Temporary Migrant Labour and Unpaid Work in Australia

dc.contributor.authorHowe, J.
dc.contributor.authorStewart, A.J.
dc.contributor.authorOwens, R.
dc.date.issued2018
dc.description.abstractIncreasing attention is being given to the exploitation of temporary migrant workers in Australia, especially in relation to wage underpayments and ‘cashback scams’ where visa holders are coerced into returning a portion of their wage to their employer. However, very little focus has been given to the incidence of unpaid work performed by temporary migrants. This article examines how previous forms of regulation affecting visas for working holiday makers and international students actively encouraged the performance of unpaid work by allowing unpaid work to count towards either permanent residency or an extension of a visa holder’s temporary stay. The article also assesses the current regulation of temporary migrant workers and the likelihood that it creates incentives for this cohort to perform unpaid work. We argue that this likelihood largely stems from the employer-driven nature of Australia’s temporary and permanent migration program, and the ability for visa holders to achieve a favourable migration outcome through the performance of paid work, for which unpaid work is often a gateway.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityJoanna Howe, Andrew Stewart, and Rosemary Owens
dc.identifier.citationThe Sydney Law Review, 2018; 40(2):183-211
dc.identifier.doi10.3316/INFORMIT.769105912194523
dc.identifier.issn0082-0512
dc.identifier.issn1444-9528
dc.identifier.orcidHowe, J. [0000-0003-0195-9734]
dc.identifier.orcidStewart, A.J. [0000-0002-9758-3753]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/140146
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSydney Law School
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP150104516
dc.rights© University of Sydney, 2018
dc.subjectUnpaid labor; Migrant labor--Social conditions; Employee selection--Law and legislation; Employees--Rating of Students, Foreign--Legal status, laws, etc.
dc.titleTemporary Migrant Labour and Unpaid Work in Australia
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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