Your rights

Everyone has the right to be free from modern slavery 

• You cannot be bought, sold, traded or treated like property. 
• You can leave your place of work or stop working.  
• You can choose who, when and if you marry.  

Every worker in Australia has rights 

• You must be paid at least the minimum wage for your work.  
• Your working hours must not exceed the maximum hours of work in a week unless the additional hours are reasonable (38 hours a week for full-time work is standard).  
• You must be paid if you have to do training as part of your job.
• You must be paid in money, not in goods and services like food, clothing or accommodation.
• You must receive a pay slip that shows your wages. 
• You should have a copy of your employment contract or agreement. 
• You have a right to join a union. 
• Your workplace cannot discriminate against you because of factors such as your religion, race, colour, age, sex, gender identity or disability.
• Your rights cannot be taken away by employment contracts or agreements. 

Find out more about the minimum entitlements for employees in Australia.

Migrant workers have the same rights as other workers in Australia 

• Migrant workers have the same rights and protections in the workplace as other workers in Australia. 
•  Migrant workers must receive the same minimum pay rates and conditions as any other Australian worker with the same job in their workplace.
• Employers of migrant workers must follow Australian workplace laws and immigration laws. 
• An employer or sponsor cannot cancel your visa, even if you have not followed your visa conditions. Only the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs can cancel a visa.
• If your employer treats you very badly and you report it to the Fair Work Ombudsman, your visa will not automatically be cancelled, even if your employer sponsored you to come to Australia.

Find out about workplace entitlements and protections.

Everyone has the right to choose who, when and if they marry 

• Forcing someone to marry is a crime in Australia. 
• For a marriage to be legal in Australia, you must freely and fully consent (agree) to getting married.
• This means that you were not coerced (through manipulation, control or violence), threatened or tricked. 
• If you are between the ages 16 and 18, you can only marry in Australia if a court agrees to it. 
• If you are under 16, you cannot get married, even if you agree to it. 

Remember, you also have the right to relationships free from gender-based violence.

Find out your rights around marriage.

Find out about the warning signs and how to report suspected modern slavery.