vSure Visa and Work Rights Compliance Blog

Hiring Temporary Visa Holders in Australia – How to Avoid the Pitfalls

As of 30 June 2013, there were approximately 1.67 million “temporary entrants” in Australia. This includes temporary visa holders such as 457 visas, student visas, working holiday visas, and also holders of bridging visas. Whilst figures are not published on them, we also estimate that there are approximately 138,000 holders of provisional visas in Australia –

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Case Study – How are HR Managers Affected?

Karen works as an HR Manager for xCorp. She loves her job – dealing with people, the constant variety and learning, as well as the ability to really make a difference. What she hates is suddenly finding out at the last minute that a key staff member is no longer able to work due to

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Helpful Tips for Sponsors of Temporary Employees

Sponsoring employees to work for you in Australia can be a complex responsibility to take on.  There are many obligations that need to be met for the duration of sponsorship that some employers are not aware of. It’s important to uphold your sponsorship obligations while employing overseas workers; otherwise you could face fines or even

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The Cost of Having Illegal Workers in Australia

What are the offences? There are four offences for businesses who are found to be in breach of the Employer Sanctions Legislation: 1. Allowing, or continuing to allow an unlawful non-citizen to work 2. Allowing, or continuing to allow a non-citizen to work in breach of a work-related visa condition 3. Referring an unlawful non-citizen

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Visa Conditions Employers Should Know About

Visa Conditions are a set of rules that can apply to a number of visa subclasses in Australia.  Individuals must comply with their conditions for the duration of their visa or face consequences, such as cancellation of their visa and having to leave the country. It is also important for employers to ensure their temporary

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vSure CEO becomes Fellow of MIA

Our CEO, Mark Webster, has been made a fellow of the MIA (Migration Institute of Australia) – the highest level of membership. This is an honour that not many migration agents are given, with only the top Migration Agents being given the opportunity. The award is recognition of Mark’s contribution to the Migration Advice Profession

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Top 10 Important 457 Changes for 2013

If you have a business that sponsors employees under the 457 Visa Program, you should be aware of the significant changes that have come into effect as of 1 July 2013. The changes to 457 Sponsorship will essentially make the process much more difficult for employers, with increased costs and delays in processing. Here is

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Australian Visa Application Fees Skyrocket On 1 July 2013

As of 1 July 2013, visa application charges are increasing significantly  – some as much as 98% – with new fees applying for including family members, lodging onshore or applying in hard copy versus via the internet. These increases make it more expensive for businesses, international students and skilled people to apply for visas –

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How To Avoid Penalties For Having Illegal Workers

The use of overseas workers in Australia and suspected “rorting” of Employer Sponsored visas (like 457) has been a controversial topic of discussion this financial year. Although the severity of businesses taking advantage of 457 visa workers or employing illegal workers in Australia is debated, the Australian Government has implemented drastic measures in a bid

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Four Changes 457 Employers Should Know About

The Immigration Minister has introduced a new bill that will have an effect on the way employers hire overseas workers on 457 visas.  The announced changes will seemingly make the sponsorship process more difficult once the legislation is passed. With the upcoming election in September, it’s not clear if the bill will ever come into

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