Underpaid Australian migrants awarded compensation

July 10 2009 by Mark Johnstone

Migrants aided by Australian immigration laws

From ABC News, the Australian government's Fair Work ombudsman has recovered more than $8,000 for a migrant couple who were underpaid while working in Western Australia's Goldfields.

The husband and wife made the move to Australia to manage a seven-day-a-week business.

They claimed they were made to work in Australia for more than 80 hours each week but were paid a flat rate of $835.

Fair Work ombudsman director Leigh Quealy says migrants who live and work in Australia with limited or no English skills are vulnerable, but have the same basic rights and protections as anyone.

"The work place relations laws apply equally to migrant workers as they do to any Australian-born worker," he said.

Mr Quealy says employers seen to be taking advantage will be dealt with.

"We will pursue them to recover any under-payment in wages and, where appropriate, we will take employers to court," he said.

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