The work force in construction, as well as in other industries, is becoming more multi-national. This might add to the complexity and fragmentation of the construction industry. Construction projects are limited in time and, in many instances, involve layers of contractors and subcontractors. By means of a short literature review, and informed by a cultural view on safety, this paper explores to what extent there are differences in safety outcomes between foreign and domestic workers in multi-national projects and, as well, the causes presented for explaining differences. Migrant workers tend to be significantly more accident prone than domestic workers. This is explained by migrant workers having more risk-exposed jobs and, often enough, less favourable working conditions, and are less familiar with safety regulations. Some can also possess cultural profiles that involve more risk taking in that they are accustomed to different working practices. The reality of multi-national projects is that the work force typically reflects a range of subcultures that in some instances are reflective of their original nationality. A general approach for improving occupational safety for migrant workers might be to address cultural, structural and interactional issues in parallel, as these dimensions are interlinked.