Australia is the best place to live in the whole world! However getting here and sustaining a comfortable and quality lifestyle may prove difficult in some ways. There is an ongoing concern with Australian employers and the ways in which visa holders are employed in the workplace. In particular, these concerns relate to the wage requirements not being met. Thus, there has been a call for the Australian Federal Government to crack down its measures to ensure holders of the 417 Working Holiday Visa are safeguarded from exploitation. Unfortunately, like many work places around the world, some Australian businesses may take advantage of the working visa statuses of some foreign employees. However, there are some ways to make sure you are being properly paid.

Recent cases have demonstrated the severity of underpaying employees, seeing to the harsh repercussions if intentional underpayment occurs. But is enough being done to combat the issue of underpayment? President of The Migration Institute of Australia (MIA), Ms Angela Chan says the penalties for employers who are intentionally exploiting their overseas workers should be substantially greater. This assertion has arisen from recent issues concerning a Tasmanian employer who was paying a Working Holiday visa holder less than $1.35 per hour. In the end the employer was made to pay a fine of $100,000, reflecting the strict enforcement of these tough laws. This case also highlights the importance of equality, which all visa holders deserve regardless of their vulnerability.

The 417 Working Holiday visa eligibility requirements are that you are between the ages of 18 and 31 years of age, do not have a dependent child accompanying you at any time during your stay in Australia. You must also have a passport from an eligible country. The list of eligible countries can be found on Border Gov. In the circumstance that you do not fit these requirements, there are other visa types that may be applicable to you. The main concept of the 417 visa is to allow young people the opportunity to work and holiday in Australia for a year. However, it is apparent that these visa holders may not know their rights in the Australian workplace due to a variety of reasons.

Firstly, this issue demonstrates the importance for workers to learn English. If people are not competent in the basics of the English language, they are more vulnerable to succumb to workplace unfairness and short pay. Furthermore, it is essential for workers to be knowledgeable about the way Australia enforces workplaces are run. Ms Chan states that it is vital that the worker is provided multilingual information about Australian workplace laws and penalties for breaching these laws before commencing work in Australia.

There is much discussion regarding the Working holiday Visa requirements. Ms Chan has recommended that Working Holiday Visa applicants should need to satisfy requirements of having sufficient funds to live in Australia, much like a Student Visa holder would have to. This is because working Holiday visa holders who have recently arrived in Australia with less than 3 months wage are desperate for employment and thus vulnerable and at risk of exploitation by Australian employers. Thus, there is a push for the Australian Government to implement rules that travellers must arrive in Australia with enough money to “survive a reasonable length of time.” However Ms Chan did note that this could prove difficult for many workers as they may be travelling from countries experiencing economic issues.

The Government has established numerous English courses that are aimed to teach English using multilingual methods. These courses can assist Working Holiday visa holders in their travels and help them decrease the high risk of being exploited during their stay in Australia. Furthermore, you can find information on workplace practices on Fairwork. For more information on whether you are being exploited by your employer, or wish to travel to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa , please give us a call on 1800 808 717.

*This statistic is based on the opinions of Results Migration employees