Young people eager to get work in Australia are being warned about potential visa fraud.
If someone offers sponsorship on the 457 visa programme with the intention of not offering paid employment in the nominated position, the Australian government considers this fraud.
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) is keen that people should not be persuaded to get involved in scams and fraudulent activity.
A spokesman pointed out that it is the applicant’s responsibility as well as the sponsor to make sure that they understand their obligations.
‘Both sponsors and visa holders have obligations and conditions to ensure that visa fraud does not occur. If an obligation or condition is breached, there can be serious consequences for sponsors and visa holders,’ he explained.
‘The department takes allegations of fraud very seriously. There are significant penalties if you are caught engaging in fraudulent activity,’ he added.
To help stop visa fraud, the department urges people to report any suspicious or potentially fraudulent activity by sponsors or visa holders.