‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.

Children at Higher Risk

Sub-Saharan migrant children, including unaccompanied children, are sometimes exploited through commercial sexual exploitation and forced begging. Refugees and migrants who lack legal documentation, including child migrants from sub-Saharan African countries and those fleeing unrest in neighboring countries, are vulnerable to labor exploitation because Black migrants face widespread social discrimination and barriers to formal employment. As a result, migrants and refugees generally work under informal arrangements, which often allow children to work in exploitive conditions.

Barriers to Education Access

The Algerian public education system is free and compulsory for all children ages 6 to 16, regardless of ethnicity and nationality. Despite universal access to education, schools in the southern regions of Algeria face attendance problems, with some children as young as age 13 or 14 dropping out of school. Non-Algerian children face other barriers to education, such as required documentation of grade level or testing to determine their level. In addition, migrants who do not speak Arabic, the language of instruction, face challenges in the Algerian education system, and some migrant families may also not be familiar with Algerian law granting free education to all children. Despite assistance from international organizations to address documentation barriers, these informal restrictions to education access result in absence from school and contribute to increased vulnerability to child labor.

In 2023, Algeria passed a law penalizing the use of children to acquire or attempt to acquire narcotics or psychotropics, with a fine of approximately $7,420 to $14,840 (1,000,000 to 2,000,000 dinar). The law also criminalizes the exploitation of minors in the promotion “by any means whatsoever” of narcotics or psychotropics. However, gaps remain as the involvement of children in either the production or trafficking of drugs is not criminalized. Additionally, the Labor Code prohibits anyone under age 19 from working at night and anyone under age 18 from performing work that is harmful to their health, safety, or morals. However, Algeria has not determined by national law or regulation the types of work that are hazardous for children, and research did not determine whether the government commission tasked with proposing a list of hazardous professions continued to work on this issue in 2023.

In 2023, 725 labor inspectors conducted 241,625 worksite inspections, finding 53 child labor violations. The government also conducted 26 investigations into suspected worst forms of child labor crimes, although the number of prosecutions initiated and perpetrators convicted is unknown.

For information about USDOL’s projects to address child labor around the world, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/ilab-project-page-search
† Program is funded by the Government of Algeria.

Algeria imposes significant barriers to freedom of association, including stringent registration requirements, restrictions on union activities, and limits on the ability to join international unions. These restrictions can hinder workers' ability to organize, advocate for their rights, and report labor abuses, including child labor.

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