Aust growers ripping off backpackers

Fruit-picking backpackers were ripped off more than any other workers in Australia last year.

New figures from the Fair Work Ombudsman reveal backpackers on working holidays made 807 requests for assistance to the Ombudsman in 2015, the majority from fruit and vegetable pickers and packers working in Queensland and NSW.

Almost $1 million of all money recovered for overseas workers last year was for 250 working backpackers.

"While many employers want to do the right thing, there are some who seek to gain a competitive advantage by exploiting vulnerable workers, such as visa-holders," Ombudsman Natalie James said.

More than $2.2 million in underpaid wages and entitlements were recovered for 513 workers on various visas in disputes completed by Fair Work last year.

OVERSEAS WORKER DISPUTES 2015:

- 649,494 visa-holders working in Australia as of June 30, 2015

- 1916 requests for Fair Work assistance from visa-holders

- Almost three-quarters of all visa-holder complainants were aged under 30

- Women aged between 26 and 30 accounted for more than 40 per cent of that group

- 24 matters in court alleging underpayment

- 157 formal letters of caution issued to employers

- 145 on-the-spot fines to employers.

Source: Fair Work Ombudsman