New protections introduced by the federal government have been lauded as a step towards improving migrant worker rights in Australia.
Two pilots have been launched recently – a Workplace Justice Visa and regulations to strengthen protections against visa cancellations for workers who report exploitation.
The Workplace Justice Visa will allow eligible migrant workers to remain in Australia while they take action against an employer, if their rights have been breached.
And under the new reporting protections, the Department of Home Affairs must consider if exploitation has occurred when deciding whether to cancel a person’s visa where a breach of visa conditions has occurred.
Joshua Strutt, CEO and Principal Solicitor at the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre welcomed the pilots as being key to fighting the exploitation of migrant workers.
“The migration system can effectively trap visa holders and give power to employers to exploit workers and let them get away with it. These reforms are a crucial step towards giving that power back to migrant workers,” he said.
To access the new visa, applicants will follow certain eligibility criteria and have their claim certified by an eligible organisation.
NSWNMA members needing legal advice on immigration or visa problems can access the Association’s free Visa Assist scheme.