Dear all,

I have an urgent question: My partner and me came to Australia where he started a job as a programmer and webdesigner in a print company but I think he gets exploitet because they pay him 515$ per week and we have to pay a high rent (360per week). I cannot contribute so much to the living expenses because I am a student but we have not found something else. But still: He is working 8 hours per day and has almost an 1 hour drive to work and 1 hour back. He has do so much for the company and they could afford to pay him more but they don't. He cannot stop working because he has to pay the rent and otherwise he would have nothing. What can we do? Where could we claim? I think it is so unfair!

Please help with advice!

Thank you so much!

Anka

Dear Anka,

Thank you for your message.

It may be that your husband's sponsor is breaching their Sponsorship Obligations in relation to non compliance with payment of Minimum Salary Level (MSL)/ Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT)market rates to a sponsored employee.

As can be seen on this page http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/_pdf/changes-457-visa.pdf an ICT worker should be paid AU$61,920 (if not working in a regional area) or AU$55,725 if approved under a regional certification.

Following the recent legislative changes, as can be seen from this page http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/457-market-salary-rates.htm the relevant market rates from January 1st 2010 are:

$55 725 for Subclass 457 visa holders working in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) occupations who were granted their visa under certified regional employment arrangements
$61 920 for all other Subclass 457 visa holders working in ICT occupations

Therefore you need to work out whether what your husband is getting paid is in compliance with these levels.

If not this can and should be brought to DIAC's attention. However this may have implications on your husband's visa should DIAC choose to sanction the employer sponsor.

Dear Andre,

thank you so much for your answer.
I forgot to mention that my partner is here on a work and travel visa. It was a qucik decision: He found the job by accident and we wanted to go to Australia, so we went. Now he is almost working for nothing! We are here and he is earning money only to pay his bills and at the end of the month there is nothing.
In the beginning his boss told him that he needs to see if he is capable to work and justified that he is not paying more. But now it is the third month and we have nothing but got dependend on his boss because he gave us the money for the bond...I am very unhappy and desperate because we cannot do anything and I think that this is not right. After more than 2 month his boss should see if he can work properly or not and then he has to take his decision. My partner is under high pressure.

What can we do?

Thank you again!

Anka

Dear Andre,

what other minimum salaries are there for other kind of occupations? I think it is quite easy for employers to exploit there foreign staff members. You simply hire an IT expert in a different function and the minimum wage is gone. Of course this only works if the visa is not based on that special occupation.
What is a good website to learn about rights of employees, duties of the employer, handling of overtime, restrictions on when to take annual leave, minimum wages? Germans are used to very specific work/labour laws, it seems as if there are way less restrictions on behalf of the government here in Australia and hence making it easier for employers to exploit their employees.

Cheers, Kerstin

Hi Kerstin

Basically, Fair Work Australia is the main government body that looks at workplace relations, minimum wages etc. It just recently came into operation and replaced or is about to replace a range of other bodies. Then there is the Fair Work Ombudsman, where you can find information, get advice and put in a complaint.

Maria

Hi Anka

DIAC's homepage clearly states that people working on a Working Holiday Visa are entitled to the same pay as Australians. Contacting the Fair Work Ombudsman is probably a good idea.

Good luck!

Maria

Dear Marie,

thank you so much for your advice!!! DANKE!

Ich werde gleich hinschreiben!

Viele Grüße
Anka

Tja Anka - das WHV Visa ist wohl fuer Euch das falsche Visa - denn es ist designed das Ihr euch auf Eurer Urlaubsreise etwas zum Lebensunterhalt dazuverdienen koennt - daher ist es auch nach meiner Information darauf beschraenkt hoechstens 6 Monate bei einem Arbeitgeber arbeiten zu duerfen. Dieses wurde erst kuerzlich erhoeht von urspruenglich 3 Monaten. Ich befuerchte das Ihr hier kaum eine lobby habt die euch gerne vertritt - nur minimum wages muessen bezahlt werden und das kann unabhaengig von der Qualifikation der Person bestimmt sein - also z.B. der Deutsche Arzt oder Lehrer auf Reisen mit WHV kann den Stundenlohn eines Tellerwaeschers oder Toiletten reinigers haben - reine verhandlungssache mit den Arbeitgeber wie er deine job description angibt. Auch fuer die Gewerkschaften sind WHV Inhaber nur Fremde - die den Australiern die Arbeit wegnehmen - nur beim Fruit picking so gerade geduldet.Ich wuerde mir eine neue Aufgabe suchen - und zwar schnellstens - und mit der Ombudsman Sache keine schlafenden huehner aufwecken. Offiziell habt ihr bei der Firma ja sowieso nur noch 3 bis 4 Monate Arbeit - obwohl das auch nicht unbedingt so richtig ernsthaft vom Staat verfolgt wird - nur wenn man mit der Nsse darauf stoesst. Viel Erfolg