'These unscrupulous employers should consider themselves on notice'
More than 200 workplaces across Australia will be subject to inspections as the Australian Border Force (ABF) cracks down on migrant worker exploitation.
In an announcement, the ABF said it will visit workplaces to "detect, disrupt, and deter migrant worker exploitation."
"Migrant worker exploitation comes in many forms, including wage underpayment, pressure to work in contravention of visa conditions, threats of visa cancellation, working excessive hours, and unsafe work practices," said ABF A/g Commander Vaughan Baxter in a statement.
According to the official, exploiting foreign workers is "unjust" to employers who are doing the right thing.
"These unscrupulous employers should consider themselves on notice," Baxter said.
The inspection will incorporate Operation Inglenook, a 2022 programme that targets criminals who exploit temporary visa holders.
It has so far identified over 175 people suspected of exploiting the temporary visa programme. Fifteen people have been turned back at the Australian border due to concerns about their character.
Employers guilty of exploitation can be fined and barred from sponsoring migrant workers. They will also be included on the publicly available ABF Register of Sanctioned Sponsors.
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Educating migrant workers
Meanwhile, the ABF said it will also educate migrant workers on their rights during the agency's workplace inspections.
"Migrant workers play a key role in filling Australia's labour shortages and supporting a thriving economy, if they are underpaid or exploited it is not only unfair to migrants, but has potential to damage our international reputation," Baxter said.
The ABF said cases of migrant worker exploitation can be reported to the Border Watch anonymously.
"If anyone is being exploited or is aware of someone who is being exploited in some way, they can be assured these concerns can be reported through Border Watch, regardless of visa status," Baxter said.
The government previously proposed an additional $50 million funding for the ABF so it can carry out its additional responsibilities in tackling migrant worker migration.
This is part of the government's measures to address what it called a "crisis of exploitation" in Australia.