Hong Kong rejects US downgrade to lowest tier in human trafficking report

The United States has downgraded Hong Kong's human trafficking status from Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 3 in its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report for 2026. The downgrade cites the city's failure to meet minimum standards in prosecuting trafficking cases and identifying victims, according to the US State Department. Hong Kong's government rejected the assessment as "entirely unfounded" and accused the US of double standards.

The city investigated 11 trafficking cases in 2025, all involving forced labor, up from seven the previous year. However, it prosecuted only one suspect and convicted two sex traffickers, with one receiving less than a year in jail. Out of the 15 victims identified, all were Hong Kong residents forced to work in scam centers in Myanmar and Cambodia.

Authorities did not identify any victims exploited within Hong Kong, despite conducting about 12,100 initial screenings. The Hong Kong government stated that it has increased screenings by 7% from 2024 and made efforts to bring residents home safely, identify victims, and pursue those implicated. The US acknowledged some progress but highlighted concerns about the lack of a single law criminalizing all forms of trafficking and the "two-week rule" for domestic workers' post-employment stays, which may increase vulnerability to abusive employers.

The report also criticized the national security law and Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which allegedly limit NGOs' ability to engage with authorities on trafficking issues.