2024 NATIONAL MIGRANT WORK SURVEY
Migrant work in Australia, industry by industry.
The 2024 National Temporary Migrant Work Survey maps pay and conditions across every major industry that employs people on visas. For employers and industry bodies, it shows where compliance risks sit in your sector and supply chain, and gives you practical steps to stay ahead of them.
Why it matters for business
A level playing field for businesses doing the right thing
When some operators underpay, they gain an unfair cost advantage over the many businesses meeting their obligations. Seeing where underpayment concentrates helps you check your own operations and supply chain, and compete fairly.
2 in 3
workers on visas were paid below their legal entitlements, across the industries surveyed.
4x
the rate of ABN engagement compared with the general workforce.
18
industries mapped in detail, so you can find yours and understand its risk profile.
Latest report
Off the Books: Inside Australia's Hidden System of Migrant Worker Exploitation is MJI's national report, drawing on the voices of 10,000 workers. The industry data, sector briefs and business guide on this page all come from it. Read more about the report.
A practical guide for business
How to get it right in your workplace and supply chain.
This guide is the industry companion to Off the Books. Whether you're an employer, an industry peak body, or procuring services, it includes straightforward steps to review your operations, understand your obligations under workplace and modern slavery law, and reduce your exposure.
Review your operations and supply chain
Understand your workplace and modern slavery obligations
Recognise the structures that hide underpayment
Practical steps toward a compliant, level playing field
The findings by industry
Compare pay and conditions across every sector, or scroll the headline numbers industry by industry.
Interactive charts comparing wages, hours, employment structure and pay practices across every industry in the survey.
Scroll through the headline numbers for each sector. Underpayment, employment structure, pay practices and after-hours conditions.
The bottom line for business
Fair pay is a level playing field
When some operators underpay, they undercut every business meeting its obligations. Seeing where the risk sits in your sector — and acting on it — protects your workers, your supply chain and your standing in an industry that competes fairly.
UTS Law Faculty and UNSW Faculty of Law & Justice are proud supporters of the Migrant Justice Institute. MJI is a charity registered with ACNC. ABN 84654507758.