Foreign students ‘slave trade’

The Age
Nick O’Malley, Heath Gilmore and Erik Jensen
July 15, 2009

Thousands of overseas students are being made to work for nothing ? or even pay to work ? by businesses exploiting loopholes in immigration and education laws in what experts describe as a system of economic slavery.

The vast pool of unpaid labour was created in 2005 when vocational students were required to do 900 hours work experience. There was no requirement that they be paid.

Overseas students remained bound to the system as completion of such courses became a near-guaranteed pathway to permanent residency in Australia. read more..