"Seasonal workers' accommodation 'overcrowded' and plagued by mice, says new report", 4 October 2025

In short:

A new report by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute has found accommodation for seasonal and migrant workers is often overcrowded, unsafe and overpriced.

A farmer in WA's South West says investing in accommodation can be expensive, but is necessary.

What's next?

A housing expert is calling for changes to migrant working visas to create more avenues to address poor employer-provided housing.

Imagine moving across the world to work in a new country with no choice but to live in accommodation that is crammed, dangerous and plagued by mice.

That is the experience for many seasonal and migrant workers in regional Australia, according to a new report by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.

The study surveyed workers across Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales and found low standards of housing across the three states. [...]