​​Joint media release with The Hon Tony Burke MP and The Hon Clare O'Neil MP

The Albanese Labor Government is cracking down on bad employers who exploit workers on temporary visas and will help those workers speak up without fear of retaliation.

The underpayment and exploitation of migrant workers hurts all Australians, driving wages and conditions down for everyone.

Acting on the recommendations made by the Migrant Workers’ Taskforce, Minister Giles has

introduced the Migration Amendment (Strengthening Employer Compliance) Bill 2023 into the House of Representatives today.

This Bill will:

• Make it a criminal offense to coerce someone into breaching their visa condition;
• Introduce prohibition notices to stop employers from further hiring people on temporary visas where they have exploited migrants;
• Increase penalties and new compliance tools to deter exploitation; and
• Repeal section 235 of the Migration Act which actively undermines people reporting exploitative behaviour

These measures will provide greater penalties to target bad employers who mistreat and exploit vulnerable workers who hold temporary visas.

Disappointingly, the former Liberal Government failed to implement key recommendations in Migrant Workers’ Taskforce Report, which they sat on since 2019.

The Albanese Labor Government believes that no worker should be unsafe regardless of their visa status. This Bill will bring us one step closer to that goal.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Tony Burke:

“Everyone working in this country – regardless of their migration status - is entitled to protection from exploitation.

“By stopping unscrupulous employers who take advantage of those on temporary or working visas, this Government will ensure that wages and conditions are improved for everyone.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Home Affairs, Clare O’Neil:

“Our migration system has made it easy for unscrupulous employers to exploit vulnerable migrant workers. This exploitation hurts migrants, local workers and employers who are trying to do the right thing. It is completely contrary to Australian values.

“The Albanese Government is taking strong action to close loop holes in our migration system. This Bill will help protect the rights of vulnerable workers who have been at risk of exploitation for far too long.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Giles:

“The underpayment of migrant workers hurts all Australians, driving wages and conditions down for ​everyone. Yet for a decade, the former Liberal Government put the safety of some of the most vulnerable workers on the backburner.

“This Bill is a recognition of both the crucial role of migrant workers to our workforce and the importance of addressing the corrosive nature of migrant worker exploitation.

“Regardless of where you’ve come from or your visa status, everyone should be safe at work.”