A new U.S. report has raised concerns about the vulnerability of foreign workers in Antigua and Barbuda, particularly those linked to Chinese and Cuban government-affiliated programs, even as the country remained on the U.S. State Department’s Tier 2 watch list for human trafficking.
The 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report noted that while the government has stepped up efforts to prevent exploitation and protect foreign workers, it continues to fall short in critical areas. The report cited gaps in screening and said authorities again failed to confirm any trafficking victims, a pattern that has persisted since 2019.
According to the report, approximately 72 Cuban medical professionals are working in Antigua and Barbuda under a state-to-state arrangement, and civil society observers warned they may be compelled to work under conditions of forced labor imposed by the Cuban regime. Chinese nationals employed on construction projects linked to Chinese state-affiliated programs were also flagged as at risk of exploitation.
The government has begun reviewing contracts involving Cuban workers to ensure that employees—not the Cuban regime—receive 100 percent of their pay, the report said. It added that oversight of Chinese-affiliated construction projects remains limited.
Despite training programs for frontline officials and the adoption of a 2025 National Action Plan, the government did not initiate any prosecutions last year and has never secured a trafficking conviction. The report said weak investigative capacity, inadequate witness protection, and corruption within the legal system contributed to an environment of impunity.
While the government spent nearly $99,000 on anti-trafficking activities and continued outreach through billboards and media campaigns in multiple languages, observers said systemic shortcomings continue to leave workers—especially those from overseas—vulnerable to abuse.
