"We're Being Left Behind": Migrant Workers Share Their Struggles as Perth's Cost of Living Soars

On a humid Tuesday evening in Northbridge, a dozen people gather in the cramped kitchenette of the Multicultural Centre on Lake Street, sharing their concerns over instant coffee and biscuits. They represent a cross-section of Perth's migrant workforce: Indian nurses, Filipino domestic workers, British tradies, and South African engineers. Their common thread? A sense of being squeezed out of the city they've chosen to call home.

"When I arrived two years ago, I could afford a one-bedroom in Mirrabooka," says one participant, a healthcare professional who has requested anonymity due to visa restrictions. "Now that same apartment costs $420 a week. My salary hasn't moved."

The cost-of-living crisis reverberating through Australia's east coast has finally reached Perth with force. Rental prices in suburbs like Subiaco and Mount Lawley have surged 28 per cent since 2024, according to recent property data, while grocery costs have climbed steadily. For migrant workers on temporary visas or early-career permanent residents, the squeeze is particularly acute.

Sheena Patel, coordinator at the Migrant Workers' Resource Centre on William Street, has noticed a sharp uptick in inquiries about financial hardship. "We're seeing people making impossible choices," she explains. "Sending money home to support families, or paying rent. Working multiple jobs, or spending time with their children. These are not theoretical problems—they're happening right now in our communities."

The Perth Multicultural Community Forum, which meets monthly at venues across Bayswater and Cannington, has become an informal support network for those struggling. Members discuss everything from predatory rental practices to wage theft—a persistent issue affecting workers without strong English language skills or knowledge of local employment law.

Some employers, too, are facing backlash. "We're being told we should be grateful for any job," explains one construction worker from Eastern Europe. "But Perth is expensive. We work hard. We deserve fair pay."

Community leaders emphasise the need for targeted policy interventions. Suggestions range from dedicated migrant housing initiatives to stronger enforcement of workplace standards. The WA government has recently committed to reviewing visa sponsorship regulations, though advocates say more must be done.

What emerges from these conversations is not desperation, but determination. Perth's migrants have chosen this city deliberately. They want to contribute, build lives, and feel secure. Right now, many say, that feels increasingly out of reach.

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