19 August 2015 - The Australian
John Ross
Redfern Legal Centre said the service, which had operated since 2011 and helped 300 overseas students last year, now hinged on an application to the state government’s Study NSW unit.
Chief executive Jo Shulman said the centre had lost about $290,000 in mainly state government funding during the past three years, and faced an additional 25 per cent federal cut in 2017-18. A fundraising campaign had drawn limited success.
“We’ve managed to save some of our programs but unfortunately not all of them, and the international student service is one program that is going to close.”
Ms Shulman said the service cost a little more than $100,000 a year to run, with more than $200,000 worth of pro bono work contributed by two law firms.
Solicitor Nicholas Ngai said overcrowding in private accommodation and sham contracts were on the rise, with employers seeking to avoid paying taxes or minimum wages.
Mr Ngai said students were reluctant to take legal action because of the time and cost, cultural reasons and fears it could affect their visas.
The service recently obtained a court order to recover three months’ wages owed to two Latin American students who had been engaged on illegal cleaning contracts and forced to work excessive hours.
One of the students, who did not want to be named, said employers were playing a waiting game.
“It’s really easy to abuse international students. They know that the students are going to go back to their countries, so they just keep their pay.”
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