Ending the Exploitation of Refugee and Migrant Workers
Employment is widely recognised as the most vital step for successful settlement in a new country. However, recently arrived migrant and refugee workers face many barriers.
Finding employment is difficult. For those who do find work, exploitation is widespread. Exploited workers are not aware of their rights, and rarely access help to enforce the law. Temporary migrant workers, women and young people face additional barriers. Exploitation continues unabated and employers gain a competitive advantage by breaking the law, while companies that do the right thing are disadvantaged. Exploitation not only damages individual workers, it also undermines the Australian workplace relations framework.
This report by 2016 Community Fellow Catherine Hemingway from Westjustice documents the working experiences of newly arrived and refugee workers in Melbourne’s Western suburbs. It draws on surveys and extensive consultation with newly arrived and refugee workers, community leaders and staff at community organisations and agencies; as well as data and stories gathered through the pilot Employment Law Service and community education program.
