Seafarers and Illegal Recruitment Fees: 2024 Insights
Summary
New research for 2024 shows that almost a third (31%) of seafarers have been asked to pay a recruitment fee to secure a job onboard a merchant vessel – of these, 28% were asked in 2024 – meaning the problem is both endemic and current.
Almost half of those who were charged fees paid between $500 – $5,000, with some seafarers reporting being charged more than $10,000. The resulting levels of debt push many seafarers towards modern slavery conditions and are linked to unsafe conditions aboard ships, according to researchers.
The research also includes findings on the mental health impacts of recruitment fees, with almost three quarters of seafarers saying recruitment fee requests impacted their mental health.
The research found that 74% of those asked to pay a fee did so, possibly because they felt they had no choice. A staggering 80% of seafarers who were asked to pay illegal recruitment fees did not report the incidents to authorities, with many unaware that this practice is illegal.
This Research Briefing from IHRB and TURTLE provides recommendations for shipping companies, cargo owners and government agencies to end this corrupt and illegal practice.
