As recession looms large on the horizon, migrant workers like 27-year-old Kumar Palanisamy from Chennai in India are the first on the chopping block.

"My employer told me I have a job up to December...after that nobody knows," said Kumar who works as a production operator with a furniture manufacturer exporting to the United States and China.

"I don’t want to lose my job or get deported," he said, eyes brimming with tears. "I have a family to support and a Rs 40,000 (800 US dollars) debt to settle."