Migrant employees are twice as possible as long-term residents to be underpaid, whereas at the very least 16 per cent are making lower than the minimal wage, a brand new report has revealed.
The new Grattan Institute report reveals exploitation is just not solely hurting migrants, however is weakening Australian employees’ bargaining energy and undermining confidence within the migration program.
With projections as much as 1.5 million extra migrants may make the transfer to Australia within the coming 5 years, the report’s creator says the federal government should take into account making pressing reforms to remove exploitation.
They have known as for visa guidelines which improve migrants’ danger of exploitation to be reformed; for office and migration legal guidelines to be strengthened and higher enforced; and for migrants to be given extra assist to recoup misplaced wages.
It follows a survey by the Migrant Workers Centre earlier this 12 months which discovered half of all migrant employees in Australia really feel unsafe at work, whereas 58 per cent had skilled wage theft.
Lead creator Brendan Coates mentioned the reforms would price $115 million a 12 months, which could possibly be offset by levies and by imposing giant penalties on employers who underpay their employees.
“Exploitation of migrant workers – who are often young and vulnerable – is a blight on Australia’s claim to be the land of the fair go,” Mr Coates mentioned.
“Our report shows how the government can stamp it out.”
The report discovered that whereas current governments had taken “some steps” to scale back the exploitation of migrant employees, they didn’t go far sufficient and that progress had been stalled in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Now is the time to take decisive action to stamp out the exploitation of migrant workers,” the report mentioned.
The report discovered quite a few momentary visa-holders “put up” with mistreatment out of worry that talking up will end result of their visa being cancelled, or their prospect of everlasting residency jeopardised.
“Between five per cent and 16 per cent of employed recently arrived migrants – or between 27,000 and 82,000 workers – are paid below the national minimum wage,” the report mentioned.
“Recent migrants are at a higher risk of exploitation because they tend to be younger, have less experience and work in industries where exploitation is common.
“And migrants have additional vulnerabilities because of visa rules, their weaker bargaining power, cultural and social norms and information barriers.”
Mr Coates mentioned momentary skill-shortage visas ought to be made transportable, to permit migrants to flee from exploitative employers.
He recommends a brand new Workplace Justice visa be created, which might empower employees to report exploitation and keep in Australia whereas pursuing unpaid wages.
Another challenge which wants addressing, the report discovered, is employers who’re caught underpaying their migrant employees receiving “too small” penalties.
Mr Coates mentioned the Fair Work Ombudsman ought to be renamed the “Workplace Rights Authority” and given larger powers, suggesting most court-ordered penalties in opposition to employers be elevated and prison penalties, like jail, turning into a risk for serial underpayers.
Exploited employees ought to be given extra assist to reclaim misplaced wages by establishing Migrant Workers Centres, and neighborhood authorized centres ought to have their funding boosted, he mentioned.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
