Temporary Migrant Workers

Purpose-This study conducts the first systematic review of Working Holiday Maker (WHM) research to analyse the evolving nature of WHM schemes and participants. It aims to identify existing theoretical and methodological foundations, to reveal gaps in current knowledge and develop future scenarios for WHM programmes in the context of changing tourism, work and migration patterns. Design/methodology/approach-A 2x2 matrix was developed to generate a distinct picture of WHM participants' motivations and self-perceptions, with axes derived from the review findings. Four corresponding future scenarios were then constructed to explore potential policy and tourism implications. Findings-The analysis revealed a lack of consensus regarding fundamental theoretical frameworks and the social classification of WHMs, highlighting a dominant binary perspective of WHMs as either tourists or temporary migrant workers. The 2x2 matrix demonstrates the inadequacy of traditional tourist-worker dichotomies by revealing four distinct WHM types characterised by motivational fluidity and varying selfperceptions. Practical implications-The study provides a consolidated overview of WHM research and introduces a scenario planning framework with four policy pathways, informing evidence-based policy development for WHM schemes. Social implications-The research contributes to understanding how contemporary mobility patterns challenge traditional assumptions about gap-year experiences, cultural exchange outcomes and temporary-to-permanent migration transitions by revealing motivational fluidity among WHM participants and demonstrating how institutional frameworks actively shape cross-cultural work-travel combinations. Originality/value-This represents the first systematic review of WHM research combined with scenario planning methodology, contributing a novel theoretical framework that challenges existing binary conceptualisations and introduces the first comprehensive synthesis of fragmented interdisciplinary literature.

This article deals with temporary migrant workers experiences of social security in Finland, and the question how temporality influences the motivations of migrant workers to find out about their rights in the welfare system. What kinds of experiences do temporary migrants have? Have they met specific problems related to temporariness? The article shows how motivations to find out about the welfare system are linked to the length of stay of the migrant, sector of work, gender of the temporary worker, country of origin of the worker. Finally motivations are in a high degree influenced by objective possibilities of accessing the welfare benefits of the country, for instance related to problems in receiving work permits, residence permits, and the national insurance institution (KELA) insurance cards. The article shows how many temporary workers, especially within seasonal agricultural work, are in Finland solely in order to work, and are not directed towards other aspects of life while in Finland. Temporary migrants learn about the Finnish Social Security System through their own experience, which makes their knowledge dependent on initiation processes at work places. In many cases a private insurance is required from the temporary worker in order to get the visa and many immigrants are not motivated to contribute to a system, which they don't benefit of. Migrants incorporate possibilities provided by the social system. They thus adjust their subjective expectations to the objective conditions. Sometimes this adjustment is done in frustration as benefits are out of reach despite having to contribute to the system financially by paying taxes.

In this article, we analyse foreign seasonal berry and vegetable pickers’ strategies as regards securing their living and working conditions in Finland. Farmers are currently dependent on foreign seasonal workers. In spite of the potential gains working in Finland offers to foreign pickers, the risks associated with the work are diverted to the individual employee. The risks are not shared between the employee and the welfare state, which is regarded as a central feature of the Nordic welfare model. In this precarious situation, ‘weak ties’ become an important source of information and security for the pickers.

In our response to our commentators, we address four main issues. First, the role and purpose of our account of voluntariness in migration, and how it differs from the notion of voluntariness employed in the ideal theory of liberal egalitarian justice. Second, where our account of receiving states' obligations towards migrants stands with respect to a cosmopolitan right to free immigration on one hand, and the discretion of receiving states in deciding the conditions of admission on the other. Third, our reasons for insisting on special rights for those who engage in temporary migration projects, rather than relying on frameworks of supranational citizenship rights. Finally, our choice to frame our account of receiving states' duties to temporary migrants without relying on strong transnational assumptions.

In June 2019, the Government of Canada implemented the Open work permit for vulnerable workers (OWP-V) policy, authorizing immigration officers to issue open work permits to migrant workers on employer-specific work permits if they demonstrate reasonable grounds to believe that they are experiencing abuse or are at risk of abuse in their workplace. Drawing on research conducted by a community organization on the impact of the policy, this article examines the policy’s potential to remedy the problematic effects of the employer-specific work permit and whether it has been implemented efficiently. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with organizations that provide direct legal and social support to migrant workers in Canada. Additionally, two datasets regarding the role of the OWP-V policy in IRCC’s employer compliance regime were analyzed. The research concludes that the OWP-V policy cannot be expected to counteract the high risk of abuse imposed on workers through the employer-specific work permit. Numerous barriers were identified that make it difficult for migrant workers to apply for the permit. The small number of OWP-V permits issued in proportion to the number of employers authorized to hire migrant workers makes it unlikely that the policy will significantly impact employers’ propensity to comply with the program conditions.

International students have a significant impact on the host country’s economy. In Canada, they can help create jobs, contribute to the GDP, and solve the problem of labour shortages. Despite their significant contribution, international students have undergone a lot of challenges without appropriate support. Many international students reported being discriminated against due to many factors ranging from the language barrier to the lack of local experience. Thus, they experience mental distress and physical health issues. This study will explore the challenges that international students are facing and the strategies that they implemented to adapt to the Canadian workplace. The significance of the student can help policymakers develop plans to support international student workers, which ultimately contribute to the Canadian economy. The study result confirms the challenges faced by international student workers in previous literature. Several adaptation strategies were identified, such as 1) building networks, 2) gaining local working experience through volunteering, internship or on-campus jobs, 3) utilizing support from the university or professors, 4) leveraging family or friend support, and 5) upgrade their skill and knowledge to better fit with the new working environment.

The protection of labor rights of temporary migrant workers in global supply chains requires further theoretical and policy research. Through the case of Serbian workers in Slovak electronics supply chains, we look at how the transnational recruitment of labor via temporary work agencies (TWAs) for globally organized production generates heightened forms of exploitation and unfree labor relations. We show that such exploitation occurs in a regulatory framework consisting of various instruments ranging from the Palermo Protocol specific to trafficking, to EU law addressing the mobility of workers, and corporate codes of conduct aimed at guaranteeing worker rights within supply chains. Paradoxically, despite an overregulated field, existing instruments fail to offer a straightforward avenue for redress. We suggest that this failure is an outcome of the current legal and corporate regulatory matrix that allows market competition through work practices that violate basic labor standards and produce the conditions that enable and sustain unfree labor relations, while normalizing exploitation in supply chains.

The protection of labor rights of temporary migrant workers in global supply chains requires further theoretical and policy research. Through the case of Serbian workers in Slovak electronics supply chains, we look at how the transnational recruitment of labor via temporary work agencies (TWAs) for globally organized production generates heightened forms of exploitation and unfree labor relations. We show that such exploitation occurs in a regulatory framework consisting of various instruments ranging from the Palermo Protocol specific to trafficking, to EU law addressing the mobility of workers, and corporate codes of conduct aimed at guaranteeing worker rights within supply chains. Paradoxically, despite an overregulated field, existing instruments fail to offer a straightforward avenue for redress. We suggest that this failure is an outcome of the current legal and corporate regulatory matrix that allows market competition through work practices that violate basic labor standards and produce the conditions that enable and sustain unfree labor relations, while normalizing exploitation in supply chains.

This study explored the settlement and integration experiences of 12 current and former Filipino temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in the low-wage service industry residing in a remote and isolated area of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The study employed a qualitative research approach that involved five in-depth semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions, with data analyzed using thematic analysis. Informed by labour process theory, four major themes emerged from individual interviews and focus group discussions: (1) the importance of employment, (2) settlement and integration challenges, (3) looking forward-looking back-transnational navigation and (4) settlement and integration support. These themes help to tell the stories of TFWs in the service industry, including the challenges and opportunities of transnational migration. The findings highlight minimal organizational support available to TFWs in the settlement and integration process, with the lion's share of this responsibility falling on other Filipinos within the community to provide tangible and emotional support. Recommendations for how to support TFWs' settlement and integration needs in remote and isolated communities are discussed. Keywords Temporary foreign workers. Filipinos. Remote and isolated area. Settlement and integration. Service industry. Newfoundland and Labrador. Canada The movements of people to and from countries across continents have been a natural part of human existence. Since WWII, increasingly, individuals around the globe have responded to the push factors of war, famine, economic crisis and political persecution in their countries of birth as well as to the pull factors of perceived economic mobility, better education and access to health care in foreign countries (McLeman et al. 2018; Ibourk 2016). Walia (2010) makes the argument that global capitalism is responsible

L'article présente un panorama général des caractéristiques les plus pertinentes que présentent les droits du travail des pays de la région latino-américaine. Il traite plus spécialement, d'une part, des droits dits collectifs, comprenant la syndicalisation, la négociation collective et la grève, et d'autre part, du cas particulier du Mexique. La première partie dégage quelques traits de l'évolution générale du droit du travail, alors que la seconde porte sur les principales tendances qui se sont manifestées dans la région ces dernières années.

In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, the world is in panic, especially the employees, immersed in anxiety, are questioning the stability of the company as well as job security. Undeniably, they need to be reassured, which means they are more sensitive to the employer brand. This article examines new employees' perceptions of the employer brand during the covid-19 period. In order to answer our problem, we have drawn inspiration from the theory of the psychological contract, and we have mobilized a theoretical framework based on concepts forming our problem. An exploratory qualitative survey was carried out among 22 employees using semi-structured interviews. These were conducted following an interview guide structured in a way that respected the chronology of events, with the aim of identifying the perception before, after and during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. After the objective transcription of the interviews, they were analyzed using the qualitative data analysis software ...

The working holiday scheme of New Zealand provides young Chinese with a unique opportunity to have a prolonged work or study and travel experience in New Zealand. Until September 2015, New Zealand was the only working holiday destination for young Chinese and more recently only New Zealand and Australia offer this scheme to young Chinese. With the increasing interest in long-term backpacking, Chinese youth have chosen working holidays as their way to experience the world. The question is thus raised as to why it is that Chinese youth chose working holidays among different options and moreover, what affects their decision to embark on working holidays. This study explores and presents a thematic analysis of thirty-four woking holiday makers (WHMs) from Mainland China. Three organizing themes, namely escapism, cost efficiency and timing, are identified and discussed through consideration of cultural and social influences. The findings of this study facilitate the understanding of this growing cohort of Chinese WHMs. With the possibility of more countries initiating similar schemes for young Chinese, implications and future research directions are also discussed.

This study explored the settlement and integration experiences of 12 current and former Filipino temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in the low-wage service industry residing in a remote and isolated area of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The study employed a qualitative research approach that involved five in-depth semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions, with data analyzed using thematic analysis. Informed by labour process theory, four major themes emerged from individual interviews and focus group discussions: (1) the importance of employment, (2) settlement and integration challenges, (3) looking forward-looking back-transnational navigation and (4) settlement and integration support. These themes help to tell the stories of TFWs in the service industry, including the challenges and opportunities of transnational migration. The findings highlight minimal organizational support available to TFWs in the settlement and integration process, with the lion's share of this responsibility falling on other Filipinos within the community to provide tangible and emotional support. Recommendations for how to support TFWs' settlement and integration needs in remote and isolated communities are discussed. Keywords Temporary foreign workers. Filipinos. Remote and isolated area. Settlement and integration. Service industry. Newfoundland and Labrador. Canada The movements of people to and from countries across continents have been a natural part of human existence. Since WWII, increasingly, individuals around the globe have responded to the push factors of war, famine, economic crisis and political persecution in their countries of birth as well as to the pull factors of perceived economic mobility, better education and access to health care in foreign countries (McLeman et al. 2018; Ibourk 2016). Walia (2010) makes the argument that global capitalism is responsible

The protection of labor rights of temporary migrant workers in global supply chains requires further theoretical and policy research. Through the case of Serbian workers in Slovak electronics supply chains, we look at how the transnational recruitment of labor via temporary work agencies (TWAs) for globally organized production generates heightened forms of exploitation and unfree labor relations. We show that such exploitation occurs in a regulatory framework consisting of various instruments ranging from the Palermo Protocol specific to trafficking, to EU law addressing the mobility of workers, and corporate codes of conduct aimed at guaranteeing worker rights within supply chains. Paradoxically, despite an overregulated field, existing instruments fail to offer a straightforward avenue for redress. We suggest that this failure is an outcome of the current legal and corporate regulatory matrix that allows market competition through work practices that violate basic labor standards and produce the conditions that enable and sustain unfree labor relations, while normalizing exploitation in supply chains.

This paper presents key findings from our research into the employment of the foreign-born workers in the NT and identifies topics warranting future research to support strategies that can help create and maintain a skilled and stable workforce in the Territory.

The Canadian province of Alberta suffers from recurring labour shortages caused by its unstable resource economy. 1 Alberta has historically relied upon interprovincial migrant workers to meet demand during "boom" periods. 2 Between 2003 and 2013, the availability of interprovincial migrants was inadequate to meet overall demand for workers. 3 Alberta's construction industry and the provincial government sought to recruit workers from groups they defined as underrepresented, such as women and Indigenous peoples, to address this shortage. 4 At the same time, the federal government altered its long-standing Temporary Foreign Worker Program (tfwp) to enable employers to hire an increasing number of international migrant workers. Alberta employers were among the most enthusiastic users of temporary foreign workers (tfws). 5 The effect of tfws on how employers approach recruitment

1 Bridget Anderson, Professor of Migration, Mobilities and Citizenship, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies, University of Bristol; Friedrich Poeschel, Research Fellow, Migration Policy Centre, European University Institute; and Martin Ruhs, Chair in Migration Studies and Deputy Director, Migration Policy Centre, European University Institute. Comments welcome: bridget.anderson@bristol.ac.uk, friedrich.poeschel@eui.eu, martin.ruhs@eui.eu. 2 OECD, 2020. 3 For example Gelatt, 2020; Fernández-Reino et al., 2020; Fasani and Mazza, 2020. Introduction

Temporary migration is a growing global trend, but there is little research on its representation in the media of origin countries. This paper fills this gap by examining how temporary migration is framed by using a longitudinal analysis that focuses on the representation of South Korean participants in the Australian Working Holiday Program in South Korean newspapers from 2000 to 2018. This paper explores the role that South Korean newspapers have played in constructing pro-migration discourses and representing the program, its participants, and their experiences while considering the social and political environments. Key focus areas identified include a “culture of migration,” national interest, economic imperatives/employment, and “victimization.”

Aimed at finding out the reasons for the high accident rate of temporary workers in Taiwan on the first working day, this study investigating on 510 accident reports from 2000 to 2015 provided by Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. During the research process, it used the statistics method (i.e., ANOVA and association rules) try to find the hidden of accident rules or patterns. The results showed that injuries mainly caused by the low safety cognition of temporary workers and the negligence in health and safety management such as pre-training and safety regulations determining. In addition, the association rules data mining indicated that falls/ tumbles of temporary workers tended to occur when temporary workers were hired by the small enterprises (under 10 employees) for the non-government projects, injuriously contacted with structure and construction facilities, and involved to improper behaviors, activities. Based on the study results, we suggest more attention in auditing and safety inspection from the government toward small contractors to ensure the feasibility of high safety compliance. Contractors should provide sufficient effort to clearly determine regulations and enhance safety training to provide essential knowledge for the temporary workers to protect them from the accidents.

We are extremely grateful to our commentators for their thoughtful and challenging discussions of The Right Not to Stay. In the necessarily limited space of this response, it would be impossible to do full justice to the depth and variety of the issues they raise in their comments. In what follows, we aim to address the most salient objections and qualms, which can be sorted into three main categories. The first concerns the framework and target of our argument, namely the way we characterize the kind of temporary migration that is the object of our analysis, and our reasons for thinking that it raises distinctive normative issues. The second group of comments concerns our claim that the life plans of those who engage in temporary migration projects must be accommodated. The third group of comments concerns the impact that the special rights that we advocate to accommodate the life plans of temporary migrants have on the democratic character and internal equality of receiving societies.

In Ländern, deren einheimische Arbeitskräfte immer besser ausgebildet sind und die sich deshalb verstärkt auf Branchen mit mittleren und hohen Qualifikationsanforderungen konzentrieren, werden viele Stellen im Niedriglohnsektor, die nicht ausgelagert oder automatisiert werden können von Einwander/innen besetzt. Wenn es zu wenige legale Einreisemöglichkeiten für Geringqualifizierte gibt, um den Arbeitskräftebedarf zu decken, suchen Arbeitgeber/innen und im Ausland geborene Arbeitnehmer/innen oft nach Möglichkeiten einer illegalen Einwanderung, um die Lücke zu schließen. Die Aushandlung eines Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration im Jahr 2018 bietet den Staaten eine hervorragende Gelegenheit, Bilanz zu ziehen und zu prüfen, welche Instrumente bisher bei der Einwanderung von Geringqualifizierten gut funktioniert haben und wie sich die erfolgreichen Instrumente künftig noch verbessern lassen. Dabei muss sich die Politik verschiedenen Herausforderungen stellen: Sie muss die Koordination zwischen Ziel-und Herkunftsländern verbessern, die Einwanderungsprogramme sowohl klar als auch flexibel gestalten und in die Programme den Schutz von Arbeitnehmer/innenrechten sowie eine effektive Wirkungsevaluierung integrieren.

This study explored the settlement and integration experiences of 12 current and former Filipino temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in the low-wage service industry residing in a remote and isolated area of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The study employed a qualitative research approach that involved five in-depth semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions, with data analyzed using thematic analysis. Informed by labour process theory, four major themes emerged from individual interviews and focus group discussions: (1) the importance of employment, (2) settlement and integration challenges, (3) looking forward-looking back – transnational navigation and (4) settlement and integration support. These themes help to tell the stories of TFWs in the service industry, including the challenges and opportunities of transnational migration. The findings highlight minimal organizational support available to TFWs in the settlement and integration process, with the lion’s sha...

Después del año 2000, el fenómeno migratorio hacia Estados Unidos se intensificó y diversificó en la frontera noroeste de México, convirtiéndose en un proceso cada vez más complejo. Este libro aborda dicho fenómeno desde tres ejes: 1) los distintos orígenes sociales, sociales, geográficos y nacionales de los migrantes que atraviesan la frontera y se establecen en esta región; 2) las múltiples causas y formas de organización en torno a los flujos migratorios; y 3) la presencia de migrantes como parte de la realidad cotidiana de la región noreste de México.

Los trabajos que se presentan fueron expuestos en el Coloquio “Migración, violencia e inseguridad en el noroeste de México y sur de Texas, organizado a finales de 2015 por El Colegio de la Frontera Norte y el Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social. El objetivo es presentar un panorama de la migración (nacional e internacional) en el noroeste de México desde diversas disciplinas, enfoque teóricos y perspectivas de análisis. Se trata de un aporte para describir y analizar la diversificación del proceso migratorio en el noroeste mexicano, región que sea a convertido en de alto riesgo, tanto para la migración como para el estudio de este fenómeno.

Cruces y retornos en la región del noreste mexicano en el alba del siglo XXI busca dar cuenta de nuevos escenarios de la migración, considerando el contexto de la inseguridad y otros elementos estructurantes, como la globalización económica y la desigualdad entre el país emisor y el receptor de los migrantes.

This article analyses the emerging evidence of labour exploitation of refugees and asylum seekers on temporary visas in Australia. Over the last decade, Australia’s temporary protection regime has been marked by profound uncertainty in relation to visa status, unfettered Ministerial discretion, and the punitive exercise of governmental power. We argue that this framework amounts to abuse of governmental power, confining refugees and asylum seekers who arrived by boat to a situation of radical temporariness in Australia. This results not only in the denial of permanent protection and social inclusion to these refugees and asylum seekers, but also provides conditions for greater abuse of power by employers in the realm of workplaces across Australia. We outline six factors related to temporary immigration status and other punitive, unpredictable and arbitrary elements in this regulatory regime that currently increase the vulnerability of refugees and asylum seekers to labour exploitation.

Université de Montréal L'accessibilité à la justice pour les travailleurs temporaires : le cas d'une filiale française à Trinidad et Tobago par Camille Thomas Département d'anthropologie Faculté des arts et des sciences Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des Arts et des Sciences en vue de l'obtention du grade de maitrise Maître ès Sciences (M.Sc) en anthropologie Décembre, 2016

HighlightsBetter control of musculoskeletal workload remains a key factor in improving working conditions on Finnish farms.Orientation and training of workers should be carefully prepared with attention to content, method, and timing.Continued training is needed, especially for foremen and the increasing number of long-term foreign workers.Abstract. Foreign workers have become an important part of the workforce on horticulture and livestock farms in Finland. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of foreign workers regarding their working and living conditions. We conducted semi-structured theme interviews during two time periods: in 2008-2009 (n = 40 workers on eight farms) and again in 2018-2019 (n = 9 workers on four farms). We found variations in expectations and goals among workers when they take a job abroad. Compelling factors in the origin country included unemployment, low wages, and low standards of living, and enticing factors in the destination country ...

A relatively new and potentially important administrative forum for interpreting the concept of reasonable accommodation has been created by the Ontario Workers' Compensation Act as amended in 1989. The reuised act contained provisions requiring employers to reemploy, and where necessary make reasonable accommodations for, workers following an injury. Though representing an important reformation for the workers' compensation system, accommodation requirements are present in other labour market policy initiatives. This paper discusses the accommodation requirements in other legislation and jurisprudence in Canada, describes the recent reforms to the Ontario Workers' Compensation Act in which accommodation represents an integral component, and outlines the new and emerging jurisprudence under the revised act.

Cet article examine les développements récents de la négociation collective et de l'organisation du travail dans l'industrie québécoise du papier. L'analyse des négociations menées ces dernières années par les syndicats du papier affiliés à la CSN révèle le caractère central des stratégies de flexibilisation du travail chez les employeurs, et de protection de l'emploi du côté syndical. La flexibilité fonctionnelle constitue l'aspect essentiel des changements en cours dans cette industrie depuis la fin des années 1980, les employeurs cherchant à améliorer l'efficacité productive par une rationalisation des tâches et une réduction des emplois. Dans certaines usines, la réorganisation du travail a suscité un renouveau de l'action syndicale à travers l'implication des salariés et de leur syndicat dans la gestion de l'entreprise.

Au cours des dernières années, les questions relatives au développement de la formation en entreprise ont suscité un regain d'intérêt. Les appels lancés auprès des directions d'entreprise afin d'investir dans la formation de leur personnel se sont faits plus nombreux et plus pressants. Un tel investissement s'avère un gage de compétitivité et…

This paper discusses some of the insights that can be gained from Statistics New Zealand's Survey of Working Life (2008) on the profile of temporary workers, the reasons they give for working in a temporary job, their pay and conditions. In the March 2008 quarter, 9.4% of New Zealand employees were working in temporary jobs. The survey results reveal substantial differences between temporary and permanent employees in indicators of job quality such as pay, training rates, and working time patterns as well as substantial differences among the four main types of temporary employee (casual, fixed-term, temporary employment agency and seasonal). The paper summarises these results and then analyses the role of personal and job characteristics in contributing to the pay and training gaps that exist between temporary and permanent workers.

This paper presents key findings from our research into the employment of the foreign-born workers in the NT and identifies topics warranting future research to support strategies that can help create and maintain a skilled and stable workforce in the Territory.

Workers can suffer from risk blindness in that they fail to recognise workplace hazards or their severity, thereby jeopardising their health and safety and their organisation's performance. This problem is exacerbated in organisations who employ temporary migrant workers because not only do 'home country' cultural factors influence the way they understand and see risks; more critically the temporary nature of their work contract can reduce their commitment, and perceived responsibility, to acknowledge risk. The result of which could expose temporary migrant and domestic workers to increased incidents of work-related injury, disease and fatalities. This paper presents this problem through the lens of institutional theory to explain uneven power differentials between temporary migrant workers and managers that lead to risk blindness.

HighlightsBetter control of musculoskeletal workload remains a key factor in improving working conditions on Finnish farms.Orientation and training of workers should be carefully prepared with attention to content, method, and timing.Continued training is needed, especially for foremen and the increasing number of long-term foreign workers.Abstract. Foreign workers have become an important part of the workforce on horticulture and livestock farms in Finland. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of foreign workers regarding their working and living conditions. We conducted semi-structured theme interviews during two time periods: in 2008-2009 (n = 40 workers on eight farms) and again in 2018-2019 (n = 9 workers on four farms). We found variations in expectations and goals among workers when they take a job abroad. Compelling factors in the origin country included unemployment, low wages, and low standards of living, and enticing factors in the destination country ...

The exploitation of temporary migrant workers (TMWs) employed in Australia has been well documented by academics, government enquiries, and the Fair Work Ombudsman [FWO], the Federal government agency responsible for enforcing wage compliance. That exploitation encompasses underpayment of wages through to unpaid wages, and includes exposure to occupational health and safety risks, sexual harassment, overcrowded and unhygienic accommodation facilities, wage deduction scams, and a failure to provide income support to injured TMWs (Doyle and Howes 2015; Australian Senate 2016; FWO 2016; Mares 2016; Underhill and Rimmer 2016; Victorian Government 2016; Berg and Farbenblum 2017; Clibborn 2018; Howe et al. 2018). In horticulture, the rapid increase in TMWs following the expansion of the Working Holiday Visa scheme in 2005, and the expansion in the supply of undocumented workers has combined to produce a workforce which is easily exploited. Rural employment has traditionally been difficult...

As with other types of flexible employment, a growing body of international research has found an association between temporary agency work and comparatively poor occupational safety and health outcomes. Temporary agency work has also been found to pose a serious challenge to regulatory regimes, including the activities of inspectors. Government agencies have responded to these challenges in a number of ways. This study examines a project undertaken in the Australian state of Queensland that sought to identify both particular problems and ways of resolving them. The focus of the project was to identify 'non-regulatory' solutions based on information collected through focus groups of agency and host employer representatives. However, while a number of policy interventions were identified that fitted this approach, the project also found that both agency firms and hosts believed additional regulatory controls were required. This paper assesses these findings in the context of broader research and policy debates about how to deal with the occupational safety and health problems posed by the global shift to more flexible work arrangements.

This article examines the process of electricity privatisation in Australia in order to identify the dynamics of neo-liberalism in practice. It is argued that neo-liberalism is best understood as a particular mode of regulation in which the state legislates to secure freedoms for capital. In the case of electricity privatisation the main beneficiaries have been corporations rather than consumers and this has been facilitated by a whole host of new state regulations.

As a result of decisions by numerous state and federal commissions and tribunals, most recently the Fair Work Commission, penalty rates have become an important influence on the labour market in Australia. The paper investigates how relevant are the myriad penalty rates to today's social mores and the modern service-based economy. What are the consequences of penalty rates for employment, productivity, profitability and consumer welfare? What would be the impact of their removal? A number of data sources are analysed in the context of the economics of labour markets to answer these questions. The restaurant, café and catering industry is used as a specific example to illustrate the effects of penalty rates.