Disrespected, disregarded and discarded: workplace exploitation, sexual harassment, and the experience of migrant women living in Australia on temporary visas
By Unions NSW
This report on workplace exploitation and the experience of migrant women living in Australia on temporary visas identifies an unacceptable level of sexual harassment, exacerbated by visa status, and calls for immediate policy action. The report makes recommendations to create a safer and more equitable working environment for migrant women.
The study underscores the need to implement policy changes that target intersecting issues experienced by migrant women in Australia. Migrant women on temporary visas are forced to endure sexual harassment in silence due to numerous factors, including uncertainty regarding their immigration status, precarious work, and racial and gender workplace discrimination. The research also underscores the need to allocate more resources to developing services to provide advice, education, and training to empower migrant women to report sexual harassment.
Key findings
51% of respondents reported having experienced sexual harassment at work.
Sexual harassment was commonly reported in the construction, hospitality, horticulture, retail, and cleaning industries.
82% of respondents who worked in the construction industry experienced sexual harassment.
Participants experienced a range of repercussions when they tried to defend themselves, rejected the behaviour or reported the harasser’s conduct.
48% working in the construction and horticulture industries decided to leave their job because they felt unsafe.
50% of those who experienced workplace sexual harassment were concerned that reporting could result in losing their job, and 75% did not report the incident.
Recommendations
Migrant worker centres should be established in each state.
Culturally appropriate education and training should be developed in each state in collaboration with migrant worker groups.
Implement a legal framework and policies to protect migrant women.
Develop reporting pathways that reflect the needs of migrant women.
Introduce reforms to ensure migrant women have access to existing legal avenues to address sexual harassment.
Facilitate migrant women's access to employment opportunities.
Provide temporary migrant women with visa protections to ensure they can report sexual harassment without fear of visa cancellations or other negative impacts to their immigration status.
Remove the requirement for working holiday makers to undertake ‘specified work’ in regional areas.
Remove the working hours cap on student visas.
Sydney: Unions NSW, 2024. 56p.