Australian Embassy
Indonesia

Warning regarding Australian visa scams operating in Indonesia

The Australian Government manages a range of visitor and migration programs, including international tourists, business visitors, students as well as, family and skilled migrants. Australia and Indonesia enjoy close people-to-people ties, which are facilitated through these programs.

The Department of Home Affairs (the Department) warns people to be very cautious regarding claims that Australian visas are for sale.  These claims are not true.  Australian visas are not for sale. Visas can only be obtained through official channels. 

The Department warns prospective travellers to be careful of ‘visa scams’ operating in Indonesia. Some illegitimate facilitators in Indonesia claim to be able to organise visas and flights to Australia for people to undertake paid work (such as fruit picking). This is a scam attempting to intentionally mislead people, often for money or other personal gain.  Don't be fooled by these scams. 

If you attempt to travel to Australia without a visa, or with the wrong visa, you may be offloaded from your flight or refused entry at the Australian border. If you work in Australia in breach of your visa conditions, your visa may be cancelled and you may be detained and removed from Australia. You may also be excluded from obtaining another Australian visa for three years. Don’t risk it.

It is your responsibility to know what your visa allows you to do while in Australia.

All foreign nationals travelling to Australia should check their visa details and conditions before booking their travel. These information can be obtained using the Department’s free Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service.

More information on proper processes and reputable channels to obtain Australian visas in Indonesia is available on the Department's website.

More information on migration fraud, and how to protect yourself from it, is available here.

Protect yourself from Visa Work Scams

You can protect yourself from visa scams by taking practical steps.

Be aware that you are being scammed if:

  • the advertisement lists only a first name and number
  • the employer or agent demands that you pay them a large upfront amount of cash for a visitor visa
  • you are told to set up a company and to apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN) in order to work
  • the agent organises fake documents and photographs
  • the agent will only provide you with a handwritten contract or handwritten agreement
  • you are promised permanent residence in Australia 
  • the employer or agent uses the Australian coat of arms (the crest of the Australian Government) on their website to deceive people into thinking that what they are offering is approved by the Australian Government
  • the employer or agent uses pictures of Embassy staff on their website to deceive people
  • you are told you will be paid in cash only
  • you are told you won’t be required to get an Australian Government Tax File Number (TFN)
  • the employer or agent in Australia does not have an ABN
  • you are offered a rate of pay below the minimum Australian wage, which all foreign workers are entitled to (see www.fairwork.gov.au).

If you choose to engage in visa fraud, you risk:

  • losing any upfront cash that you have paid to the agent
  • having your visa application refused
  • not being permitted on the flight to Australia
  • being refused entry to Australia at the Australian border by the Australian Border Force
  • being stranded at an Australian airport or city
  • being exploited in circumstances involving forced or slave labour
  • not being paid at all by the employer or agent
  • being located and detained by the Australian Border Force and removed from Australia
  • being excluded from re-entering Australia
  • going home with far less Rupiah than when you arrived.

In order to protect yourself from visa scams, you should only deal with reputable travel agents, or official Australian Government channels through the Department of Home Affairs (www.homeaffairs.gov.au). You can also locate a list of Registered Migration Agents on the website of the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (www.mara.gov.au).

If you are aware of, or suspect a scam in relation to visas and working in Australia, please report it to Australia’s Border Watch by visiting www.homeaffairs.gov.au/report.