In some cases the women work in slavery-like conditions and their employers frequently take away their passports. They lack access to services or protection mechanisms and do not report abuse for fear of being deported. In many countries, domestic workers are not recognized as "workers" entitled to protection by labour laws. Strict immigration laws lead to many migrant domestic workers being in an irregular situation, outside the protection of the law, or dependent on the employer, since their immigrant status depends on the employer's continued sponsorship.