In a huge victory for migrant workers last week, the Federal Government established a world-first workplace justice visa. This new visa will allow migrant workers who have been exploited at work, extend their stay to seek justice.
The Migrant Workers Centre (MWC) has said this is a watershed moment for those who are often forced to leave the country before they can recover their entitlements, and another important step forward in holding unscrupulous employers to account for ripping off workers.
Also introduced last week were new, stronger protections against visa cancellation for workers subjected to workplace wrongdoing. Workers will not have to make the difficult choice between maintaining their visa and seeking justice or safer and healthier workplaces.
These two reforms have been at the core of the MWC’s policy agenda. The reforms stem from extensive advocacy efforts by a broad coalition of unions, academics and civil society partners, including the report "Not Just Numbers: A Blueprint of Visa Protections for Temporary Migrant Workers", co-authored by several organisations. This report highlighted the severe exploitation migrant workers face, from wage theft to unsafe working conditions.