ACTU Slams Working Visa Program

ACTU president Ged Kearney
(Photo: ACTU)

August 28, 2017

The ACTU has slammed the Federal Government for extending the working holiday visa program which the Fair Work Ombudsman has claimed allows the systemic exploitation of temporary visa workers.

The peak union body said Trade Minister Steve Ciobo had said business had been extremely keen on the extension of the program to Singaporean citizens, with 125 of the 500 places filled within an hour of the program being released.

But the ACTU said the reality for workers in the visa program was:

28 per cent did not receive payment for work undertaken

35 per cent stated they were paid less than the minimum wage

14 per cent revealed they had to pay in advance to get regional work

66 per cent felt employers take advantage of them by underpaying them

And, according to the ACTU, some employers have asked would-be workers to pay upfront to get work in Australia, essentially entering into indentured servitude.

ACTU president Ged Kearney said the visa program had given business the green light to bring in exploitable temporary visa workers.

“This system is creating an under-class of workers in Australia who are being treated illegally by employers,” she said.

“The system is broken when the Turnbull Government is claiming a program which pays nothing to almost a third of its workforce is a success.

“We need to boost wage growth for workers in Australia, not create a class of hyper-insecure workers who are not being paid minimum wage, when they’re paid at all.

“With the current crisis in youth unemployment it’s imperative that local workers are offered jobs before resorting to use of temporary visas. To stop exploitation and undermining of local working conditions all workers in Australia must be paid a legal wage.

“This is corporate power running roughshod over workers. The only winners are employers who use the visa system to avoid paying legal wages – or any wages at all.”