I'm a migrant worker being treated unfairly

It can be difficult to deal with unfair treatment when you’re a migrant worker.

Migrant workers and visa holders (including international students) have the same workplace entitlements and protections as all other employees in Australia.

On this page:

How to discuss your workplace rights

Before you start – information you need

  • Information about your workplace entitlements.
  • Translated information in our Language help section.
  • Your employer’s business details, such as their ABN or registered address. This information can be found on a pay slip, employment contract or visa documentation.

Steps to take

1. Find out what the rules are

2. Understand you have rights and protections

  • You’re entitled to receive all of your workplace entitlements and protections, even if you haven’t followed the rules of your visa. Read about these protections at Visa holders and migrant workers page.
  • New laws have been introduced to strengthen reporting protections for eligible visa holders experiencing workplace exploitation, allowing workers to seek help without fear of visa cancellation. Find more information, visit Visa protections – pilot programs.

3. Speak to your employer if you feel comfortable

  • Once you’ve worked out your pay, talk to your employer to try to resolve the issue.
  • Remember, an employer can’t cancel your visa. Only the Department of Home Affairs can cancel a visa.

4. Contact us for help

If you need more support

You can contact us for more information. We won’t contact your employer unless you give us permission to do so.

If you would like to talk to us using a translator, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. They will call us for you and interpret your question.

Other common workplace problems

Tools and resources

Related information