SDG10 Enlisting migration agents in the fight against modern slavery

Project summary

People in Australia on temporary visas, such as migrant workers, international students and women on temporary partner visas, are at heightened risks of experiencing modern slavery.

Employers, sponsors or other third parties sometimes use a migrant worker’s precarious visa status to exert influence and control.

Migration agents who deal with visa applications on a day-to-day basis are in a unique position to potentially recognise and identify modern slavery red flags. Recognising this, Carolyn Liaw and Dr Yvette Selim from Anti-Slavery Australia, a specialist legal service and research and policy centre at UTS, consulted with migration agents to develop a tailored education package to increase the capacity of migration agents to identify potentially exploitative situations and respond appropriately.

As part of this process, the researchers drew on the knowledge of migration agents who had experience working in a range of countries, and in commercial and not-for-profit practices. The migration agents helped to refine the training package including the warning signs for modern slavery specific to their profession.

At the end of the project, a training package was developed and delivered to migration agents – migration agents were not only able to identify the indicators of modern slavery, but also reflect on how it intersects with the migration process and their own work. Some recognising potential victims from amongst the clients they had seen in the past.

Note: Dr Yvette Selim has completed her secondment with Anti-Slavery Australia and has returned to her substantive position within UTS at the Institute for Public Policy and Governance.

For more information see the Anti-Slavery Australia website. 

Project timeframe

2019-2020

SDG targets addressed by this project

Gender equality:

5.1 - End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.

5.2 - Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.

Reduced inequalities:

10.7 - Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.

Back to SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities