The 18th of March 2018 is the day we said goodbye to the 457 program.
The new TSS visa has replaced the 457 program, but it will be more restrictive, more expensive and there are more hoops to jump through to obtain one.
The change is reflective of an environment where both sides of politics are starting to call for lower levels of immigration and jobs for Australians first.
Many Australian businesses rely on temporary visa holders for staffing. There are now over 2 million temporary visa holders in Australia, and they are a great source of skilled and motivated workers.
More Scrutiny on Overseas Workers
The Australian Government has introduced legislation make employers responsible for checking work rights for visa holders. It’s something that all employers should be aware of – the fines are high – almost $20,000 for each person found working in breach.
It’s no defence that the business didn’t know the person was working unlawfully.
Directors and company officers can be personally liable unless they implement processes to check work rights for their staff.
Employers can also be liable for contractors and temps who are working without appropriate work rights.
How vSure Can Help
If you only have a few foreign workers, use vSure Instant Check to confirm your employee’s work rights.
The vSure Work Rights app has been built to ensure medium to large employers are compliant with the obligations to take “reasonable steps at reasonable times” to check employee work rights.
If you want the easiest and most effective way to ensure work rights compliance, please click here to request a demonstration today.
