Australia has recently launched the Workplace Justice visa pilot to allow exploited migrants to stay in the country for up to 12 months to pursue exploitation claims in the workplace.
In addition, the government has introduced a new protection against visa cancellation, which ensures a worker’s visa will not be annulled if they come forward to bring exploitative employers to justice, VisaGuide.World reports.
As per a recent statement by the Human Rights Law Center in Australia, a group of more than 40 community legal centers, unions, business groups, and faith, welfare, and human rights organizations have well received the above-mentioned initiatives.
According to advocates, the world-first Workplace Justice visa is an important step to ending the exploitation of foreign workers.
These hard-won protections – including a guarantee against visa cancellation and a Workplace Justice visa – are just the first steps in ensuring that migrant workers are treated equally at work and are not held to ransom by bad bosses because of their visa status.
New Visa Is a Powerful New Tool to Combat Modern Slavery, Law Professor Says
Associate Professor Laurie Berg, UTS Faculty of Law, who is also a Co-Executive Director of the Migrant Justice Institute, said, among others, that the new visa is a powerful tool for fighting modern slavery.
At last, this new visa ends the cycle of employer impunity for exploitation in Australia because the government has made it possible for migrants to safely enforce their labor rights. This is a powerful new tool to combat modern slavery.
According to the CEO of the Migrant Workers Centre, the Workplace Justice visa is a crucial step to guarantee a safe working environment for all migrant workers.
Unscrupulous employers have weaponized visa insecurity, hiding the true magnitude of migrant worker exploitation. These new protections will embolden workers to shine a light on those employers and give them a real chance at justice.
Workplace Justice Visa Application Is Free of Charge
The workplace justice visa is granted for a period of up to six or 12 months, depending on the applicant’s circumstances. Eligible applicants can also include their family members if they are in Australia.
The application for a Workplace Justice visa is free of charge. However, applicants might have to pay other fees, including health checks and police certificates.
Individuals who need to apply for such a visa are encouraged to visit the Australian government’s official website for detailed information regarding application and eligibility.