澳洲打工度假求職不易，五月中澳洲廣播公司報導「背包客們極度渴望一份臨時工」，原文：Backpackers in desperate search for casual work 5/13/2013，簡單揭示人力供需不平衡現象
在全球經濟危機之際，臺灣媒體刻意忽略澳洲求職困難與勞動剝削的實際情況，甚至美化澳洲打工度假，制造澳洲淘金的話題與熱潮。同時，澳洲仲介業者、非法工頭與台灣非法代辦，看準跨國人力媒介的鉅額利益，競相於台灣招募打工度假者，保證不會英文，縱使澳洲工作機會僧多粥少，只要透過台灣代辦公司(即非法就業服務業者) 的安排，澳洲分處必會協助打工度假者獲得工作機會。非法就業服務公司以國外仲介費為由，非法超收新台幣四萬至八萬元不等費用。
事實上，多數臺灣代辦業者違法執行就服業務，政府查察機制視若無睹，法令形同虛設。根據「私立就業服務機構收費項目及金額標準」 縱使有許可證之國內就服業者，收取登記費或介紹費，亦不得超過「求職人第一個月薪資之百分之五」。以2013年5月而言，澳洲的最低週薪為606元，換算成最低月薪約澳幣2424元。因此，臺灣仲介費應不高於澳幣121元(匯率30，新台幣3630元)。此外，澳洲政府各州規定仲介不得向求職者收取仲介費，違者處以罰鍰。
最後，澳洲不法仲介或工頭，由於不通中文，利用臺灣背包客異鄉互助情感，透過不懂法律的背包客散佈不實就業資訊，索取澳幣三百元至一千元的仲介費，許多背包客花了錢到達付費工作後，發現工作內容不符或無工可作的情況。另外，由於仲介壟斷職缺收費，臺灣打工度假者之間，也出現買賣工作或索求介紹費的情況，導致許多新來澳洲的打工度假者，面臨不繳仲介費或介紹費，就找不到工作的困境。
由於，澳洲打工度假政策，實際上是國家為主導的勞力引進政策 (labor import policy)，遺憾的是，澳洲政府以觀光旅遊為名，視打工度假者為「旅行家」，否認提升勞動條件與工作需求之配套。澳洲學者與社會已注意到打工度假者勞動條件低落，與被剝削處境。臺灣政府應積極查察非法代辦業者、超收仲介費與慎防跨國求職詐騙，另外，媒體與社會大眾應重視，打工度假者之勞動權益與人口販運風險，臺灣青年於海外遭遇勞動權益受損，勞力剝削或性剝削，也應有相應求助管道。最後，打工度假青年也有責任，儲備跨國旅行與工作需要的語言能力與就業技能，並且熟悉當地勞動與就業法令，抵制不合理的勞動要求與仲介費。因為良好的就業環境，是靠爭取而來，從來不是理所當然的事。
澳洲就業服務法令
一、昆士蘭州
Private Employment Agents Act 2005 (QLD) page 9
Division 3 Fees
18 “No fee” as condition of finding work19 No fee for particular services
二、南澳州
Employment Agents Registration Act 1993 (SA) page 10
Part 3
20 An employment agent “must not demand or receive any fee” from a person by virtue only of the fact that (a) the person is listed with the employment agent as a person who is seeking employment; or (b) the employment agent is seeking employment for the person
三、新南威爾斯州
Fair Trading Regulation 2012 page 9 Part 3 Other information standards
Division 1 Employment placement services
15 Information standard for employment placement services
(2) (a) A person who provides employment placement services ” must not charge a job seeker a fee” for the purpose of finding the job seeker employment.
四、西澳州 (罰款澳幣五百元)
EMPLOYMENT AGENTS ACT (WA) 1976 Page 21
33 . Fees demanded by persons other than licensed employment agents.
A person, not being an employment agent licensed under this Act, who by or through any employment agent demands, receives or retains from a person seeking employment any fees or other moneys not lawfully chargeable under this Act commits an offence. Penalty: $500.
34.Employment by agent
No fee shall be charged to an employee in relation to any transaction —
(a)whereby the employee is employed by the employment agent or any firm or business in which
the employment agent is personally involved; or
(b)whereby the employee is so employed but the use of his services or his engagement for the purposes of other employers is
arranged for casual or short term periods.
五、維多利亞州
Private Agents Act 1966 (修正：2011年廢除)
6.Private agents to be licensed
No person shall—
(a)exercise or carry on or advertise notify or state that he does or is willing to exercise or carry on the business of any category of private agent or act as such, whether as principal or as agent or employé; or
(b)in any way hold himself out to the public as being prepared for payment or other remuneration (whether monetary or otherwise) to undertake any of the functions of any category of private agent, whether as principal or as agent or employé—unless he is licensed in that behalf under this Act.
$500 or imprisonment for six months or both. Further penalty: $10.—
(新增) ”Payment for agency services”Getting a job through an employment agency should cost you nothing. Employers pay the employment agency a fee for their services. Beware of and avoid any employment agencies that ask for upfront payment.
http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/Jobs+%26+Careers/Applying+for+jobs/Using+an+employment+agency/#.Ua_GPEAwcbI
六、北領地
COMMERCIAL AND PRIVATE AGENTS LICENSING ACT
SECT 39 Employee to be licensed
(1) An agent must not employ a person to act as a commercial agent, an inquiry agent, a process server or a private bailiff unless the person so employed holds a licence of the category which applies to the work for which the person is employed.
Maximum penalty: 5 penalty units.
