Right-to-Work Checks in Australia: The Step Every Host Should Insist On
VEVO checks, ID verification and the documentation procurement teams should request from suppliers - and why hosts are exposed when these are skipped.
Employing or hosting a worker who does not have the right to work in Australia exposes both the employer and the labour-hire provider to civil and criminal penalties under the Migration Act. Yet right-to-work checks remain one of the most common gaps in procurement gates.
What 'right to work' actually means
Australian citizens have unrestricted work rights. Permanent residents have unrestricted work rights. Visa holders have work rights and conditions specific to their visa - work hour limits for student visa holders, sponsor restrictions on employer-sponsored visas, and so on.
VEVO and document verification
The Department of Home Affairs operates Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO), which allows employers (or providers with the worker's consent) to confirm visa status and conditions in real time. RELAY Labour Hire runs a VEVO check on every non-citizen worker and re-checks before any visa expiry milestone.
Documents to capture and store
- Photo ID (passport or Australian driver licence).
- Visa grant notice or VEVO printout dated within the placement window.
- Declaration of work history and any sponsor conditions.
- Signed acknowledgement of work-hour limits where applicable.
Why hosts get exposed
Even when the provider is the legal employer, hosts that knew - or could reasonably have known - that a worker did not have a valid right to work can be liable. Asking for evidence at the supplier-onboarding stage and including a 'work-rights compliance' clause in your service agreement is the simplest insurance available.
