Regional employers encouraged to check visas
Nov 30th 2006, 11:48 am
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Regional employers encouraged to check visas
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Amanda Vanstone is encouraging employers along the Western Australian harvest trail to check if the people they are employing are legally entitled to work in Australia.
‘Western Australia is currently experiencing some high demand harvest times and past experience indicates some people working on the harvests are doing so illegally,’ Senator Vanstone said today.
December is traditionally a time of high demand for casual workers to help harvest a variety of fruits and vegetables, including bananas in Carnarvon, and for the harvesting of strawberries in Albany and Mount Barker.
‘The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs offers employers or contractors the opportunity to check if people are entitled to work either through the Entitlement Verification Online (EVO) system or by contacting the department.
‘EVO is a free online system that allows employers to check the work entitlements of their workers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
‘Officers from the department can visit worksites to explain how to register and conduct checks on the work rights of potential employees.’
Parliament is currently considering new laws that will make it a criminal offence to knowingly or recklessly hire people who do not have a right to work in Australia, with fines of up to $66,000 and two years imprisonment.
The proposed offences would also apply to labour supply companies that refer people for work.
‘Western Australia is currently experiencing some high demand harvest times and past experience indicates some people working on the harvests are doing so illegally,’ Senator Vanstone said today.
December is traditionally a time of high demand for casual workers to help harvest a variety of fruits and vegetables, including bananas in Carnarvon, and for the harvesting of strawberries in Albany and Mount Barker.
‘The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs offers employers or contractors the opportunity to check if people are entitled to work either through the Entitlement Verification Online (EVO) system or by contacting the department.
‘EVO is a free online system that allows employers to check the work entitlements of their workers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
‘Officers from the department can visit worksites to explain how to register and conduct checks on the work rights of potential employees.’
Parliament is currently considering new laws that will make it a criminal offence to knowingly or recklessly hire people who do not have a right to work in Australia, with fines of up to $66,000 and two years imprisonment.
The proposed offences would also apply to labour supply companies that refer people for work.
