Government begins crackdown on illegal workers

The Federal Government has begun consulting with interest groups about its plans to crackdown on employers who hire illegal workers.

The Government estimates up to half of the 53,000 people in Australia who have overstayed their visas, are working illegally.

It is planning penalties ranging from a warning to a $66,000 fine and two years jail, for those who hire illegal workers.

The Immigration Minister, Phillip Ruddock, says a disincentive is necessary, to stop certain industries using illegal labor.

"Well there are some areas of manufacturing where people are involved in what is often referred to as piece work, we know that in the so-called sex industry there are numbers of people who are unlawful, we know in many of the restaurant and other areas of hospitality people are often unlawful," he said.

"What I think will happen is that over time we will find that it's less beneficial for employers to be engaging people who are unlawful knowingly and try to share perhaps the benefit of getting somebody to work for less than they've had to pay in Australia."

© 2000 Australian Broadcasting Corporation