Eight people detained after DIAC operation near Perth

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Created on Monday, 02 April 2012 18:30

Written by Editorial staff

A recent joint operation near the capital of Western Australia has seen eight people detained, after it was found that they may have been working illegally.

Officials from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) teamed up with members of the state police force to begin a roadside initiative along the Indian Ocean Drive in Wilbinga, about 70 kilometres north of Perth.

The DIAC officers in charge of the compliance operation found that the four men and four women had entered the country on tourist visas but were finding work on farms in and around the GinGin region.

Not only was their employment against the law, the department officials found that a number of the detainees had stayed beyond the limit set out at the time of their initial application.

While the practice of using migrant workers to harvest crops is widespread across the country - and in some cases can be actively supported by official programs - it is important for farmers to remember that the conditions attached to a particular visa must be adhered to.

Equally important for a traveller is understanding how their conditions of entry apply to gaining employment - a service that migration agents are well-equipped to handle.

This was the message put forward by a DIAC spokesman in an official statement, who warned of the penalties that both employers and workers could face for choosing to ignore their obligations.

"The department's compliance operations serve as a warning to the community that they can face serious consequences for remaining in Australia without a valid visa or for employing illegal workers," asserted the spokesman.

"It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that non-Australian workers they hire hold a visa with valid work rights."

While registered migration agents can provide advice on the conditions and obligations attached to the use of Working Holiday visas - subclass 417 - it remains the responsibility of the employer to be certain that their potential hires are legally allowed to commence employment.

Organisations can make use of the Visa Entitlement Verification Online service to gain access to the specific details attached to a particular individual's visa, leaving little reason for misunderstandings to occur.

With a community 'dob-in' line and fines ranging between $13,200 for individuals and $66,000 for businesses, the chances and penalties involved in hiring employers not in possession of the right to work can be a troubling proposition.