Australian Economy Immigration International Students

Two-thirds of migrants in Australia are underpaid

Sunday 10 May 2026

Exploitation and wage theft are features, not bugs, of Australia’s immigration system.

Having around 1.8 million temporary visas on issue (excluding New Zealanders) is too large and impossible to regulate properly.

Underpayment of migrant workers has been a running theme in Australia ever since the 7-Eleven wage scandal broke in 2015.

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About the author

Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.