skip to Main Content
Fair Work Prioritises Assistance To Visa Holders Ahead Of Aussie Workers

Fair Work prioritises assistance to visa holders ahead of Aussie workers

Fair Work prioritises assistance to visa holders ahead of Aussie workers.

The regulator considers overseas workers on temporary visas as “a priority” for wage theft investigations.

Meanwhile, Fair Work tells Aussie workers to recover stolen wages on their own.

Fair Work prioritises visa holders

Industrial Relations Claims highlighted the issue in its submission to the Queensland government’s wage theft inquiry.

Almost half of litigations launched by Fair Work in 2016-17 involved overseas workers on temporary working visas.

However, they represent just 6.5 percent of the workforce.

The previous year the figure was even higher, with 76 percent of litigations involving a visa holder.

Fair Work’s annual report describes wage theft complaints involving visa holders as “a priority”.

All workers deserve assistance

Miles Heffernan from IR Claims said the policy has had the unintended consequence of letting employers of Australian nationals off-the-hook.

“Fair Work is funded by the taxes of workers, so therefore, all workers deserve assistance equally when they need it,” he said.

“This sends a very clear message to employers – if your staff are Aussies, you are less likely to attract the attention of the regulator.”

Visa holders ‘vulnerable’

Fair Work says it considers visa holders “vulnerable workers” in need of special protection.

This is because many don’t know their workplace rights, or don’t complain for fear losing their visa status and their right to remain in the country.

But Mr Heffernan argues that Australian workers are also vulnerable.

“We have helped countless Australian workers who also don’t know their workplace rights and who also are afraid to complain,” he said.

Separate taskforce needed

In its submission to the wage theft inquiry, IR Claims calls for Fair Work to set up a separate taskforce to manage cases of wage theft involving overseas workers.

As a result, there will be enough resources to look after the rest of the workforce.

“We are also calling on the Department of Immigration to work with Fair Work to protect overseas workers who are victims of wage theft,” Mr Heffernan said.


Call our team at Industrial Relations Claims today on

1300 045 466

To connect with us, please follow us on

 

Back To Top