The Joint Standing Committee on Migration undertook an inquiry into the role of permanent migration in nation building. Anti-Slavery Australia’s submission documents the prevalence of modern slavery and trafficking in Australia, and the heightened vulnerability of migrants to these practises, and advocates for an Australian visa system that incorporates human rights principles.

The submission makes recommendations to improve Australia’s immigration system by implementing measures to decrease the risk of exploitation and to better provide support to victim-survivors of modern slavery and trafficking, allowing them to rebuild their lives with dignity and in safety.

This submission recommends that the Australian Government:

  1. Implement safeguards to lower the risk of modern slavery and trafficking in Australia;
  2. Improve access to permanent migration pathways;
  3. Increase supports to enable survivors to rebuild their lives; and
  4. Strengthen the human trafficking visa framework through instigating a thorough review and implementing recommended legislative changes.

Anti-Slavery Australia Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Migration in the inquiry into the role of permanent migration in nation building, April 2023