Initiated by Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) and a global coalition of trade unions, civil society organizations, lawyers, and migrant advocates Launched on 1 June 2020 to confront the systemic extraction of migrant labor and demand the immediate establishment of an Urgent Justice Mechanism, cross-border claims processing, and full compensation for all withheld wages and statutory

entitlements

Understanding Wage Theft

Wage theft is the total or partial non-payment of contractually owed remuneration and statutory dues. It is deeply embedded across global supply chains and temporary labor migration regimes, functioning as an architecture of exploitation where employers offload financial risks onto workers:

• Non-Payment and Arbitrary Deductions: Unilateral salary slashes, unlawful deductions for food, visas, medical cards, and mandatory unpaid leave
• End-of-Service Benefits (EOSB) Denial: Systematic refusal to disburse earned gratuity, severance pay, and accumulated leave upon contract completion or termination
• Coerced Settlement Waivers: Forcing workers to sign blank papers, Arabic "cancellation forms," or quitclaims waiving monetary claims as a prerequisite for receiving exit visas and return flight tickets
• Contract Substitution and Subminimum Wages: Deceptive alteration of contracts upon arrival in destination countries, paying below national minimums, and refusing legally mandated overtime pay.