International students as a vulnerable army of workers: work experience and workplace treatment

International students have emerged as a growing workforce in host countries like Australia, Canada, the US and UK. This youth workforce is often said to experience exploitation and vulnerability due in part to their lack of awareness about their work-related rights. However, international students’ voices of their work rights are rarely addressed in the literature. This paper responds to this critical gap by examining different aspects of international student rights related to work experience and employment. The paper is derived from a study involved fieldwork and 155 semi-structured interviews with international students and staff from vocational education institutions across three main states of Australia. It uses Bourdieu’s concepts of field and doxa to unpack the complexities and tensions underpinning international student rights in three domains: the access to information about work opportunities, the provision of work-based learning and equality at the workplace. The paper concludes with some suggestions on how the host communities and institutions could provide effective support for international students in getting access to work experience opportunities, protecting themselves at the workplace and enhancing their employability.