Industrial relations commissioner Barbara Deegan has been appointed by the federal government to conduct a six month review into the temporary skilled migrant programme.

The scheme permits foreign skilled workers to obtain jobs in Australia for limited periods in certain industries.

The exploitation of migrant workers, salary levels and English language requirements will be examined due to the number of worker’s deaths, squalid living conditions, stolen wages and rampant abuse in Australia.
Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union national secretary John Sutton said three workers who held 457 visas were killed on the job last year.

“We’re seeing many instances of workers being badly underpaid, we’re seeing instances of workers living 12 to a house in appalling accommodation, we’re seeing their pay packets tampered with and money deducted without their permission.” Said Mr Sutton on National Radio.

Mr Sutton said he’d seen “all manner of abuse” of workers entering the country under the program and believes Ms Deegan and her working party of industry and trade union leaders will be very busy on this task.
Recruitment companies say delays in resolving the government’s plans for 457 visas are causing overseas emigrants to give up on working in Australia.

Recruitment and Consulting Services Association spokesman Charles Cameron said “The federal government’s delay … is resulting in overseas workers giving up on Australia and worsening the crisis faced in many skills-short industries such as health, resources and information technology,” Mr Cameron said in a statement.

More than two-thirds of workers hired with 457 visas were professionals and managers who were not vulnerable to exploitation, he said.