What was debated in Parliament
Summarised using AI from the official Hansard transcript of the debate only. It is not a record of the debate and may leave things out. Read the Hansard below to check it.
This bill lets the Department of Home Affairs publish a public online register of employers approved to sponsor temporary skilled visa workers. The register would show each sponsor's name, ABN, postcode, number of sponsored workers and their jobs, but no details about individual workers. The Coalition opposed the bill, and the debate focused on whether the register would reduce exploitation or put honest employers at risk.
Arguments made in support
Government members said the register lets migrant workers check that an employer is a real approved sponsor.
Labor speakers said listing postcodes helps workers find a new sponsor nearby if they need to leave a bad employer.
Government members said underpaying migrants pulls down wages for all workers and hurts employers who do the right thing.
Supporters said the register came from the migration review and strategy, and that a Senate committee found most submissions supported it.
Arguments made against, or for changes
The Coalition said publishing how many sponsored workers each business has could expose honest employers to union pressure or targeted campaigns.
Coalition members said workers can already check sponsors through migration agents, and a register of penalised employers already exists.
Coalition speakers said too much was left to regulations, with no clear process to fix errors.
The Coalition said the government should first deliver promised criminal penalties, whistleblower visas and bans on repeat offenders.
Regional Coalition members said the bill could make small and farm businesses wary of sponsoring workers.
33 speeches by 23 members in the House and Senate over 4 sitting days.
Hansard: House of Representatives, 6 Nov 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Hansard: House of Representatives, 26 Nov 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Hansard: House of Representatives, 27 Nov 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Hansard: Senate, 1 Apr 2026 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Includes votes on amendments and procedure.