TeeTMI

New legislation aimed at protecting the rights of temporary overseas workers and to ensure Australian wages and conditions are not undermined is now in effect. A key part of these laws is that they enable the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to disclose information to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

The following taken from a couple of media sources - but not ATO or DIAC

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO), are now to commence a data-matching exercise expected to weed out potential fraud and other breaches. The ATO have said they will be provided with personal details across 27 different types of visa by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), including working holiday makers, skilled workers, students and diplomatic staff.

The 27 visa subclasses are: 406, 410, 411, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 426, 427, 428, 442, 457, 462, 570, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576 and 580.

Details collected "will be electronically matched and analysed with certain sections of ATO data holdings to identify potential fraud, and other non-compliance with lodgment and payment obligations under taxation law", ATO stated.

Information will include place of study for student visa holders, details of migration agents, overseas travel movements, and whether immigration visas remain valid. The program will check that tax returns and business activity statements are being correctly completed by company sponsors and the visa holders, indicating they are meeting obligations set out in the visa conditions.

People found to be breaching conditions will be sent a letter and given 28 days to resolve any discrepancies - after which the ATO will take administrative action.

The agency said it will be sharing any information regarding visa holders not following the rules with the DIAC, which could result in visa cancellation and removal from Australia.

spouse of scouse

Were these departments not sharing information before? That amazes me - every other combination of Federal departments seem to be able to.

Alan Collett

They probably were ... its just that this is an election year and we can't have those nasty temporary visaholders not paying their "fair share" of Aussie tax, can we ... rubbish politicking by a desparate Government ...

Best regards.

spouse of scouse

The only good thing about Federal election years is that my funding submissions to the Feds tend to be looked upon favourably, given that the local government I work for is a marginal seat. Hey, you take what you can get

commonwealth

where are this marginal seats? i wanna relocate there.

spouse of scouse

Can't tell you. Would have to kill you

astera

Well, they should have left the huge wealth in natural resources in the hands of state-owned firms. They only need to look at Norway and how they have managed to reap huge rewards from their resources and lump the proceeds of that into a massive sovereign wealth fund.

Alan Collett

Yes, an Australian sovereign wealth fund was muted a few years ago - wasn't the Future Fund part of that discussion?

The bumper tax revenues from the boom should have been invested appropriately, instead of being wasted on pork barrelling and the bribing of the electorate.

Politicians. Aren't they all a fine bunch. Not.

Best regards.