The Department of Immigration and Citizenship is urging employers to check the visa entitlements of workers at this year’s Royal Adelaide Show.
Immigration officers will attend the show, as they have done in previous years, to conduct visa checks to confirm people are legally permitted to work or be in Australia.
In past years, the department found some employers had employed overseas visitors who did not have the right to work. Other people were found to be in Australia illegally. Action had been taken in these cases.
However, the Government has recently introduced legislation that provides severe penalties for employers who illegally employ people from overseas who do not have the right to work in Australia. Heavy fines and prison sentences can now apply.
'Any employer at the show who wishes to confirm whether an employee’s visa entitles them to work, can register online to perform some basic checks,' a departmental spokesman said.
'Our Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service allows a quick and easy check of the work rights of non-citizen’s in Australia.'
The spokesman said any person found to be working illegally risked having their visa cancelled and being removed from Australia. Employers who perform work rights checks on their staff will prevent any disruption to their business at the show due to an illegal worker being identified.
'We will also be closely looking at employers for the first time,' the spokesman said.
Any employer who wishes to verify employee work entitlements can contact the department on 1800 040 070 or log-on to www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/evo to register. Information about VEVO may also be obtained from immigration officers at the showgrounds.
Source: DIAC:http://www.immi.gov.au/media/media-releases/2007/d07036.htm
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