WIDESPREAD EXPLOITATION OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ON SCOTT MORRISON’S WATCH

SENATOR KRISTINA KENEALLY
DEPUTY LABOR LEADER IN THE SENATE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP
SENATOR FOR NEW SOUTH WALES
 
TONY BURKE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
MANAGER OF OPPOSITION BUSINESS
MEMBER FOR WATSON
 
TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING
MEMBER FOR SYDNEY
  

New research from the University of NSW and the University of Technology Sydney shows the widespread and ongoing exploitation of international students in Australia on the Morrison Government’s watch.
 
Based on a survey of over 5,000 international students, the 2020 International Students and Wage Theft report shows the overwhelming majority of international students are still subject to wage theft and poor employment conditions.
 
Three quarters of international students were paid below the minimum casual hourly wage with one in four earning less than $12 an hour – unchanged from the 2016 National Temporary Migrant Work Survey.
 
When the coronavirus pandemic began, Scott Morrison said we were all in this in together but the experiences of international students in Australia paints a vastly different picture.
 
During the pandemic, international students have had their superannuation stolen and have been forced to seek help from charities and food banks to survive.
 
At the same time, the UNSW and UTS survey shows almost two-thirds of international students didn’t seek information or help for problems at work and ‘‘suffered in silence, often because of visa concerns or fear of job loss’’.

Exploitation of people on temporary visas puts downward pressure on wages of all workers in Australia.
Just like temporary migrants, Australians are experiencing wage theft on a wide scale which makes the first recession in 29 years even more challenging for hard-working Australians and their families.
 
Unlike Scott Morrison, Labor will always speak out against the exploitation of workers – including the exploitation of international students – expose it and organise against it.
 
WEDNESDAY, 1 JULY 2020