Portuguese authorities have identified migrant agricultural workers and Portuguese nationals from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds as the groups most at risk of falling victim to human trafficking, according to a report published today by a Council of Europe watchdog.
“Migrant workers recruited in their countries of origin under conditions of severe economic hardship are exploited primarily in seasonal agricultural work. Portuguese citizens from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds or with mental health difficulties are also vulnerable to exploitation,” said the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA).
According to the report, 690 alleged victims of human trafficking were recorded in Portugal between 2021 and 2024, of whom 250 cases were formally confirmed.
The 690 cases include situations that remain under investigation, cases already being examined by the police, and incidents flagged by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that were not reported to the authorities.
Among the 250 confirmed victims were 39 children: three girls and 36 boys. Of the total number of identified victims, 32 were female and 216 were male, according to GRETA’s assessment of human trafficking in Portugal.
Of the confirmed victims, 20 were Portuguese nationals and 228 were foreign citizens. The report also lists two victims without disclosing identifying details of their gender or nationality.
In 2024, authorities recorded 36 confirmed victims of human trafficking, a sharp decline from the 134 cases registered in 2023. In 2022, 35 victims were identified, compared with 45 in 2021, the report notes.
The overwhelming majority of cases were linked to labour exploitation, accounting for 233 of the 250 confirmed victims. Most incidents were recorded in central Portugal, particularly in the Alentejo district of Beja, followed by Braga.
For the Algarve, the findings intensify scrutiny of labour practices in sectors that have become increasingly dependent on migrant workers in recent years. The region's agricultural industry has expanded rapidly in recent years, largely on the backs of thousands of seasonal workers from Asia, Africa, and eastern Europe. Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that labour shortages, and foreign workers’ dependence on recruitment networks, can bring about conditions in which exploitation flourishes.
The report also warns that children are increasingly becoming victims of human trafficking, with many identified cases linked to exploitation in the world of sport.
“Children and young people in Portugal, including unaccompanied and separated children, are at risk of different forms of exploitation. Particular concerns include the exposure of migrant boys, notably through sports recruitment, to exploitative situations, as well as the continued occurrence of child, early. and forced marriages,” GRETA said.
Sports trafficking occurs when traffickers posing as scouts or agents promise lucrative contracts or spots in prestigious sports academies in foreign countries, with the victim’s family often paying exorbitant fees for these fake opportunities. Once in a new country, traffickers confiscate their passports, leaving them stranded, financially exploited, and trapped in forced labor.
Cases involving the sexual exploitation of children were reported primarily in the Madeira archipelago.
Women involved in prostitution were also identified as being at heightened risk of trafficking, alongside homeless people and individuals with disabilities.
Cases involving women subjected to sexual exploitation were concentrated mainly in Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve.
While welcoming Portugal’s progress in tackling human trafficking, GRETA urged the authorities to “improve the identification of victims and ensure that they have access to legal assistance and compensation”.
Source: GRETA
Photo credit: Jochen Faget/DW
