Support lifeline for exploited migrant workers under threat
Thousands of vulnerable migrant workers in Queensland could lose any support for visa and work-related assistance in the upcoming May budget.The Queensland Migrant WorkWise program, delivered by the Queensland Council of Unions and funded by the Department of Home Affairs, is a pilot initiative providing on the ground education and support to temporary visa holders and their employers about workplace and visa rights (www.qldmigrantworkwise.com).
Despite only being established last year, the pilot program is already showing significant impact across Queensland:
• 2,100+ migrant workers engaged
• 115 outreach activities across metro and regional areas
• 200+ stakeholder organisations engaged
• 40 referrals to specialist immigration legal services
• Materials and sessions delivered in 10+ languages
Workers across Queensland and particularly in regional Queensland are reporting
widespread exploitation, including:
• Wage theft and unpaid superannuation
• Visa-related coercion (threats linked to sponsorship or visa status)
• Unsafe workplaces and serious injuries
• Harassment, discrimination and unlawful fees
This reflects a much broader national issue. There are over one million temporary visa holders working in Australia, many in essential industries, and they face a fundamental power imbalance where employers can influence their ability to stay in the country. In Queensland key industries reliant upon significant migrant labour include agriculture, meat processing, manufacturing, aged care and hospitality.
Why this matters now
The Federal Government is currently reviewing the funding for this program nationally, and it is understood funding could be cut by up to two-thirds in the May Budget.
If this occurs, it would:
• Wind back outreach across Queensland
• Reduce multilingual education and support
• Leave vulnerable workers without trusted, independent advice
• Undermine recent reforms like the Workplace Justice Visa
Notably, research by the Department of Home Affairs indicates that seventy-five per cent of workers and employers are still unaware of these reforms, meaning without outreach programs like this, the laws exist “on paper but not in practice.”
Case studies (available for media)
Queensland Migrant WorkWise can provide real examples of exploitation uncovered through the program, including:
• A young UK worker seriously injured on a farm after being pressured to undertake unsafe work in exchange for visa sponsorship
• 70 migrant workers denied superannuation over years, with the employer phoenixing to avoid repayment
• A skilled visa holder coerced into returning to work injured under threat of losing permanent residency
Comments by Jacqueline King QCU General Secretary
“With less than a year of running this pilot program, we are just beginning to see the scale of the problem: wage theft, unsafe workplaces and visa coercion across Queensland.
“The program is also starting to make a real difference to some of the most vulnerable workers in our community. People who are too often exploited, underpaid and afraid to speak up because their visa is on the line.
“Unfortunately, without funded programs, much of this exploitation simply goes unreported and unchecked. Slashing Migrant WorkWise by two-thirds would effectively shut it down in Queensland, leaving thousands of vulnerable migrant workers with nowhere to turn, giving a green light to dodgy operators.”
