Being a Migrant Worker in a Frozen Conflict Setting: The Case of Pakistani Workers in Northern Cyprus

Across the world, economic migrants work in jobs that the local workers shun, accepting jobs that are unsafe and/or poorly paid. Pakistan is the second largest labor exporter in South Asia. Though some skilled workers go to Western countries such as the US, and the UK, most Pakistani workers go to the Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar, where they face significant levels of labor abuse in low-paid jobs; a topic which is widely studied in the literature. Curiously, some end up in Northern Cyprus, a de facto state in the Eastern Mediterranean, where they form the third largest group of foreign workers (after those from Turkey and Turkmenistan). Northern Cyprus where over 40% of the labor force is made up of foreign workers is an understudied case, and the proposed paper aims to (at least partly) fill this gap in the academic literature by examining the recruitment practices, working and living conditions of Pakistani migrant workers in this country. We argue that due to the lack of recognition of the country and the continuation of the Cyprus conflict, there is a lack of international agreements and a robust human/labor rights regime, which could better protect labor rights, forcing the vulnerable Pakistani migrant community to live and work under dire conditions. Basically, we argue that the Cyprus problem, a frozen conflict, which strains the relationship between the two main communities of the island (Greek and Turkish Cypriots), is overshadowing other important domestic socio-economic issues in general, and the issue of the rights of immigrants in particular. The argument is supported by empirical evidence collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with 25-30 migrant workers from Pakistan working in different sectors. These interviews were also complemented by interviews conducted with local actors such as trade union and NGO representatives. We found that Pakistani workers are subject to violations of basic labor rights in all research aspects. Our preliminary findings suggest: a) workers are charged hefty amounts for obtaining a work permit, leading to debt bondage in some cases, b) they face unfair treatment including unpaid salaries, late payments, and lower payments, c) they are often expected to work over-time without extra payment, d) none of them are unionized, e) they expressed mistrust towards the authorities such as the police, and fear of deportation if they reported any misconduct, f) especially those with an illegal status face extra challenges. Our findings also show the detrimental role of intermediaries who falsely portray North Cyprus as a European Union state or an easy transit to Europe. In most cases, North Cyprus is portrayed as a “gateway” to Europe, making it more attractive. Most Pakistani workers who are not aware of the political status of the country, feel deceived when they realize the real situation.