ISSUE
Friday, August 22, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 73
The government may need to consider greater sanctions for employers who exploit migrant workers says Union Network of Migrants (Unemig) coordinator Dennis Maga.
“The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is taking enforcement action against 19 employers in the dairy industry after they were found exploiting and short-changing migrant workers”.
“19 of the 29 employers inspected fell short of what the law requires. This is a high proportion and it indicates exploitation of migrant workers is more widespread than many expect” says Dennis Maga.
“Migrant workers are often in precarious situations. Many rely on sponsorship from their employers and that means there is often reluctance to pursue complaints or grievances”.
“Many migrant workers are also isolated from agencies which provide support and advice. Some workers lack the language skills needed to interact with agencies while others work on farms in isolated rural areas where agency help is sparse” he says.
For the Indian community this is a huge problem as well. Specially for the migrant student community, this has been an ongoing issue , with them being under paid and overworked. As a result a large number of students need to work over and beyond their stipulated 20 hours a week.
The problem is also the employers, a large number of these are also Indians who knowingly exploit their employees. Most employers have minimum wage earners performing all kinds of jobs and receiving little in the name of work environment or even respect.
“Then there are the migrant workers who operate with a ‘debt of gratitude’ to their employer. Some employers know this and they exploit it to get away with poor pay and conditions”.
“The government can take practical steps to protect migrant workers and enforce the law. Inspections should happen regularly and not seasonally and repeat offenders may need to be prevented from hiring migrant workers or put on a probationary period” says Dennis Maga.
Migrants also need to constantly educate themselves to the rights of workers and the laws they get covered under once they join the work force.
The government may need to consider greater sanctions for employers who exploit migrant workers says Union Network of Migrants (Unemig) coordinator Dennis Maga.
“The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is taking enforcement action against 19 employers in the dairy industry after they...
The government may need to consider greater sanctions for employers who exploit migrant workers says Union Network of Migrants (Unemig) coordinator Dennis Maga.
“The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is taking enforcement action against 19 employers in the dairy industry after they were found exploiting and short-changing migrant workers”.
“19 of the 29 employers inspected fell short of what the law requires. This is a high proportion and it indicates exploitation of migrant workers is more widespread than many expect” says Dennis Maga.
“Migrant workers are often in precarious situations. Many rely on sponsorship from their employers and that means there is often reluctance to pursue complaints or grievances”.
“Many migrant workers are also isolated from agencies which provide support and advice. Some workers lack the language skills needed to interact with agencies while others work on farms in isolated rural areas where agency help is sparse” he says.
For the Indian community this is a huge problem as well. Specially for the migrant student community, this has been an ongoing issue , with them being under paid and overworked. As a result a large number of students need to work over and beyond their stipulated 20 hours a week.
The problem is also the employers, a large number of these are also Indians who knowingly exploit their employees. Most employers have minimum wage earners performing all kinds of jobs and receiving little in the name of work environment or even respect.
“Then there are the migrant workers who operate with a ‘debt of gratitude’ to their employer. Some employers know this and they exploit it to get away with poor pay and conditions”.
“The government can take practical steps to protect migrant workers and enforce the law. Inspections should happen regularly and not seasonally and repeat offenders may need to be prevented from hiring migrant workers or put on a probationary period” says Dennis Maga.
Migrants also need to constantly educate themselves to the rights of workers and the laws they get covered under once they join the work force.
Leave a Comment