The Australian Border Force (ABF) has visited the remote WA town Kalgoorlie to engage with the community on sponsored migrant workers.
Over three days, officers attended 75 businesses ranging from bakeries and restaurants to medical services, and mining producers.
ABF Inspector Yota Pattula said it was encouraging to see the majority of businesses in Kalgoorlie are doing the right thing.
“This was a great opportunity to engage with businesses as well as talk to migrant workers to ensure they are aware of their rights in Australian workplaces,” Inspector Pattula said.
Officers provided information to current and future standard business sponsors about their obligations under the Temporary Skills Shortage Sponsorship (TSS) visa program.
This relationship building is invaluable both to give employers a forum for any questions, and to provide feedback about the program. A number of employers shared their success stories with the TSS program helping to fill roles, for which they had previously struggled to find someone suitable.
“The TSS program gives standard business sponsors in regional areas of WA the ability to mobilise their workforce, enabling them to move their sponsored persons around the state to address staff shortage where needed,” Inspector Pattula said
“Migrant workers play a key part in the Australian economy, particularly in remote and regional communities where vacancies cannot be filled locally.
“They also contribute to the cultural fabric of the town, bringing unique ideas and perspective to a business.”
The ABF will not tolerate exploitation of migrant workers and in the 2022-23 financial year 148 businesses were sanctioned for this unscrupulous act.
Migrant worker exploitation can come in many forms, from being underpaid, threats of visa cancellation, or unsafe work practices, to the more serious end of the spectrum including modern slavery practices.
Reports of possible migrant worker exploitation can be made to Border Watch and this can be done anonymously.
