Report of the Migrant Workers' Taskforce

The Migrant Workers' Taskforce (the Taskforce) was established on 4 October 2016 to meet the Government's election commitment under its Protecting Vulnerable Workers Policy. The Taskforce was chaired by Professor Allan Fels AO, with Dr David Cousins AM as Deputy Chair. It was supported by a secretariat in the Australian Government Department of Jobs and Small Business. The Terms of Reference required the Taskforce to: (1) Identify regulatory and compliance weaknesses that create the conditions that allow exploitation of vulnerable migrant workers; (2) Develop strategies and make improvements to stamp out exploitation of vulnerable migrant workers in the workplace; and (3) Consider ways agencies can better address any areas of systemic and/or widespread exploitation of vulnerable migrant workers, including considering ways in which agencies can better collaborate to avoid such situations arising or to swiftly rectify them.

The work of the Taskforce, including the findings and recommendations made in this report, provides Government with a solid foundation for developing a robust, whole of government strategy to combat migrant worker exploitation in Australia.

The report is structured as follows: Chapter 1 outlines the growth in migrant workers over the past 10 years and the changes to the composition of the migrant worker population in terms of visa type and other characteristics; Chapter 2 outlines the Taskforce's evidence on the extent of migrant worker exploitation and includes analysis of the 7-Eleven case that was influential in driving the current focus on this issue; Chapter 3 provides detail on Taskforce initiatives introduced by member agencies and announced by the Chair, Professor Fels; Chapter 4 provides information on legislation, policy and programs designed to protect migrant workers overseen by Taskforce member agencies; Chapter 5 covers the issue of wage remedies for migrant workers who have been affected by wage underpayment and proposes a number of recommendations to further improve avenues for redress; Chapter 6 provides an analysis of labour hire and proposes a new registration scheme to drive out unscrupulous labour hire operators and provide assurance to employers who rely on labour hire to support their business; and Chapter 7 outlines initiatives to better protect working holiday and student visa holders. Twenty-two recommendations are also provided.

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