Protecting Vulnerable Migrant Workers : The Case of International Students

In the past 20 years, Australia has witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of international students in the tertiary education sector. In addition to contributing to the tertiary education industry through their consumption of education products and services, students contribute a pool of mostly semi-skilled labour to the economy. International students enter the domestic employment market with no dedicated legal regime for their protection. The article demonstrates that students are particularly vulnerable participants in the Australian workforce, and outlines reforms to both migration and labour laws that are required to protect them