By Peter Devlin

Copyright news

Italian restaurant Eatalian Ristorante in Glen Forrest, in Perth’s hills region, is the first business in Australia to be hit with the ban, under the laws passed last year aimed at stopping the exploitation of migrant workers.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) named and shamed the restaurant, listing it on the new prohibited employer register.

It means the business will be banned from hiring migrant workers until September 2030, The West Australian reported.

Under the laws, employers found using someone’s immigration status to exploit them in the workplace could be fined up to $118,000, face civil prosecution or be declared a prohibited employer. Eatalian Ristorante has been declared a prohibited employer.

Late last year the company was probed by the ABF over misleading information in its migrant worker sponsorship applications, and was sanctioned for noncompliance.

Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Julian Hill said the ban should serve as a warning to other employers planning on hiring migrant workers.

“Don’t do it. Migrant workers play a key part in the economy; there is no place in Australia for employers who exploit them and you can now be publicly shamed,” he said.

“Every worker in Australia deserves a safe workplace and enjoys the same legal protections. But for too long dodgy employers have been exploiting migrant workers with threats to their visa status.”

Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said migrant workers with visas had the same work rights as all Australian workers.

“Exploiting vulnerable migrant workers by not paying them correctly, unlawfully deducting money, and violating workplace protections is particularly concerning conduct that will not be tolerated in Australia. If you exploit your workers, you will be found out and called out,” she said.

The ABF are now conducting surprise spot checks at workplaces to help protect workers and expose employers exploiting their staff.

ABF Field Operations and Sponsor Monitoring Commander John Taylor said consequences for abusing Australia’s visa laws could be severe.

“We are serious about protecting vulnerable migrant workers; we will not tolerate their abuse and exploitation,” he said.

“This may be the first, but it certainly won’t be the last employer publicly named and sanctioned under the strengthened powers; more are likely to follow.”

News.com.au has contacted Eatalian Ristorante for comment.