Migrant worker protections to be increased

The Government has made an announcement regarding the implementation of enhanced measures to target employers who seek to exploit temporary visa holders, as well as to ensure that workers feel empowered to speak up without facing any reprisals.

To achieve this, new legislation will be introduced in parliament that aims to penalise unscrupulous employers through the following means:

Establishing a criminal offence for coercing individuals to violate their visa conditions.

Introducing prohibition notices that prevent employers from hiring additional individuals on temporary visas if they have been found to exploit migrant workers.

Imposing more substantial penalties and introducing new tools for compliance in order to discourage exploitation.

Repealing section 235 of the Migration Act, which undermines the reporting of exploitative practices by individuals.

To support these efforts, the Government will allocate $50 million in funding to equip the Australian Border Force for the purpose of carrying out these enforcement and compliance activities, alongside other related initiatives.

Contact one of our Registered Migration Agents should you require further information.

Disclaimer: The information provided herein is of a general nature only and does not constitute immigration advice. For more detailed and case-specific information or advice, please contact SCA Connect.