New measures are being considered by the government to crack down on businesses who exploit foreign workers - in particular by underpayment and unscrupulous conduct, according to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash is expected today to unveil a high-level ministerial working group that will look into implementing measures to protect vulnerable visa holders. Chaired by Senator Cash, the group will also include Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Assistant Minister Kelly O'Dwyer.

According to the SMH, the new working group would look to build on the efforts of Taskforce Cadena which was established earlier this year to investigate illegal practices in temporary visa programmes, including the activities of labour hire companies and penalise employers exploiting foreign workers.

"Foreign workers are important contributors to the Australian workforce and we want to ensure they continue to view Australia as a great destination...We know that foreign workers are potentially more vulnerable to workplace exploitation and as such we have a responsibility to investigate additional measures to ensure their protection," Senator Cash told the SMH.

According to Senator Cash, the focus of the group will be on employers engaged in systematic underpayment of employees, rather than companies which accidentally do the wrong thing.

Residents of the Liverpool and Holsworthy areas have raised concerns over a report stating that some 7,000 Syrian refugees are to be settled in their neighbourhood.

Several concerned residents have contacted Liana Allan, Convenor of Migration Alliance on the matter saying that they are angry, scared and concerned why the refugees are not being dispersed across NSW.

Some residents told the Migration Alliance that they are concerned about the 7,000 refugees being condensed into their geographic area and wanted to know why they aren’t being spread out across NSW or the country. Residents are concerned about the lack of consultation and transparency in the resettlement matter.

Migration Alliance raised the issue with Mayor of Liverpool City Council, Ned Mannoun, who indicated that despite efforts to garner information on the issue, his office has received ‘no formal notification’ of the resettlement numbers.

The former acting minister for immigration may not have had the power to issue the order which effectively cancelled the visa applications of some 16,000 foreigners.

In one of her last acts as assistant immigration minister, Michaelia Cash ruled that an annual cap of 284 places for three types of skilled migration visas - namely sc 175, 176, and 475 - had been reached, and all outstanding applications "are taken not to have been made", or cancelled without a trace. There was no consultation or consideration given its impact on the thousands who waited patiently for up to 9 years - just indifference.

There has been talk of High Court action to challenge the order by many since the instrument came into effect last month. Now the first salvo is set to be struck. Immigration Law Specialist and Migration Alliance Treasurer, Christopher Levingston is in the process of planning High Court proceedings to challenge the acting ministers order on the basis that she simply did not have the authority or the power to cease and cap these cases.

Despite the significant impact on the lives of so many people the department of immigration has maintained an attitude of indifference to the plight of all those affected by this sudden decision.

A DIBP spokesperson downplayed the impact of its decision on thousands and told the ABC that the skilled migrants affected were a "low priority" category and would have had trouble finding jobs here.

Controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders has had his Australian visa granted, meaning he will be able to travel to Perth in just over a week to launch an Australian anti-Islam party.

The founder of the Dutch Party for Freedom had been invited to attend the launch of an Australian party modelled on his own, the Australian Liberty Alliance. ALA’s president, Debbie Robinson, told Guardian Dutton said he had had a hand in the ultimate decision to grant the visa. Dutton admitted this to the media

“This is a decision made by the delegate within the department,” he told reporters in Canberra. “In some circumstances, including in relation to this matter, I was consulted in relation to this visa. I was happy to take the advice from the delegate, which was to issue the visa.

“They will have a look at the whole history. They will do what is in our best national interest in terms of granting or denying a visa. That is the decision that was made,” the immigration minister said

Dutton brushed aside concerns Wilders’s visit to Australia would stir up similar protests, saying delegates from his department take those issues into account.

Students expect to clawback some of the money spent on high-tuition fees and the cost of living from the generous post graduate work rights but they need a lot more help from the universities to do this particularly in getting jobs in their field of study, according to a report in The Australian.

A survey of 1700 students from 30 countries found Australian universities need to do a lot more to encourage the growth of the education sector.

Costs, course selection and disappointing post-study work opportunities for foreign students were among the major concerns raised by the respondents.

One in three students who chose to study somewhere other than Australia said the high cost of fees (35 per cent) and high cost of living (32 per cent) had been the main deterrent. While this factor has eased by the fall in the Australian dollar, it may not be low for long as analysts are now predicting that the dollar may have bottomed out and is starting to make its way back up again.

David Coulter, market research analyst at IDP Education told The Australia that Australian universities need to do much more for students particularly in helping them get jobs in their field of study following graduation.