 foreign residents, with employment permits falling from 175,000 to 108,000 this year, while businesses claim a shortage of unskilled labor.