Putting Migrant Workers First: Joint submission to the comprehensive review of Australia’s migration system
Joint submission from Human Rights Law Centre and the Migrant Workers Centre to the historic review of Australia’ migration program.
This submission focuses more squarely on the deficiencies of the international education, skilled and employer-sponsored migration schemes and offers a framework for them to be fundamentally re-made.
In summary, we recommend that the Federal Government:
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Fix international education, starting by substantially increasing contributions to the Tuition Protection Service, which would allow for greater compensation to be paid to students adversely impacted by the conduct of their college or university.
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Overhaul skilled and employer-sponsored migration, replacing it with an accessible, self-nominated system of temporary migration in areas of skills shortage, with permanent residency available after two years. An independent and publicly accountable tripartite body, including representatives of unions and labour experts, should be established to certify areas of shortage, set minimum wages for migrant workers and keep data about the extent of reliance on migrant workers in particular industries.
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Protect migrant workers by creating a single set of employer obligations, applicable to all employers of migrant workers, and introducing robust ‘whistle blower’ protections for migrant workers who take action against their employers.
Restoring the ‘social license’ for the migration program must start with putting the rights and interests of migrant workers first.
Submission to 2025-26 Federal Budget consultation
The Human Rights Law Centre has put forward recommendations to the 2025-26 federal budget submissions across a range of issues, including campaigning for an Australian Human Rights Act, migration justice, prisoners’ rights, whistleblower protection and modern slavery.
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Submission to Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021 review
The Human Rights Law Centre is calling for stronger safeguards for the right to privacy and warned that these powers enable the AFP and ACIC to undertake significant invasions of privacy, encroach on the right to privacy, and threaten to have a chilling effect on the work of journalists and their sources.
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Submission to Inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities
In a submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry into antisemitism on Australian university campuses, the Human Rights Law Centre has called for reforms that uphold Australia's commitment to international human rights standards, fostering a society that respects equality, freedom, and justice for all.
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Acknowledgement of Country
The Human Rights Law Centre acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands across Australia, including the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Gadigal, Ngunnawal, Cammeraygal, Darug, Wadawurrung, Turrbal and Jagera people where we work from.
We pay our respect to Elders past and present. This land always was, and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
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