'Detainees should be allowed to work'

Immigration detainees should be allowed to work while their visas are being processed, a parliamentary committee recommends.

The standing committee on migration says the bridging visa framework should be altered so all adults visa holders can work.

Currently only some bridging visa holders are allowed to work while their visas are being processed.

But people who are seeking a judicial review on their immigration decision are not.

People who fail to lodge an application for refugee protection within 45 days of arrival to Australia are also prevented from working.

And in other cases people can apply for a work visa but have to demonstrate that they have a compelling need to work.

The committee says all visa holders should be allowed to work conditional on their reporting and court attendance requirements.

It is just one of the recommendations the committee sets out in a report on Australia's immigration system.

The report also recommends that means-tested migration counselling and legal advice be made available to detainees.

And a volunteer repatriation program for detainees should be set up by the federal government.

Committee chair Michael Danby said the Rudd government had already taken steps to improve the detention system, like removing debts accrued by detainees in detention.

"The committee acknowledges that this is one of many welcome changes to government policy...however...we can and must do better," Mr Danby said.

25 May 2009

Straight from the 'Manual of Globalisation'.

Detainees / Illegal Immigrants = Cheap Unskilled Labour, which means GREAT cost saving to the employer, in ALL industries.

In Australia it is NOW very visual that the food industry, IT industry, and taxi industries employ cheap unskilled migrants.

The services of which wages are paid BELOW recommended guidelines (which is illegal), but the law turns a blind eye to this.

These industries will be examined in greater detail in separate posts.