SYDNEY (Xinhua) -- The Australian government will overhaul penalties for hiring illegal workers in the country after an independent review found strong evidence of a growing number of illegal workers in Australia, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen announced on Thursday.
Bowen on Thursday released the review of the Migration Amendment (Employer Sanctions) Act 2007 by independent legal expert Stephen Howells that looked at penalty and enforcement arrangements for businesses employing non-citizens working in Australia without permission.
"The Gillard Government will take action to address deficiencies in the existing laws to ensure we have an effective sanctions system in place to deter illegal work hire practices and take action against recalcitrant employers," Bowen said in a statement on Thursday.
The Howells Review found strong evidence of a growing number of illegal workers in Australia, with a minimum of about 50,000 and potentially more than 100,000 people working in the country without permission.
The problem is also associated with other illegal activities, including serious organized crime, taxation and welfare fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse of vulnerable workers, the report says.
The Immigration Minister said the government had agreed in principle to the review's recommendations, which include the introduction of a three-tiered sanctions regime to penalise employers who use illegal workers, with civil penalties and fines, as well as maintaining the current criminal penalties.
Bowen said the government would now embark on six weeks of consultation on the proposals.
"We must ensure any regulatory impacts are balanced against the need to act on illegal work practices. We are particularly interested in hearing the views of small businesses," he said.
Source:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=708486&publicationSubCategoryId=200
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