Qld restaurant exploited overseas workers

A Gold Coast restaurant has deliberately exploited overseas workers by paying them as little as $10 per hour, the Fair Work Ombudsman says.

The operators of the Uchouten Japanese Restaurant have been ordered to backpay 16 casual workers, including many on working visas, after collectively shortchanging them $31,500.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James says the restaurant had admitted it deliberately exploited vulnerable overseas workers, who were entitled to at least $21.09 per hour.

The underpayments, made between December 2013 and October 2014, were exposed after a worker sought assistance at a Fair Work office.