Posts Tagged as ‘migrant workers’

November 29, 2009

Something you don’t want to do? Get a marginalised migrant

Happy Sunday Funday!
What would we do without marginalised migrants to do our dirty work?
(From KnoxNews.com)

November 7, 2009

How many would come if we just opened the borders?

Worried about asylum seekers flooding Australia?
What would happen if we just opened our borders to everyone?
Gallup polled people in 135 countries between 2007 and 2009, and found that about 16% of the world’s adults (roughly 700 million) would like to move to another country permanently if they could. 700 Million Worldwide Desire to Migrate Permanently
Nearly [...]

October 9, 2009

Backpackers: yet another category of exploited migrants

Are backpackers marginalised migrants?
I stretching things too far?
In 2007-08 the number of working holiday-makers young people increased by nearly 14.5% from 2006–07 to 2007–08 (DIAC). The report for 2008-09 will be released at the end of this month. Despite the global economic crisis, it is expected that the number of young people entering Australia on [...]

October 5, 2009

Pass the IELTS? Do not learn English if you want a visa

Why do so many international students have problems with the level of English language they need for their studies?
Why do so many people on skilled visas not get jobs in Australia, even though they are highly qualified?
Because it is possible to pass the IELTS at a high level with barely a word of English.
International students [...]

August 31, 2009

Senator Evans wants to market Australia to migrants

Senator Evans says Australia needs a rational immigration debate, beyond the hysteria about the few hundred boat people who arrive each year.
”The annual figure this year [for skilled permanent migration] was, say, 115,000, but more than 500,000 came into the country. They came in as students, temporary workers, working holidaymakers … but the public still [...]

August 15, 2009

457 visa numbers drop

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Evans, released a summary report for the subclass 457 business (long stay) visa for June 2008-09 this week.

Primary applications lodged in 2008-09 were 11 per cent below as compared to previous term
Primary applications granted also slipped by 13 per cent below last year
Primary visa applications in June 2009 [...]

August 11, 2009

Australia on trial in first Southeast Asian Court of Women

The first Southeast Asian Court of Women on HIV and Human Trafficking is being held in Bali. More than 20 Southeast Asian women have narrated their personal stories of exploitation and abuse.
I have been concerned about the 457 visa because, whatever controls the government may put in place, the worker is still beholden to the [...]

August 4, 2009

Rudd sweetens unions with 457 visa hints

‘Curbs on the use of 457 visas’ was one of the carrots thrown by Rudd to the manufacturing and construction unions at the ALP conference last weekend. Rudd seeks long-term reform era

July 29, 2009

Indian women liberated by passing English test

The blogger at Faint Voice tells us that there is ‘a quiet revolution in the status of women in deep rural, backward caste and poor Punjab. Girls who in past were not sent to school would now look forward to getting preference over boys in being sent to school, given time off to house work [...]

July 23, 2009

Meatworks’ protesters are people, not work units