FEATURE REPORT
Off The Books: Inside Australia's Hidden System of Migrant Worker Exploitation
Two-thirds of migrant workers in Australia are paid less than they are legally owed. Not by accident, and not by a few rogue employers. This report presents the first national evidence of a clear interlocking system of migrant exploitation, and identifies where to intervene. It draws on the voices of 10,000 migrant workers across Australia
“It is like an eco-system and everyone passes through it”
“Visas in Australia are designed like a cast-system”
"We as migrants feel that we have no rights."
"They make you understand that you are worth less here"
"Now when i think about those days, i feel pity on us how we were robbed and trapped."
"It is difficult to avoid being exploited on a temporary visa. This is the truth"
"If an employer offers less than the minimum wage, we have to agree to it in order to make money"
"My salary was less than what was agreed on and I don't feel like I can do anything about it since I'm on ABN"
"They would keep your passport and you had to stick with the employer for a minimum of 3 months"
"My employer tried to sexually harm me and I quit my job, he told me he would deport me or call police"
"Because of the visa issue, my boss is often rude to me. When I do something wrong, even something very small, my boss will scold me harshly"
"They made me work for 7 hours straight without a break, paying me 20 an hour"
"There are a lot of small businesses that take advantage of people on temporary visas especially students."
"Wage theft is just regarded as normal "
"You are so busy that you can't even drink a sip of water, and you don't get paid. This is terrible."
“It is like an eco-system and everyone passes through it” “Visas in Australia are designed like a cast-system” "We as migrants feel that we have no rights." "They make you understand that you are worth less here" "Now when i think about those days, i feel pity on us how we were robbed and trapped." "It is difficult to avoid being exploited on a temporary visa. This is the truth" "If an employer offers less than the minimum wage, we have to agree to it in order to make money" "My salary was less than what was agreed on and I don't feel like I can do anything about it since I'm on ABN" "They would keep your passport and you had to stick with the employer for a minimum of 3 months" "My employer tried to sexually harm me and I quit my job, he told me he would deport me or call police" "Because of the visa issue, my boss is often rude to me. When I do something wrong, even something very small, my boss will scold me harshly" "They made me work for 7 hours straight without a break, paying me 20 an hour" "There are a lot of small businesses that take advantage of people on temporary visas especially students." "Wage theft is just regarded as normal " "You are so busy that you can't even drink a sip of water, and you don't get paid. This is terrible."
"Employers often take advantage of the vulnerability in which we migrants live"
"Most people expect migrants have to work harder, longer hours and less wage! As we are migrants!"
"Immigrants work so hard and are treated so bad."
"Employers pay below the minimum hourly wage, or even less than 20 Australian dollars per hour."
"They treat u like trash"
"They pay international students less than the statutory hourly wage because… they have ‘poor English’ and ‘low ability’"
" My salary was only $8 an hour. I was very tired every day."
"We are not Australian citizens, so it is normal to be bullied."
"The trial work system is a very evil system. It is completely exploitative and treats people as slave"
"My employee pay other staffs weekend higher rate but not for me. I cannot say that because i might loose job"
"Many employers not only pay illegal hourly wages but subject employees to mental abuse and humiliation in workplace"
"We were threatened for all our mistakes that we would be sent back to PNG."
"Employer takes advantage of student visa holders, falsifying the records and payslip to show 24 hours while persuading the worker to accept less than the minimum wage "
"I think most Australian people don't understand what costs for those temporary visa holders"
"I worked 9 something 10 hours but they kept on paying me 8 hours and when I complained about it they terminated me"
"Employers often take advantage of the vulnerability in which we migrants live" "Most people expect migrants have to work harder, longer hours and less wage! As we are migrants!" "Immigrants work so hard and are treated so bad." "Employers pay below the minimum hourly wage, or even less than 20 Australian dollars per hour." "They treat u like trash" "They pay international students less than the statutory hourly wage because… they have ‘poor English’ and ‘low ability’" " My salary was only $8 an hour. I was very tired every day." "We are not Australian citizens, so it is normal to be bullied." "The trial work system is a very evil system. It is completely exploitative and treats people as slave" "My employee pay other staffs weekend higher rate but not for me. I cannot say that because i might loose job" "Many employers not only pay illegal hourly wages but subject employees to mental abuse and humiliation in workplace" "We were threatened for all our mistakes that we would be sent back to PNG." "Employer takes advantage of student visa holders, falsifying the records and payslip to show 24 hours while persuading the worker to accept less than the minimum wage " "I think most Australian people don't understand what costs for those temporary visa holders" "I worked 9 something 10 hours but they kept on paying me 8 hours and when I complained about it they terminated me"
“My manager informed me that casual employees don't receive superannuation."
"For someone like me, when you get a job, you naturally stick to it regardless of the conditions."
"[Employers] pay less than the minimum wage to their employees and always threaten them that they will kick them out of the job."
"They use your visa conditions for try to intimidate about your job."
"Truly modern day slavery."
"I had to endure years of emotional hardship"
"They get underpaid, cannot take sick leave, if they try to take one day off from work the employer fires them"
"I never trusted that I would not face ramifications regarding my visa"
"My employer pay me 16$/hrs and she said "because you are training" it's make me feel so bad"
"I made 20$ in one day, one didnt let me have a break for 12 hours"
"We are also working as hard as Australians do. We all are human."
"Some people dont care about the worker and they treat their worker as a servant"
"They think they can shout, offend and humiliate foreign employees."
"Racism is a big issue. People make faces, say stuff to migrants. They make fun of the accent and treat us differently. "
"As an immigrant, I do not expect any help from anyone"
“My manager informed me that casual employees don't receive superannuation." "For someone like me, when you get a job, you naturally stick to it regardless of the conditions." "[Employers] pay less than the minimum wage to their employees and always threaten them that they will kick them out of the job." "They use your visa conditions for try to intimidate about your job." "Truly modern day slavery." "I had to endure years of emotional hardship" "They get underpaid, cannot take sick leave, if they try to take one day off from work the employer fires them" "I never trusted that I would not face ramifications regarding my visa" "My employer pay me 16$/hrs and she said "because you are training" it's make me feel so bad" "I made 20$ in one day, one didnt let me have a break for 12 hours" "We are also working as hard as Australians do. We all are human." "Some people dont care about the worker and they treat their worker as a servant" "They think they can shout, offend and humiliate foreign employees." "Racism is a big issue. People make faces, say stuff to migrants. They make fun of the accent and treat us differently. " "As an immigrant, I do not expect any help from anyone"
THE SCALE OF THE SYSTEM
2 in 3
workers on temporary visas paid less than their legal entitlements
$61m
per week: estimated unpaid wages owing to international students
4x the rate
of use of ABNs to engage migrant workers compared to the general workforce
This isn't a gap in the system. It is the system. Employers give themselves power over workers on visas by using insecure employment structures, then abuse that power to underpay them. And they breach Australian labour laws to cover their tracks.
Our data shows, for the first time, how underpayment, insecure employment structures and noncompliant employer practices cluster together into a single interlocking system of exploitation.
Underpayment remains rife but methods have evolved. Since our 2016 study, cash-in-hand payments have fallen somewhat, but misleading payslips and use of ABNs are now key obfuscation tactics. Over one in three migrants was engaged on an ABN. The majority were in industries where this was likely sham contracting: businesses classifying employees as contractors to evade minimum wage obligations and regulator oversight.
The worse the underpayment, the more violations clustered alongside it. The more a migrant was underpaid, the more likely they received no payslips or misleading payslips, were paid in cash, were not paid super, had wage deductions, and were subjected to practices that are indicators of modern slavery. And the more likely they were in an insecure employment structure and worked after hours.
The government's first-term reforms were a necessary start, but won’t alone dismantle the systemic exploitation revealed to us by 10,000 migrants. These enforcement gaps distort the market: honest small businesses struggle to compete against the many businesses gaining substantial unfair cost advantages from underpaid migrant labour.
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“A new survey of 10,000 migrants reveals exploitation at work is the norm. Here’s how to fix it"
The Conversation
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Public statement in response to report: "Australian migrant workers experience a system of second-class treatment"
Chris Evans, Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner
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Statement: "NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner welcomes landmark report exposing migrant worker exploitation"
NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner James Cockayne
FIND WHAT YOU NEED
Are you a worker on a temporary visa?
Understand your workplace rights and how to access support if you've been underpaid or exploited.
Are you in industry?
Understand your migrant exploitation risks.
Interested in PALM workers?
Check out our report on our separate 2024 survey of workers on the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme.
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.