How we rort the system: Immigrant who intentionally overstayed his visa reveals how foreigners can pay $100 to stay in Australia FOR GOOD – as he lifts the lid on the ‘organised scam’
- Immigrant revealed foreigners are exploiting protection visas in Australia
- Malaysian man Nazuan Apis said they were using visa to stay longer in country
- He was offered a protection visa while working on a farm in country Victoria
- Mr Apis paid a man as little as $100 and was able to work for longer in Australia
An immigrant has lifted the lid on how foreigners are exploiting protection visas to stay longer in Australia and make more money.
Malaysian man Nazuan Apis said he was approached with the proposition while working at Robinvale, in north-west Victoria, in 2016.
He had initially arrived in Australia on a three-month online tourist visa and picked up seasonal farm work, The Australian reported.
Mr Apis knew he was likely to overstay his visa as he wanted to make more money.
So when a Malaysian work agent approached him offering him a protection visa, he seized the opportunity.
Malaysian man Nazuan Apis (pictured left) said he was approached with the idea while working at Robinvale, in north-west Victoria, in 2016
Mr Apis had initially arrived in Australia on a three-month online tourist visa and picked up seasonal farm work
‘He told me that if I wanted to stay in Australia I should apply for a protection visa. He said he could arrange it all for me for $100,’ he said.
A protection visa allows foreigners to remain in Australia permanently so long as they arrived in the country on a valid visa.
Applicants must be a refugee or meet the complementary protection criteria.
Mr Apis along with 15 of his Malaysian housemates applied for protection through the same agent.
All he had to do was fill in the form and have local police authorise it.
Mr Apis spent more than year working around Australia before he decided to return to his home country to be with his wife and second born child.
When he approached customs officers at the airport and told them his history, he claims he was warned to ‘never come again’.
A parliamentary committee this year described the trend of taking out protection visas to extend visa stays as an ‘organised scam’.
It found Malaysians were the highest number of visa overstayers and the second-highest number of protection visa applicants.
A February report revealed that authorities spent almost $50 million processing 26,247 protection visa applications from Malaysians between 2016-17.
Despite the staggering figure, only 168 were successful.
Mr Apis said on his return to his home country, friends asked him how they could make the most money.
Mr Apis along with 15 of his Malaysian housemates applied for protection through the same agent
‘Everyone was asking me how to go to Australia, how to get work there, what place could they go to make money.’
The Malaysian government this week acknowledged the scam and is now working with Australian authorities to tamp down on the rort.
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman pointed out the number of protection visas had dropped in Australia.
‘Less than 0.25 per cent of people apply for protection and 95 per cent of those are refused and are required to return home,’ he said.
From January to May 31 this year, 3,181 protection visa applications were lodged from Malaysian people alone -down from 4,663 during the same period last year.