Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE

More than 280 Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia are seeking justice and compensation after being left unpaid for up to eight months by their former employer, Kawaguchi Manufacturing. The company, which produced plastic parts for major Japanese companies like Sony, Panasonic, and Daikin, abruptly shut down late last year, leaving workers stranded and in deep debt. The factory, located in Port Klang—Malaysia’s busiest port city—reportedly owed the workers over 3 million ringgit (around $694,000), but they have so far received only about $58,000. Many of the affected workers borrowed large sums, up to $5,000 each, to secure their jobs through…

Greek authorities, in cooperation with European police forces, have successfully dismantled a major migrant smuggling network that was operating across several European countries. The breakthrough operation, which took place on Thursday, targeted a criminal organization based primarily in Greece and has led to a major blow to illegal migration and human trafficking networks in the region. According to Greek officials, 12 individuals were arrested, including the suspected leader of the group, who is believed to have coordinated the smuggling of hundreds of migrants into Europe through unlawful routes. The network had been under investigation for some time and was found…

The UK has seen a dramatic fall in net migration, with figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimating 431,000 more people entered than left the country in the year ending December 2024. This marks a nearly 50% decrease compared to the 860,000 recorded the previous year. This sharp decline comes amid major policy changes introduced by the previous Conservative government, including higher salary thresholds for work visas and new limits on bringing dependents. These restrictions were later followed by similar pledges from the current Labour government, which promised to cut immigration as part of its election campaign.…

Spain is moving forward with a plan that could give legal papers to around 500,000 migrants who arrived before 31 December 2024. The government is now talking with political groups in parliament to create a new rule that would offer these migrants the chance to get residence and work permits. The goal is to fix the problems in the current immigration system and help migrants who are still living without documents. This new plan is also expected to help Spain’s tourism and hospitality industry. With more legal workers, hotels, restaurants, and travel services could hire more people legally and with…

Indonesia’s Migrant Workers Protection Minister, Abdul Kadir Karding, has warned future interns and workers planning to go to Japan not to fall into “cheap labour” traps. He stressed that some internships in Japan may end up as unpaid jobs for long periods, even though these interns are doing full-time work. “Internships and jobs must have a clear time limit. Don’t let your internship become long-term work without proper pay,” he said on May 16, as reported by local media. Karding added that the internship visa is valid for only three years, and workers must stick to that timeline. The minister…

The announcement was made in a press release on May 19, 2025. The GIS said it paused the operation to avoid overcrowding at its main Holding Centre in Accra. So far, 925 migrants have already been sent back to their countries—819 to Niger and 106 to Nigeria. But hundreds more still remain in detention, waiting for their deportation to be processed. Why did Ghana stop arresting migrant beggars? The GIS explained that they had to stop new arrests because the center where detainees are held is full. Officials are currently handling large numbers of detainees by screening them, providing health…

A shelter for unaccompanied migrant minors in the Canary Islands has been seized by Spanish police after serious abuse claims. On May 19, authorities arrested the head of the center and nine other staff members on the island of Gran Canaria. They were accused of harming and threatening children in their care. The shelter, known as La Fortaleza (The Fortress), is located in Santa Brigida. It was meant to care for unaccompanied migrant children and teens who are under protective and educational care. The center was managed by a private company called Quorum 77 on behalf of the Canary Islands’…

A US judge has warned that the government may be breaking the law by sending a group of migrants to South Sudan. Judge Brian Murphy said that his earlier order was likely ignored when a deportation flight reportedly landed in the African country this week. The judge had ruled that no migrant should be sent to a third country without a fair chance to challenge the decision. Lawyers representing migrants quickly asked for an emergency stop to the deportations. They told the court that at least 12 people had been flown out of the US on Tuesday. Some of them…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken a major step forward in regional integration by launching its Labour Migration Strategy and Action Plan (2025–2035). The plan, unveiled at a workshop in Accra on 13 May 2025, aims to make labour migration safer, more regular, and supportive of human rights across West Africa. Ghana’s Minister for Labour, Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, officially opened the event. He called the new strategy a timely and necessary shift from fragmented national policies to a unified regional approach. Ghana pledged to continue leading efforts in inclusive labour governance. Albert Siaw-Boateng, Director of…

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s migrant policy faced a major blow after Albania rejected his proposed asylum deal, sparking a flurry of critical headlines across UK newspapers. Many front pages on Friday reflect the political scramble as Starmer now seeks alternative agreements with up to nine countries to create so-called “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers. The Times led with: “Talks with up to nine nations for asylum deal”, reporting that after Albania pulled out, Starmer plans to hold discussions with nations including Bosnia, Serbia, and North Macedonia. This rapid pivot is being framed as a damage control effort following…