20 May 2020

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The key findings in the report Covid-19 and Undocumented Workers in the Australian Horticulture Industry by Associate Professor Joanna Howe from University of Adelaide and Dr Ankur Singh from University of Melbourne:

• Undocumented workers are prone to a high risk of infection and generating new clusters of infection;
• Undocumented workers have precarious living and work conditions – these put at risk Australia's initial success in controlling Covid-19 infection;
• Substandard and overcrowded accommodation, the nature of work on farms, sharing of essential facilities and the social and economic circumstances of undocumented workers place them at risk of low compliance to physical distancing and these workers are unlikely to opt for testing and assist in contact tracing;
• Without addressing the fear of detention that undocumented workers have because of their uncertain immigration status, it will be almost impossible for the government to mitigate the public health risks arising from undocumented workers during the Covid-19 outbreak.

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