Migrant workers struggling to reclaim unpaid wages while balancing visa conditions

MJI’s Bassina Farbenblum was interviewed by the ABC’s Scout Wallen to provide an expert opinion concerning the “extremely few” migrant and visa workers who ever manage to reclaim unpaid wages - 5 September 2025.

Migrant Protection: Calls for workers compensation scheme to be extended to migrant workers

The Fair Entitlements Guarantee (FEG) is under review and MJI’s Bassina Farbenblum joined Joe O’Brien to disscuss this matter on the ABC News on Monday, 17 March 2025.

Migrant Exploitation Experts Call For Increase to Services Accredited With Certifying Workplace Justice Visas

Migrant Justice Institute co-executive director Laurie Berg said while the pilot was world-leading, the government needed to expand the list of partner organisations able to process claims.

United Petroleum Outlets Fined for Underpaying Workers - HRD Australia

Data from the Migrant Justice Institure last year revelaed that wage theft is “widespread” across Australia.

New 'justice visa' for exploited migrant workers

The Law Report’s Damien Carrick spoke to one of the first exploited migrant workers to obtain the new workplace justice visa.

He also interviewed our Co-Executive Director Laurie Berg about our All Work, No Pay report.

Migrant workers have long been too scared to report employer misconduct. A new visa could change this

The conversation | Laurie Berg & Bassina Farbenblum

Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported.

On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a two-year pilot of innovative visa reforms that could bring these workers out of the shadows.

Ni-Vanuatu women unite to overcome seasonal work 'nightmare'

A case brought to the Federal Court by 12 Pacific Islander female workers alleges the group was subject to persistent sexual harassment.

The group's fight for justice is being lauded as a possible catalyst for change in an industry where the exploitation of temporary migrants is rife.

Laurie Berg, co-executive director of the Migrant Justice Institute, says there is a "cycle of impunity" when it comes to the abuse of migrant workers.

Recovering lost wages is nearly impossible for Australia’s underpaid migrant workers

'Virtually impossible' for migrant workers to hold employers accountable for unpaid wages

Australia's law system is seen as "hollow" by migrant workers, who rarely chase up underpayment from their employers, according to a new report.

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Half of 4,000 interveiwed migrant workers being underpayed, research shows

Of the 4,000 migrant workers interviewed, over half were underpaid. Most knew this, but 9 in 10 did nothing. One went to court – but recovered none of their wages. It is not clear that wages claims are being systematically resolved via other legal forums or by the Fair Work Ombudsman, the report said.

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Recovering lost wages is nearly impossible for Australia’s underpaid migrant workers. Here’s how to fix the problem

The widespread underpayment of migrant workers in Australia is now well-documented. The vast majority never recover the wages they are owed.

In 2009, the federal “small claims” court process was established in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The idea was to give workers a simple and accessible forum to claim unpaid wages and entitlements from their employers – without needing a lawyer.

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Australian survey on international student exploitation planned

A survey examining the degree to which international students are exploited while working in Australia is launching another edition in July.

The Migrant Justice Institute, in a conversation with The PIE News, explained how the working conditions of international students in Australia need another round under the spotlight through its national temporary migrant survey.

“Lots of organisations, and indeed the government have been crying out for us to do another survey to really try and determine what exploitation looks like,” said Laurie Berg, co-executive director of the Migrant Justice Institute, referring to the organisation’s 2016 and 2019 surveys on the issue, as well as a special Covid-specific survey in 2020.

On July 8, the survey will launch inviting universities across Australia to get their international students to take part, asking about issues like wage deduction.

Ending the silence on migrant worker exploitation

CHOICE | Andy Kollmorgen

“Berg, a senior lecturer in law at the University of Technology Sydney and an author of the 2017 report, says the post-COVID influx of international students and backpackers means exploitation is likely back where it was before.“

I think that we as a society have come to expect low prices when it comes to things like fruit and vegetables and takeaway shops on sort of the lower end of the restaurant and hospitality scale. But the business model often relies on underpayment of temporary visa holders."

Over 70,000 people live in Australia illegally ... many are vulnerable to exploitation

ABC | Katri Uibu

“University of Technology Sydney academic Laurie Berg said: "I think employers routinely take advantage of that and it actually is a business model in some industries, where employers will seek out undocumented workers in order to avoid compliance with Australian labour law."

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.”

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)

“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,’ she said.”

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.”