Report Reveals That It Is Harder For Malaysians To Enter Australia Because Of Visa Abuse
Most of the Malaysians who overstay take on jobs as fruit pickers in Australia.
By Tamara Jayne — 25 Sep 2018, 01:55 PM
It has become difficult for Malaysian tourists to enter Australia because of visa abuse cases, according to a report published on 24 September
An Australian-based news site news.com.au quoted a source from the Malaysian consulate in Sydney saying that more Malaysians are being turned away at the airport, despite having the necessary visas approved before departure.
"They call us expecting us to help them get in but there is nothing that we can do once the decision to deport them has been made by the authorities," the source was quoted as saying.
The source claimed that some Malaysian visitors also applied for protection visas because of economic hardship, which makes it harder to enter Australia
These protection visas grant access "to all facilities", including unlimited working rights in Australia for Malaysians.
ABC also uncovered smugglers helping other nationals from other countries use fake Malaysian identities to enter Australia.
Image via ABCThere were also a number of visa scams that were reported to have taken place.
"These scams may take the form of agents offering visas and flights to Australia for people to work illegally."
"The Australian government is concerned that many Malaysians are being taken in by these scams and appeals to Malaysians to understand what their visa allows them to do," the spokesperson said, adding that, "Visitor visas, including ETAs (Electronic Travel Authority), do not provide work rights in Australia."
According to the report, this is mainly due to Malaysians taking on jobs as fruit pickers – without proper work permits
On the other hand, several Malaysians who live in Australia were quoted in the report claiming that their family members have faced stringent checks at the airport when they were going to visit, which resulted in their flight tickets going to waste.
However, the Department of Home Affairs spokesperson denied that Malaysians were being treated differently at the border because of recent visa abuse cases.
"Australia welcomes around 400,000 Malaysians to Australia every year for study, business, and tourism purposes, but we also have robust processes in place to ensure people do not exploit our visa system," the spokesperson said in the report.
The spokesperson added that people need to make sure they hold the correct type of visa before travelling to Australia.
In June, a report revealed that more than 64,000 people overstayed their visas in Australia – with Malaysians making up the highest number on that list
A spokesperson for the department confirmed that Malaysia topped the list, followed by China, USA, UK, and India.
Between 2016 and 2017, the Department of Home Affairs kicked out or placed under detention 15,885 people who had overstayed their visas.