457 visa: a ticket to exploitationThe world has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. Technology has made an increasingly globalized world possible. It is increasingly easier for people to travel and be connected internationally. The workplace has changed with the world, expanding to all parts of the globe (Beck 2007, 690). More recently, short-term contractual arrangements have become more popular in the workplace. While these new temporary working arrangements create new opportunities, they also create a more precarious working situation. Precarious work, according to Burgess and Campbell (2013), is associated with certain themes, including but not limited to: lack of protective regulations, short and uncertain employment tenure, lack of “standard” employee benefits, and ambiguous legal status. This new situation of precarious work entails both positive and negative impacts for the industrial worker. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Australian Government offers a temporary (skilled) work visa (subclass 457), hereinafter referred to as Visa 457. With this visa, a worker, with the sponsorship of an approved company, can work for up to four years in Australia, provided the worker is not unemployed for more than 28 consecutive days. It is designed to allow employers to hire international workers where there is a shortage of skilled Australian workers. According to the Australian Parliament's government page, it is the most commonly used program to sponsor foreign workers on a temporary basis (Larsen 2013). A careful examination of the 457 visa and its effects will show that the negative impacts far outweigh the positive impacts of this new precarious employment situation. Indeed, it appears that businesses are able to exploit skilled migrant workers through Visa 457. The first benefit for the skilled migrant worker is the hope of a better life. Skilled migrant workers, often from developing countries, see a temporary work visa as a way to start a new and better life (Bahn & Barratt-Pugh & Yap 2012, 382). While the reasons for moving vary from individual to individual – be it better pay, better chances of finding work, career opportunities or escape from corruption – it stands to reason that moving to Australia is a good thing. . The worker is allowed to relocate their family for the duration of the visa and enroll their children in local schools. Spouses can also work. Additionally, at the end of the four year period the worker can apply to become an Australian citizen, allowing them to live in Australia for the rest of their life. Secondly, skilled migrant workers are believed to be vital to the Australian economy and society. As more and more countries begin to compete for Australia's natural resources, more and more skilled workers are needed to fill the growing number of skilled jobs available. The need for skilled workers is truly great. In the United States, immigrant workers represent 22% of workers in high-growth occupations (OECD 2014). It can be inferred that migrant workers will also make up a high percentage of workers in Australia's growing resources market. These skilled workers are generally young and ambitious and can stay in the workforce for a long time, improving the fluidity of the labor market (Bahn & Barratt-Pugh & Yap 2012, 386). Furthermore, workers are integratedinto Australian society and become consumers of Australian products, creating demand for goods and leading to greater job creation. The effects of migrant workers are so large that if the number of skilled migrants increased to 300,000 by 2050, the projected GDP growth rate is projected to be nearly 2.4 times higher than if no new migrant workers entered the workforce. Australia (Bahn & Barratt-Pugh & Yap 2012, 388). A thriving host country offers a better quality of life to the migrant worker and his family. Unfortunately, there are downsides to temp work. Any type of change to the 457 visa means that current or pending applicants must start over, potentially costing thousands of euros and wasting time up to 2 years (Bahn & Barratt-Pugh & Yap 2012, 394). Furthermore, since being unemployed for a long period of time is a violation of the terms of your visa, there is the possibility of being exploited at work, especially if you are unable to find another job. An anonymous blogger talks about how he cannot find a job, even entry level, in Melbourne despite being highly qualified and educated (Bahn & Barratt-Pugh & Yap 2012, 393). There is a situation of great exploitation taking place. On the one hand, the skilled worker needs to work to stay in the country. As will be demonstrated later, the possibility of exploitation at work exists. However, even if the skilled worker wanted to find a new job, the chances of him being able to find it are slim, as the anonymous skilled blogger demonstrates. To make matters worse, as soon as the worker leaves his job, there is likely to be another unemployed skilled migrant ready to take his place. It is possible that the large unemployed skilled migrant workforce may make the worker more disposable, making him even more exploitable as there are many more bodies willing to take his place. There are also negative social implications. Although professional English is required for workers to apply for visas, a large number of workers' families do not speak English. Furthermore, many of these families cannot afford the English lessons needed for their children (Bahn & Barratt-Pugh & Yap 2012, 385). This could prove to be a huge obstacle to assimilation and quality of life. According to an anonymous blogger, the government does not help assimilation: “It's you, me and the boy next door who promote it” (Bahn & Barratt-Pugh & Yap 2012, 394). In fact, it doesn't appear that the government is fully prepared for immigrants. One community member said public services such as roads, schools and hospitals do not receive enough funding to keep up with population growth due to immigration. Furthermore, the new workplace causes a generation gap between parent and child. Sennett details how Rico, a father, is unable to teach his children about commitment because his home life and work life don't match. Due to changes in the workplace he is unable to show commitment to his work, instead jumping from project to project (Sennett 1998). There is no example for his son to follow, which causes Rico great concern. Finally, there is concern about the effects of a “knowledge flight,” in which large numbers of skilled workers leave a developing country, on the developing country. This could stunt the growth of the developing country, perhaps reducing the likelihood of the migrant worker returning to his or her homeland. The 457 visa is intended to attract workers when there is a shortage of skilled Australian workers. However, there is no regulation that makes it a business”..