Nine illegal workers located on SA fruit farm
Thursday, 17 April 2008
Immigration compliance officers have located nine illegal workers during an operation near Mount Barker in South Australia, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, said today.
The operation was at a fruit farm where more than 40 workers were spoken to before the nine were detained on Tuesday. They included four people who were unlawful non-citizens and five whose visas were cancelled because they did not have rights to work in Australia.
Those working illegally were a Chinese national, three Malaysians and five Cambodians. All had originally arrived in Australia legally with valid visas.
Six of the people will be removed from Australia as soon as possible. Two of the illegal workers have agreed to leave Australia voluntarily while options are being examined for the remaining person.
The operation was launched following information received from the community and intelligence sharing by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and Centrelink.
'The Rudd Government takes a zero tolerance approach towards illegal workers and similarly, there are no excuses for employers who engage workers without valid visas,' Senator Evans said.
'This latest operation follows the success last week where South Australian officers detained five people in Adelaide and WA officers picked up another 11 illegal workers near Margaret River.
'The department's compliance officers will protect the opportunities of Australian workers and fight behaviour that undermines our visa programs by locating people who are working illegally or overstaying their visas.'
DIAC officers, often with assistance from state police, make regular visits to workplaces and properties in many parts of Australia in an effort to detect and locate people who are in the country illegally or who are working illegally.
'It is the responsibility of employers to ensure they only hire people with the right to work in Australia,' Senator Evans said.
'Severe penalties can apply to people who hire workers who do not have work rights in Australia.
'Employers convicted under this legislation face fines of up to $13 200 and two years' imprisonment while companies face fines of up to $66 000 per illegal worker,' the minister added.
The department provides a range of services for employers to check work entitlements, including Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) which is a free service, the Visa Entitlement Verification Faxback service and the Employers' Immigration Hotline.
People with information on illegal workers or visa overstayers should call the Immigration Dob-In Line on 1800 009 623.
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/media/media-releases/2008/ce08036.htm
Last update: 13 August 2008 at 17:14 AEST