In 2016, Australians were first exposed to the exploitation of migrant workers through media coverage of systemic underpayments of international students in 7-Eleven stores. Since then, we have consistently defined the national conversation on migrant worker exploitation in Australia through regular national surveys of thousands of migrant workers and extensive media engagement.
Following the 7-Eleven scandal, we demonstrated that migrant worker exploitation is business as usual in Australia, not an isolated event. Our survey of over 4,000 migrant workers found the majority had been paid less than the minimum wage.
“A number of our recommendations
were significantly influenced by this
work. It has had a real policy impact.”
David Cousins, Deputy Chair, Commonwealth Migrant Workers’ Task Force
In 2018, our survey of 6,000 international students demonstrated that exploitation is not confined to workplaces. We showed landlords similarly prey on their vulnerability. We catalysed responses by universities, local councils and the NSW government to address exploitaiton of international students in housing.
When COVID hit in 2020, we surveyed 6,000 migrant workers to document their acute financial insecurity when denied government support. Using our findings, a national advocacy coalition successfully campaigned for reversal of the policy.
In 2024, we will undertake a new national survey of thousands of migrant workers on the prevalence of workplace abuses, and the connection between these and modern slavery.
IMPACT OF THIS WORK
A NEW NATIONAL CONVERSATION We brought the crisis of migrant worker wage theft to a large national and international public audience. Media coverage in all major Australian outlets between 2018 and 2020 reached an audience of 9 million (according to UTS Media office), along with feature pieces in the New York Times, Telegraph (UK), Straits Times, Reuters, ABC 7:30 current affairs program and Sky News.
POLITICAL CHANGE Our research influenced legislative changes in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland, and has been cited as the authoritative account of migrant worker exploitation in every parliamentary inquiry and national taskforce considering it.
LEGAL REMEDIES In 2019 a new dedicated legal service for migrant workers in NSW was established as an explicit response to our reports.