Copyright theepochtimes
Australia may soon have a new public register to track and monitor employers approved to sponsor skilled migrant workers, under legislation introduced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. The Migration Amendment (Combating Migrant Exploitation) Bill 2025 introduced in the Parliament on Nov. 6 aims to create a public “Register of Approved Work Sponsors,” which will be published and maintained on the Department of Home Affairs website. “This bill is a necessary and important step to supporting a better targeted temporary skilled work visa programme as part of the Albanese Labor government’s migration strategy,” Burke told Parliament. The register will list each approved sponsor’s name, ABN, business postcode, number of sponsored workers, and occupations. Burke said this transparency will help “tackle migrant worker exploitation and misuse of the visa system.” “This register will provide an important resource to check that the sponsoring employer is legitimate,” he said. “It will promote transparency and accountability … increasing protections for migrant workers and ensuring a stronger workforce.” He added that the reform was designed to make the system fairer and safer. “Migrants make a valuable contribution, not only to Australia’s prosperity, but also to our communities, our national identity, and to our connections across the world. They have the right to be safe and to feel safe,” Burke added.
