Visa holders urged to make their visas are valid and up to date

The Australian government is continuing to encourage visa holders whose documents are not up to date to seek help from immigration officials so that they can regularize their situation.

The Department of Immigration and Border Control (DIBP) frequently sends officials to areas outside big cities so that visa holders with issues can access the correct advice.

There can be a wide range of reasons why a visa has become invalid, such as forgetting to get a renewal, or not informing the DIBP of a change in circumstances.

Overseas workers can also be given the wrong advice from employers seeking to exploit them and may feel obliged to say nothing for fear of losing their job.

Students and backpackers, whose circumstances can change relating to their education course or their part time jobs, are another group who may not realize they need to keep their visa data up to date.

“Our teams are always ready to help. If circumstances have changed it is best to get in touch as soon as possible to that the situation can be rectified rather than leaving it and then getting worried that your visa could be withdrawn,” said a DIBP spokesman.

Meanwhile, the government is also determined to crack down on those who deliberately abuse the visa system. In the latest Taskforce Cadena operation led by the Australian Border Force (ABF), some 11 unlawful non-citizens living and working illegally in regional Victoria were detained.

The group, eight Malaysian nationals, two Taiwanese and a person from Hong Kong, had stayed in Australia beyond the expiry of their temporary visas for working in the local agricultural industry.

“If people can’t comply with the conditions of their visa or simply decide to stay on in Australia without a valid visa, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll be tracked down and sent home,” said Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Michaelia Cash.

She added that investigations into those employers suspected of engaging these illegal workers are continuing.

“Businesses also need to know that by hiring illegal workers they risk more than their profits, they could face a criminal conviction,” Cash said.

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