Today, the Australian parliament passed an important law implementing reforms for which we have been campaigning for years with our allies. The new law decriminalising undocumented workers; confirms that workplace protections apply to all workers regardless of their migration status; strengthens the accountability of employers; and takes the first step towards visa protections for exploited workers.
Ending the silence on migrant worker exploitation
Over 70,000 people live in Australia illegally ... many are vulnerable to exploitation
Submission: AHRC Amendment (Costs Protection) Bill 2023 [Provisions]
We strongly support the passage of this bill in its current form and are proud to be part of the Power to Prevent Coalition that has advocated for this reform. In early 2024 we will release All Work No Pay, a report which will strongly encourage the Government to introduce similar amendments in relation to small claims.
Backpackers spared from migration overhaul
AFR | Michael Read
“Advocates for limiting the working holiday program to one year argue the requirement to work in the regions left workers open to exploitation. A survey by the Migrant Justice Institute found that almost half of all working holidaymakers reported being paid well below the minimum wage.”
MJI calls for increased funding for migrant workers' legal support
Labor could ignore calls for working holiday visa limits
Australian Financial Review | Michael Read and Tom McIlroy
“Advocates for limiting the working holiday program to one year argue the requirement to work in the regions left workers open to exploitation. A survey by the Migrant Justice Institute found that almost half of all working holidaymakers reported being paid well below the minimum wage.”
(Subscriber only article)
New Bill responds to our recommendations but does not go far enough
In July 2023 the Australian government introduced the Migration Amendment (Strengthening Employer Compliance) Bill 2023 (Cth) taking up several of our recommendations. Working with Human Rights Law Centre and our other allies, Migrant Justice Institute has made submissions on the Bill and advocated for its amendment in one important respect.
“Head in the sand”: Student work, rebate changes to inflame childcare shortages
Sydney Morning Herald | Angus Thompson
“University of Technology, Sydney, Associate Professor Laurie Berg, an expert in temporary labour migration, said that as of last month, there were 529,000 international students in the country. She said, according to a 2020 survey she conducted, 65 per cent of student visa holders held jobs.”
Albanese government to tackle exploitation
Canberra Times | Justine Landis-Hanley
“Associate Professor Laurie Berg, co-executive director of the Migrant Justice Institute, said the changes could be a ‘game-changer for stopping the exploitation of migrant workers in Australia. For the first time, migrant workers could safely address wage theft and walk away from employers who exploit them without risking their visa.”
Webinar 22 June - Visas to empower migrant workers to address exploitation
New Brief: Migration settings that enable exploited migrant workers to leave abusive employers and stay to pursue labour remedies
This Research and Policy Brief considers migration frameworks that would enable migrant workers to safely speak up, leave abusive employers without losing their visa, or temporarily remain in their country of employment at the end of their stay in order to recover the wages they are owed and hold abusive employers to account
Australian government accepts our recommendation to confirm labour law protections for all migrant workers
Organisations and unions across Australia call for whistleblower protections for migrant workers
New Explainer: Wage Theft and Migrant Workers - Why Government and Business Systems are Failing
What is wage theft and why is it systemic for migrant workers? Why don't migrant workers recover unpaid wages? What can governments and business do to reduce risks to workers and make wage claim processes work? Our new short Explainer provides governments, business and advocates with accessible answers to these and other key questions on migrant worker wage theft, based on extensive global research.
Webinar 23 Feb - Enforcing Migrant Workers’ Labour Rights: Lessons from Trade Unions
Please join the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Migrant Justice Institute, Solidarity Center, the ILAW Network and MIDEQ for a global discussion on the ways in which unions are successfully supporting migrant workers to achieve labour justice. February 23,: 8:30 – 10.00am Brussels | 3:30-5.00pm Manila | 6:30-8.00pm Sydney
The endemic exploitation of migrant workers in Australia must stop
Canberra Times | Sanmati Verma, Bassina Farbenblum, Laurie Berg, Matt Kunkel
“Research conducted by the Migrant Justice Institute in 2018 found that of the 4332 migrant workers surveyed, around three-quarters were paid less than the casual minimum wage, and yet only 9 per cent of underpaid migrants had taken action to recover their wages.
These figures cannot be explained away by visa holders' lack of understanding or workplace literacy. Nor can they be chalked up to bad-apple employers or fraudsters preying on the unsuspecting.
Rather, they are a product of the insecurity and inequality that has been built into the migration regime over years.Advocates for limiting the working holiday program to one year argue the requirement to work in the regions left workers open to exploitation. A survey by the Migrant Justice Institute found that almost half of all working holidaymakers reported being paid well below the minimum wage.”
Webinar 14 Dec: Beyond Qatar: Global opportunities to address migrant workers’ access to justice for wage theft
Join us on December 14, 2022 at 18:00 GMT for a live global webinar with experts and advocates from around the world to discuss progress and opportunities for ensuring that migrant workers can recover the wages they are owed. The webinar will feature the ILO's launch of a new Guidance Note on Wage Protection. Spanish interpretation will be provided.
Senate Committee adopts MJI Recommendation on Undocumented Workers
Webinar 22 June: Migrant workers' access to justice for wage theft in the Americas
Join the Migrant Justice Institute for this important conversation with the lawyers, advocates and organisers involved in driving effective reforms. How have promising changes to laws, policies, and government processes come about? What were the conditions that enabled them? And what lessons can be learned for other advocates?