Welcome to the latest and final edition of the Migrant Workers Centre newsletter in 2024! In this issue, we’re sharing critical insights from our new report on migrant worker exploitation, updates on the Bicultural Work Rights Ambassadors Program, and highlights from our recent outreach events across Victoria.
You’ll also find materials around our recent Research Webinar, resources for international students, and tools to help workers understand their rights to compensation if they’re injured on the job.
We look forward to continuing our work in advocating and empowering migrant communities across Australia in 2025.
Happy Holidays!
We hope you have a joyful holiday season and safe travels to those visiting family and friends abroad.
Our office will be closed from 21 December 2024 to 12 January 2025.
Your case may have specific requirements, including strict deadlines. We strongly recommend seeking legal advice right away.
Find a community legal centre near you here or explore the resources available on our website.
You may have a short time to take action about your legal problem. If you have lost your job, you could only have 21 days to make a legal claim.
For more information, visit the Fair Work Commission, an Australian Government agency that help workers understand and take action about their rights at work, or call the Fair Work Commission on 1300 799 675.
Visas on Arrival
Our new report “Visas on Arrival and Migrant Worker Exploitation: 2023-24 survey findings” shares the results of the Migrant Workers Centre’s 2023-2024 survey, which gathered 959 responses and 24 in-depth interviews. It shows that the type of visa a worker has plays a big role in how likely they are to experience exploitation and how comfortable they feel reporting abuse.
Workers without a clear path to permanent residency often stay on temporary visas for many years, making it harder for them to seek better working conditions or stand up for their rights. Other factors, like market pressures, weak labour enforcement, and the role of labour hire firms, also make exploitation worse, though these issues vary by industry.
The survey found that:
- 62% of migrant workers have faced some form of abuse at work.
- 40% have been underpaid, especially those on temporary visas.
- Many have experienced unpaid superannuation or not being given proper payslips.
- 34% reported workplace injuries, often working in unsafe conditions without proper training.
To tackle these issues, we recommend government-funded programs to improve workplace culture and protect migrant workers, stronger safety rules to make reporting easier, and more community programs that teach workers their rights in different languages. We also need better legal support and further research into why migrant workers struggle to access compensation when they are hurt at work.
Read Visas on Arrival today.
Our Annual Report is now LIVE!
This year, we celebrated key milestones, including reforms from the Migration Amendment (Strengthening Employer Compliance) Bill, which enhance protections for exploited migrant workers and empower them to seek justice without risking their visas.
We also set a record for workplace rights education through Know Your Rights sessions and are preparing to launch a new community legal service to strengthen support for migrant workers.
Learn more about these achievements and our ongoing work in the 2023-2024 Annual Report—read it now!
Bicultural Work Rights Ambassadors
The Bicultural Work Rights Ambassadors Program trains migrant community leaders across Victoria to help their communities understand workplace rights and safety. This year, the program’s Ambassadors are delivering sessions in languages like Hindi, Burmese, Samoan, and Fijian, both online and in person at locations from Geelong to Mildura.
"Having trusted community leaders as Ambassadors really empowers people—they bring cultural understanding and can refer those facing issues to the right support.”
“Community leaders often help without much recognition, so this program lets them do meaningful, paid work that makes a real difference in people’s lives.”
Florence Dato, Program Organiser
Since 2019, the MWC education program has trained 66 Ambassadors and delivered information sessions to more than 23,000 recently arrived migrant workers.
To learn more about the program, click here.
Know your Rights workshop
Since January 1 - November 1 2024, the Migrant Workers Centre has delivered:
- 12 capacity building sessions with 240 attendees
- 105 Know your Rights sessions with 2296 attendees
- 31 outreach events with 6267 attendees
- And 3 Work Rights Clinic, with 7 attendees
We’ve conducted these sessions in a range of languages including: English, Arabic, Sinhala, Fijian, Farsi, Dari, Turkish, Burmese, Cantonese, Hazaragi, Indonesian, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali, Swahili, Spanish
“We had 45 students attending session, and they found the presentation extremely informative. We really appreciate the support we’ve had from you and your team, and definitely wish to continue our partnership.”
(Fiona from CQUniversity Australia)“Thanks very much for coming and talking to our students yesterday. It was very useful and the students had lots of questions afterwards. We even had a look at the PACT on the FairWork Ombudsman website and found the students’ awards for the jobs that they’ve done in the past. One of them thinks she may have been ripped off and is really happy to now know where to find her rights. Thanks again for everything.”
(Justin from AMEP Box Hill
So what is a Know your Rights workshop? 🤔
Our Know Your Rights workshop is an introduction to workplace rights designed for newly arrived migrants and refugees in Victoria. Migrant workers face high risks of workplace exploitation due to unfamiliarity with Australian workplace laws, language barriers, and restrictive visa conditions. Sadly, wage theft affects two in three migrant workers, and one in four will experience other exploitation, like unsafe work or discrimination. These issues can seriously impact health, well-being, and economic security.
This session empowers participants to understand and act on their workplace rights, helping protect both themselves and their communities.
In these sessions, participants learn:
- Types of work (permanent, casual, contractor)
- Pay rights (minimum wage, penalty rates, payslips)
- Superannuation and leave entitlements
- Health and safety, workers’ compensation, and unfair dismissal
- How to find free, confidential referral services for workplace issues, with guides on getting help from culturally and linguistically tailored services.
Book a Know your Rights session in 2025.
Meet Andres Trevino, our International Student Worker Advocate
The Migrant Workers Centre recently launched the Right Start program, a new partnership with LLAMA (League of Latin American Migrants Australia). This project helps international students in Australia by giving them the tools to apply for jobs and understand their work rights. It also teaches them how to spot workplace exploitation and what to do if they or someone they know is being exploited.
The program has brought on Andres, an International Student Worker Advocate, who has experience supporting international students with employment issues. Students can book an appointment with Andres to get help with their resume, cover letter, job interview practice, and learn about the Australian job market and work rights.
Andres has also been running workshops with LLAMA at the International Student Couch.
“It’s important for international students to know their rights at work and what to do if they face an unfair situation”
Andres Trevino, International Student Worker Advocate
The service is free and confidential for international students. You can find Andres at Study Melbourne Hub (17 Hardware Ln, Melbourne CBD) on Wednesdays and Fridays from 1pm to 4pm.
Albert’s story
In 2012, Albert came to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa. However, even with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and prior experience, securing suitable employment was almost impossible. This forced him into a month-long stint at a Thai restaurant, where he endured poor conditions and underpayment, afraid of losing his job he remained silent.
Returning in 2016 on a student visa, Albert's efforts to utilise his engineering skills were void in a landscape that demanded specific qualifications. He chose to study and work in the automotive industry, and eventually became a qualified mechanic. However, opportunities were difficult to find due to the disconnect between his qualifications and job requirements.
Albert worked in a car dealership. During his time, he was underpaid and couldn't take action due to visa requirements. Months went by, and Albert realised he was alone in this struggle, unjustly singled out.
Even after changing dealerships, he was still being underpaid. Albert's attempts at discussing fair wages were ignored. This unfairness came to the forefront when he saw fellow workers earning more for less work solely because of their nationality. He asked his boss for a raise three times, but nothing changed.
His search for job security led Albert to consider sponsorship opportunities, which became more challenging due to COVID-19. He then took a job in a mining town, enduring the minimum wage in hopes of securing a visa, Albert also faced racial discrimination at this workplace. On one occasion, he needed time off due to illness, but his boss wasn't understanding. He was forced to go to the hospital for proof, even though bad weather prevented him from obtaining the necessary documentation. This incident strained his relationship with his boss.
Sometimes, employers advertise positions as internships or traineeships. These roles don't come with a paycheck, but many people like Albert take them to secure a visa. Despite the challenges, they're determined to remain in Australia.
*Name has been changed
Resources
The Understanding WorkCover: Physical and Mental Injuries resource helps workers understand their rights to compensation if they get injured at work. It explains how to report injuries, make a claim, and what benefits are available, like medical expenses and lost wages. The guide also provides important information on what to do if a claim is denied or if a worker has a permanent injury.
This free resource makes it easier for workers to get the help and support they need.