Every Australian employer has a legal obligation to verify that their workers hold a valid visa with permission to work. The main tool for this is VEVO, the Visa Entitlement Verification Online system. In hospitality, where casual and temporary workers make up a big chunk of the workforce, VEVO checks are a core compliance requirement. Get it wrong, and your company faces penalties of up to $315,000 per illegal worker.
What is VEVO?
VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) is a free service from the Australian Department of Home Affairs. It lets employers, visa holders, and certain organisations check the visa status and work entitlements of non-citizens in Australia.
VEVO pulls real-time information from the Department's immigration database. It tells you whether a person holds a valid visa, what conditions are attached, and whether those conditions allow them to work.
Who needs to use VEVO?
Under the Migration Act 1958, all Australian employers must take "reasonable steps" to verify that non-citizen workers are entitled to work. This applies to:
- All industries, though hospitality is a high-risk sector flagged by the Australian Border Force (ABF)
- All employment types: full-time, part-time, casual, and labour hire
- Subcontractors and agency staff. If they work at your venue, you share responsibility.
Australian citizens are automatically entitled to work and do not need a VEVO check. You should still verify citizenship through a valid Australian passport, citizenship certificate, or birth certificate.
How to run a VEVO check
Step 1: Collect the worker's details
You will need:
- Full name (as it appears on their visa or passport)
- Date of birth
- Passport number or ImmiCard number
Step 2: Access VEVO
Log in at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/already-have-a-visa/check-visa-details-and-conditions/check-conditions-online. You can register for an organisational account, which allows bulk checks and stores your query history.
Step 3: Enter the worker's details
Input the identifying information. VEVO searches the Department's database and returns results in real time.
Step 4: Read the results
| Result | What it means | Action required |
|---|---|---|
| Valid visa with work rights | The person holds a current visa that permits work | Record the result and note any conditions (e.g. hour limits) |
| Valid visa without work rights | The person holds a visa but is not permitted to work | Do not employ this person |
| Visa expired | The person's visa has expired | Do not employ this person, they may be unlawful |
| No match found | The details do not match any record | Re-check the details; if still no match, request additional ID |
Step 5: Save the result
Save a screenshot or PDF of every VEVO result. Record the date of the check, who performed it, and the outcome. This documentation is your evidence of having taken "reasonable steps" if you are ever investigated.
How often should you re-check?
A single VEVO check at hiring is not enough. Visa conditions can change, visas can be cancelled, and bridging visa entitlements shift.
The Department of Home Affairs recommends:
- Temporary visa holders (subclass 482, 485, 500, etc.): Re-check every 3 months
- Bridging visa holders: Re-check every month, since bridging visa conditions are highly variable
- Permanent residents: A single check at onboarding is generally fine, but re-check if circumstances change
For hospitality venues with high casual turnover, VEVO checks need to be baked into your onboarding process and scheduled as recurring tasks.
What "reasonable steps" means legally
The Migration Act does not spell out "reasonable steps" with a precise checklist. But case law and Department guidance make it clear that reasonable steps include, at minimum:
- Asking every new worker about their citizenship or visa status before they start work
- Sighting original documents (passport, visa grant letter, ImmiCard)
- Running a VEVO check for all non-citizen workers
- Re-checking VEVO at appropriate intervals for temporary visa holders
- Keeping records of all checks performed
What does not count as reasonable steps:
- Accepting a verbal assurance that someone is "allowed to work"
- Copying a document without verifying it through VEVO
- Running a VEVO check once and never re-checking
- Assuming someone is a citizen based on their appearance or accent
Penalties for non-compliance
The penalties for employing workers without valid work rights are among the harshest in Australian employment law.
Civil penalties
| Entity | Standard penalty (per worker) | Aggravated penalty (per worker) |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Up to $315,000 | Up to $594,000 |
| Individual (e.g. manager, director) | Up to $63,000 | Up to $118,800 |
Criminal penalties
For knowing or reckless engagement of illegal workers:
- Individuals: Up to 5 years imprisonment and/or $63,000 per worker
- Companies: Up to $315,000 per worker
What triggers aggravated penalties?
Aggravated penalties apply when a person has been given a warning notice by the ABF and re-offends, or where there is evidence of repeat, systematic, or exploitative conduct.
Common mistakes venues make
- Only checking at onboarding. Visa conditions change. A worker who was entitled to work three months ago may not be today.
- Relying on the worker's word. "I have a visa" is not a VEVO check. Always verify independently.
- Not checking casual or agency staff. The obligation applies regardless of employment type. If they work at your venue, you are responsible.
- Poor record-keeping. If you cannot produce evidence of your VEVO checks during an investigation, you cannot demonstrate reasonable steps.
- Ignoring visa conditions. Some visas limit work to 48 hours per fortnight (e.g. student visas). Exceeding those limits is a breach for the worker and potentially for you.
Automate VEVO compliance with VenueShield
Running VEVO checks manually is manageable for a small team, but scheduling re-checks every 3 months across a roster of temporary visa holders is the kind of thing that falls through the cracks. And forgetting can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars. VenueShield integrates VEVO re-check scheduling into your staff compliance dashboard, flags when a re-check is due, and alerts you before visa expiry dates. If right-to-work compliance is a worry, talk to us about how VenueShield handles it.