Skilled Hungarian engineers on 457 visas employed as labourers and underpaid
A group of skilled Hungarian engineers have been told to go home after questioning their pay rates.
The workers were supposed to be working in Australia under the 457 visa as highly skilled technicians, but were instead employed as labourers and paid half of what was anticipated. The 20 workers said they were promised Australian rates of pay of about $30 an hour. Instead for the last four months they have been paid about $15 an hour to help build a warehouse in western Sydney.
Rather than working as the mechanical engineering technicians their 457 visas specified, the men were working as riggers building steel structures and forklift drivers. When one worker was injured and required stitches while on the job, he was told to organize a doctor and pay for treatment himself.
The underpayment and visa abuse allegations were raised on Saturday. Soon after, it is alleged the Austrian company employing the men requested those who had complained to get on a plane to Hungary. Three returned home, but 17 remain.
This case is the latest in the ongoing controversy surrounding the misuse of 457 visas by unscrupulous employers. In light of this, recent Labour Market Testing is being implemented on the 23rd November 2013 aims to target such exploitation.
The union’s national construction division secretary, Dave Noonan, said it was another ”blatant rip-off” of 457 visa holders.
If you want to avoid similar exploitation in your migration to Australia, No Borders can assist and advise you through this process. Feel free to contact us for further details.