Massive visa fraud in Oz migration program

[midorigreenwood]

Apparently as the boat arrivals markedly increased from 2007 to 2013, Labor's divided priorities and an understaffed Immigration department oversaw and were helpless while there was a persistent effort to rort our migration program at all levels including student, skilled and humanitarian visas.

Obviously the libs are in favour of loose restrictions and safeguards on 457 and student visas (Not to mention slashing of workers in the Immigration department) so interesting to see if they change direction if there is public outrage.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-po...flawed-20140806-3d8yz.html?rand=1407340153604

More than 90 per cent of visa applications from Afghanistan reviewed by Immigration Department officials contained "fraud of some type", according to confidential federal government documents.

The documents highlight vulnerabilities within the Australian immigration system and contain warnings by Immigration Department officials in 2012 that the widespread fraud involved in Afghan visa applications raised "people smuggling, identity fraud, suspected child trafficking and national security implications".

Tens of thousands of immigration fraudsters living freely after being assisted by migration crime networks exploiting weaknesses in working, student, family and humanitarian visa programs, including loopholes that have left the department sometimes ''generating the fraud''.

■ The department is ''responsible for granting a record number of student visas to people who may not be considered genuine students as well as granting permanent residence to skilled migration applicants who do not have the appropriate skills being claimed''.

■ In 2013, department chiefs were warned in a confidential report that the agency's investigations arm had collapsed, risking ''the integrity of its programs and ultimately national security''.

http://www.afr.com/p/national/leak_shows_widespread_visa_rorting_EoAR2rFNxdWxcVQMkBQcBN

A 2009 report states that the “student visa program is failing”, “the general skilled migration program is failing” and the falsifying of qualifications was “prolific”.

Well-placed sources said while policy changes, including an overhaul of the student visa system in 2010 and new anti-fraud rules, have made it harder to rort some visa types, there has been no effort to repair the decline in the immigration’s investigation arm.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-po...n-department-files-reveal-20140806-3d8wj.html

A 2010 report states that ''evidence uncovered to date indicates that fraud within the General Skilled Migration program is extensive with estimates at around 90 per cent [or] more than 40,000 suspect visa applications lodged per year for the last three years''.

Also, a 2010 report reveals that immigration investigators had uncovered a Somali people-smuggling cell in Melbourne linked to terrorist suspect Hussein Hashi Farah, who "is believed to have links to the al-Qaeda offshoot al-Shabab" and who fled Kenyan counterterrorism officials using an Australian passport in 2010.

But the departmental file shows that a 2009 investigation into the cell's activities was "deemed low priority and ceased due to a lack of resources".

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...kers-snare-net-job-growth-20140807-3d9ma.html

A new report using fresh federal government data has found recent overseas-born arrivals to Australia have "taken almost all of the net job growth" since 2011.

Immigration experts Dr Bob Birrell and Dr Ernest Healy have obtained fresh Australian Bureau of Statistics information showing that 380,000 arrivals to Australia since 2011 had found jobs. But over the same period, net job growth in Australia was only 400,000.

The pair have called for changes to Australia's skilled migrant program in order to provide more opportunities for citizens and permanent residents.

 

[Maggie5]

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...fraud-and-migration-crime-20140807-3d9ki.html
More information.
Not surprised at this at all.

Mr Morrison said that since wining power, the Abbott government had already increased by about 20 per cent the number of field visits by immigration department officials to crack down on fraud in areas such as the 457 visa program for temporary skilled migrants.

Not sure that 20 per cents says much because need to know what the previous gov. did. What if the previous government only visited 5%?

 

[GWSP]

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...fraud-and-migration-crime-20140807-3d9ki.html
More information.
Not surprised at this at all.

Mr Morrison said that since wining power, the Abbott government had already increased by about 20 per cent the number of field visits by immigration department officials to crack down on fraud in areas such as the 457 visa program for temporary skilled migrants.

Not sure that 20 per cents says much because need to know what the previous gov. did. What if the previous government only visited 5%?

In the sphere of politics all you need to do is 1% more than the previous government and you get to call your efforts a great success and improvement.

 

[Slax]

The 457 Visas are a bigger problem than some small scams. We are granting 457 Visas to accountants, WTF there are more than enough here, we are granting them to chefs, despite there currently being an oversupply.

The rules around 457 Visas need to be changed and the industries in which they can be applied needs to be reviewed every 12 months. Doing differently just leaves it open to constant rorting at the expense of Australian citizens, but will Abbott do anything? F*** No.

 

[slicedndiced]

Awfully hard to stop when you understand how easy it is, in some countries, to have just about any official government document you need produced and certified for a price.

 

[GuruJane]

Apparently as the boat arrivals markedly increased from 2007 to 2013, Labor's divided priorities and an understaffed Immigration department oversaw and were helpless while there was a persistent effort to rort our migration program at all levels including student, skilled and humanitarian visas.

Obviously the libs are in favour of loose restrictions and safeguards on 457 and student visas (Not to mention slashing of workers in the Immigration department) so interesting to see if they change direction if there is public outrage.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-po...flawed-20140806-3d8yz.html?rand=1407340153604
http://www.afr.com/p/national/leak_shows_widespread_visa_rorting_EoAR2rFNxdWxcVQMkBQcBN
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-po...n-department-files-reveal-20140806-3d8wj.html
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...kers-snare-net-job-growth-20140807-3d9ma.html

Brilliant, thorough and intelligent report that hits all the bases. Could be titled "The Big Sucker Australians"

Just the job for Morrison, Peluzzo and Negus to get stuck into. And Abbott will give them the funding, just watch, in shovelfulls.

 

[midorigreenwood]

Doing differently just leaves it open to constant rorting at the expense of Australian citizens, but will Abbott do anything? F*** No.

It certainly makes a mockery of the war on youth unemployment.

They're either forced into learning with decreasing value in a saturated labour market or digging holes on work for the dole.

Hard to see the advantages outside of artificially propping up the education and housing industries.

 

[knife]

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...1m-overseas-20140807-3dbmu.html#ixzz39igNYtpp

A corrupt Immigration Department official and her husband helped run a $3 million criminal migration racket involving more than 1000 fraudulent visa applications.

Fairfax Media can reveal that Reetika Ajjan and her husband, Jeetender, were able to flee Australia three days after immigration and federal agents raided their home in October 2011 – having wired more than $1 million to overseas bank accounts in 48 hours. Investigators had failed to take basic measures to stop them from leaving the country.
Leaked files reveal that during the raid, immigration agents found $468,675 and a migration forgery operation, complete with several official departmental stamps and more than 1300 folders linked to general skilled migration claims ''with suspected false statements''.

Fairfax Media can also reveal: The federal government has issued new licences in the past six months to migration agents previously identified by the Immigration Department as having bribed employers to obtain fake work references for visa applicants.

What sort of amateurs do they have working for them?! Find 500k in cash and a forgery operation and within 3 days the people involved have not only walked out of custody, (if they were even questioned/arrested in the first place, let alone if these idiots at the immigration department even informed the police) but also walked through our supposed strong customs and immigration control at the airport and to top it off have wired over $1m offshore.

Unbelievable incompetence!

 

[GuruJane]

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...1m-overseas-20140807-3dbmu.html#ixzz39igNYtpp



What sort of amateurs do they have working for them?! Find 500k in cash and a forgery operation and within 3 days the people involved have not only walked out of custody, (if they were even questioned/arrested in the first place, let alone if these idiots at the immigration department even informed the police) but also walked through our supposed strong customs and immigration control at the airport and to top it off have wired over $1m offshore.

Unbelievable incompetence!

This was all part of the inexorable Diac implosion under the weight of the people smuggler arrivals ... providing Scott Morrison can keep those PS boats stopped and gets the required finding from Abbott he, Peluzzo and Negus will have major reforms up and running before next elections.

 

[noddy]

This was all part of the inexorable Diac implosion under the weight of the people smuggler arrivals ... providing Scott Morrison can keep those PS boats stopped and gets the required finding from Abbott he, Peluzzo and Negus will have major reforms up and running before next elections.

Sometimes i believe that you are just taking the piss out of us mere mortals.

 

[telsor]

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...fraud-and-migration-crime-20140807-3d9ki.html
More information.
Not surprised at this at all.

Mr Morrison said that since wining power, the Abbott government had already increased by about 20 per cent the number of field visits by immigration department officials to crack down on fraud in areas such as the 457 visa program for temporary skilled migrants.

Not sure that 20 per cents says much because need to know what the previous gov. did. What if the previous government only visited 5%?

Agreed that a raw % doesn't really mean much. Going from 5 to 6 inspections a year would be a 20% increase after all.

That said, I'm not sure a raw number would mean that much either without a fair bit of information to provide context and demonstrate effectiveness. Indeed, fewer inspections could be more useful if they're better directed.


I always figure 457 visas should require the employer to hire (at least) 2 people..The visa holder and a local person they're helping train/give experience to so that they can either take over or take another job in the field.

 

[GuruJane]

Sometimes i believe that you are just taking the piss out of us mere mortals.

More proof the Labor people still don't have the slightest idea of the consequences that flowed from throwing open of borders to people smugglers back in 2008.
Also more indication that when and if Labor is elected again the arrivals will be back and growing within 6 months of Marles taking over the Immigration portfolio.