Has your employer asked money for sponsorship? Be careful!!! You should read this.
The Migration Amendment (Charging for a Migration Outcome) Bill 2015 has been read for the second time in Parliament.
This Bill will “introduce a new criminal and civil penalty regime that will make it unlawful for a person to ask for, receive, offer or provide payment or other benefits in return for a range of sponsorship-related events. The Bill also allows visa cancellation to be considered where the visa holder has engaged in such conduct, referred to as ‘Payment for Visas’ conduct”.
It will be a criminal offence for a sponsor or other third party to ask for or receive a benefit from a sponsorship related event and will be punishable by a maximum of 2 years imprisonment or a fine equivalent to $64,000 for an individual person or $324,000 for a body corporate.
Civil penalties applicable to the sponsor, visa applicant or other third party who received or provides or offers a benefit related to a sponsorship related offence will equate to $43,200 for an individual person or $216.000 for a body corporate.
A discretionary power to consider cancellation of visas where any person who engages in this conduct will also be introducedThe Migration Amendment (Charging for a Migration Outcome) Bill 2015 has been read for the second time in Parliament.
This Bill will “introduce a new criminal and civil penalty regime that will make it unlawful for a person to ask for, receive, offer or provide payment or other benefits in return for a range of sponsorship-related events. The Bill also allows visa cancellation to be considered where the visa holder has engaged in such conduct, referred to as ‘Payment for Visas’ conduct”.
It will be a criminal offence for a sponsor or other third party to ask for or receive a benefit from a sponsorship related event and will be punishable by a maximum of 2 years imprisonment or a fine equivalent to $64,000 for an individual person or $324,000 for a body corporate.
Civil penalties applicable to the sponsor, visa applicant or other third party who received or provides or offers a benefit related to a sponsorship related offence will equate to $43,200 for an individual person or $216.000 for a body corporate.
A discretionary power to consider cancellation of visas where any person who engages in this conduct will also be introduced
Source: http://www.mia.org.au/documents/item/750
Sampanna Ghimire
