Aleki on December 8 last year did a total 30.38 hours and we paid $937.20, and then with MADEC's deductions and tax he netted $100 for that week," Mr Collard told the committee.

Mr Collard addressed the committee in response to allegations made at a February hearing that another Samoan employee, Talipope, had been paid $100 for a 64-hour working week at Sunny Ridge.

Mr Collard disputed that allegation and said the payslip submitted by Talipope to the committee, dated November 2021, was "fabricated".

"The reason [the payslip] reflected $100 net after MADEC deductions was predominantly determined by the 19.7 hours he worked. This is a significant variation to 64 hours that was claimed," Mr Collard said.

He told Thursday's hearing that pickers were not employed for several days during the week in question due to weather conditions.

Instead, Mr Collard claimed Sunny Ridge had provided $501.85 gross payment for Talipope that week, but it was reduced to $100, again, after MADEC deductions.

MADEC's chief executive Laurence Burt told the hearing that costs were recovered for several reasons.

"In the first ten weeks of someone's arrival into Australia on the seasonal worker program they work through a process of paying for the international airfare, visa costs, cash advance and other on-arrival expenses … that's spread across the first initial weeks of engagement and recovered on a weekly basis," Mr Burt said.

"In addition to that, there are weekly living costs such as accommodation, transport, and health insurance that are also recovered out of workers' salaries each week by their approved employer as well."

Throughout the pandemic, farmers have become increasingly reliant on temporary migrants. But there are claims some workers are being routinely exploited — paid as little as $30 a day for back-breaking labour.

One MADEC payslip submitted to the inquiry showed accommodation for one worker was charged at $150 per week.

After the hearing, Senator Sheldon claimed MADEC had also made deductions of $154 for linen.

Mr Burt said that during their employment Talipope and Aleki had averaged gross pay of $970 per week, receiving on average $390 per week after deductions.

"The net benefit was 20 per cent higher than their letter of employment offer indicated," Mr Burt said, referring to the gross pay.

The inquiry into job security also heard from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials that evidence from the February hearing had been referred to the Fair Work Ombudsman for investigation.

At the February hearing, Nationals Senator Matt Canavan queried if the conditions of the Pacific Labour Scheme were akin to "indentured labour".

According to the government, there are currently more than 55,000 Pacific and Timorese workers pre-screened and ready to come and work in Australia.