New Laws for Employers of Illegal Workers
Media Release - 13 September 2006
Information about new Australian laws affecting people employing illegal workers will be available for the first time at the Riverland Field Days in Barmera from Wednesday this week.
Officers from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs will attend the event with information on the new laws for prospective employers.
‘The laws are expected to come into effect in January 2007, and employers found employing workers illegally face a m aximum of two years prison and/or $13 200 for individuals and $66 000 for companies,’ a departmental spokesman said.
‘If a trafficked or smuggled person is allowed to work illegally, the maximum penalty would be five years prison and/or $33,000 for individuals and $165,000 for companies.’
People working illegally face removal from Australia.
‘Last week, six people from Malaysia were detained as unlawful non-citizens after police stopped their vehicle near Blanchetown. All six were suspected of illegally working in the area,’ the spokesman added.
Arrangements are now being made for their removal from Australia.
Employers attending the Barmera field days are encouraged to seek information from DIMA officers as they move around the show. They can also register to have the immigration status of possible employees checked through the department's Entitlement Verification Online service.
See: www.immi.gov.au/managing-australias-borders/compliance/info-employers/evo-orgs.htm
Telephone: 1800 040 070
Media Contact: DIMA National Communications (02) 6264 2244