Australia immigration favors national workers’ awareness campaign

Australia, 16th March: The Australian immigration department has come out in favor of a campaign of awareness regarding workers’ rights in the horticulture industry.

The campaign is specially aimed to educate employers about their commitment while recruiting overseas workers.

According to an official of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Australia, it becomes very important that the horticulture industry meets various requirements while recruiting immigrant workers as its workforce since Australian visa holders comprise a large chunk of the harvest workforce. 

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s campaign- joint industry and Government campaign involves Australian Industry Group, National Farmers Federation, Horticulture Australia Council and Australian Workers Union.

The Australian immigration department feels committed to ensure the integrity of its visa and migration programs. Hence, the department spokesperson maintained in a media release that the department, through this awareness campaign, wants to warn those who break laws of Australian immigration either by work illegally or by employing illegal workers.

For the verification process of the legal working status of their workers, they can use the VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) service. Thisonline service can be used for getting relevant identification details of their prospective workforce, and helps employers to know whether any employee confirms the eligibility criteria for work in Australia or not.

If any employer in Australia is found to be hiring any illegal worker, he can liable to face fine up to $13,200 along with imprisonment up to 2 years time. 

Meanwhile, the companies in Australia are liable for a fine as high as $66,000 per illegal employee.

Various immigration outreach workers are providing all the relevant guidance concerning appropriate employment practices to be followed while recruiting Australian visa holders for work in Australia. Some of the obligations to be followed by the employers in the horticulture sector in Australia include working conditions, number of hours, wages etc.