Support and protection

Find out more about how to get help for yourself or support someone else.

Forced Marriage Specialist Support Program

From January 2025, Australia will have a new Forced Marriage Specialist Support Program to provide prevention and early intervention support for people in, or at risk of, forced marriage.

Caseworkers will help people in or at risk of forced marriage to access services based on their needs, including their health, wellbeing, physical and social needs. This can include access to counselling and emergency accommodation.

Further information, including how to access support, will be available closer to the start date.
Find out more about how to get help for yourself or support someone else.

Visa support and protections

Human Trafficking Visa Framework

Australia’s Human Trafficking Visa Framework can help victims and survivors of modern slavery in Australia who do not hold a visa. Under the framework, a person may be eligible to remain in Australia on a temporary visa for an initial period of rest and recovery, which enables them to access the Support Program. That person may also be eligible to remain in Australia for a further period to assist with a modern slavery investigation or prosecution – or permanently, if they would be in danger if they returned to their home country. Immediate family members may also be eligible for a visa under the framework.

Reporting protections

Under the Strengthening Reporting Protections Pilot (which builds on protections previously available under the Assurance Protocol), people on temporary visas in Australia will not have their visa cancelled if they breach their visa conditions due to workplace exploitation (if there are no other reasons to cancel the visa, such as fraud, character or security reasons).

This protection is for people on temporary visas with permission to work whose workplace exploitation matter has been certified by a participating expert in employment law (find out who can certify your claim on the Home Affairs website).

Situations where a temporary visa holder who is not allowed to work but who has experienced workplace exploitation may also be considered under the pilot.

Workplace Justice Visa

A person who has been exploited while working in Australia and needs to extend their stay to resolve the issue can apply for a Workplace Justice Visa. This allows them to stay for up to 12 months (in certain circumstances). There is no visa application charge for this visa.

Find out more about workers’ rights and visa reporting protections on the Home Affairs website

Courtroom protections and support

Australia has special protections that may be available to people who have experienced modern slavery giving evidence in court.

These may include vulnerable witness protections to reduce the stress of giving evidence. For example, the court can allow a person to give evidence from somewhere outside the courtroom by video link, or to bring a support person into the courtroom when giving evidence.

The CDPP’s Witness Assistance Service can also help eligible witnesses and victims navigate the court process.

Compensation and remedies

The Fair Work Ombudsman can provide education, assistance, advice and guidance on how to recover unpaid wages and entitlements, regardless of nationality, visa status or presence in Australia. For further information, or to report instances of underpayment of wages and entitlements, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman. 

Prosecution of a modern slavery crime can include a reparation order, where the court orders the offender to compensate the victim and survivor for the loss and harm they experienced.

Victims and survivors of modern slavery that happened in Australia may also be eligible for state and territory victims of crime financial assistance schemes. To find out if you are eligible for compensation, contact a legal and victim support service in your state or territory – these are listed on the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions’ website.