An Indian international student has cautioned other students to watch out for employers who threaten, intimidate and exploit them without paying them.
Sriman Mottala arrived in Melbourne in July 2014 to pursue his Master’s in Business Administration.
“Melbourne is an expensive city and international students like me need to work to take care of our expenses. I was on a student visa and was allowed to work 20 hours so I started looking for a job right after I arrived here.
“I got a job at a restaurant near my University through a friend’s reference. I was happy that I had found work and I could support myself and concentrate on my studies while working in my spare time,” Sriman told SBS Hindi.
But what he believed was a perfect balance between studying and working did not last long.
“I was not paid on time. And I was made to work long hours. I kept working because I needed money.
“I was afraid to speak up and my employer took advantage of that. I was polite and did not question him much.
“But then when bills started piling up and I really needed money, I gathered the courage and asked him for money.
“He came up with this strange offer where he would give us our salary as a loan. The money he gave us was to be returned. Four of my colleagues and I refused and stopped working for him.
“We went to the police and complained. The employer instead blamed us in front of the police.
“I complained to Fair Work too. The next day, my employer came to my house and threatened and abused me in front of my friends. He claimed he knew many people of influence and would get me deported,” says Sriman.
Fair Work Ombudsman may be brought in to come down harsher against labour exploitation. Source: SBS
“I was very stressed. I felt very alone. I was new to Australia and everyone I knew here was new to this country too, like me. Nobody knew about working rights or Fair Work. We kept working without being paid because we did not know about our rights.
“Also, the employer was an Indian. From the same country. I trusted him. I never knew he would intimidate me and abuse me like this,” Sriman.
Despite reaching out to Fair Work, Sriman did not succeed in getting his dues back.
“Fair Work people were very kind to me. But I had not kept documentation of my hours and other things. We could not proceed with the case because of a ‘gap in information’. My employer was let off with a caution. But he is very upset with me because he is now on the radar,” says Sriman.
After experiencing wage theft and exploitation, Sriman says more needs to be done to create awareness among the international student community who often keep quiet while being exploited at work.
“A friend told me about the Migrant Workers Centre who helps migrants like me. I have learnt a lot about my rights and workplace safety. I urge others to learn more about our rights.
“Universities should also reach out to international students and help them navigate this new place. When I came, no one told me about Fair Work or where to go to seek help.
“Australia is a wonderful place. I now work with a good employer and am paid well. But newcomers need to be careful of these dodgy employers,” warns Sriman.
ALSO ON SBS HINDI:
Attention International Students: Know your Working Rights!
Source: SBS
Are you an international student being underpaid at work?
As an international student, you have working rights like other workers in Australia.
These range from being paid on time, penalty rates for working early-mornings to late-nights or weekends and being provided payslips for your pay.
It is also important to know it is illegal to accept your salary in cash.
If you think you're being exploited at work, or are an employer or employee seeking assistance, visit the or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94. An interpreter service is available on 13 14 50.
A Fair Work Ombudsman spokesperson said matters involving vulnerable migrants continue to be a priority for the regulator.
“All workers in Australia have the same workplace rights and the deliberate exploitation of visa holders will not be tolerated by the Fair Work Ombudsman. Visa holders, including international students, are one of the most vulnerable worker groups and may not seek help because of language and cultural barriers, concerns about visa status or limited awareness of their workplace rights,” the spokesperson told SBS Hindi.
“While migrant workers make up six per cent of the Australian workforce, they accounted for about 20 per cent of all formal disputes completed by the FWO in 2017-18. Last financial year, over 60 per cent of the Fair Work Ombudsman’s court actions alleged breaches of workplace laws by businesses employing migrant workers, and we secured $4.8 million penalties for decisions involving visa holders in 2017-18.”
A range of resources to assist international students, including how to report anonymously, are available .
