ChatGPT
Claude
Perplexity
Google AI
Copilot
GrokA VEVO check shows a person’s current Australian visa, its expiry date and its conditions, including whether they can work. VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) is run by the Department of Home Affairs. Visa holders check their own visa online or in the myVEVO app. Employers check through an organisation ImmiAccount, with the worker’s permission.
For a visa holder, it takes a travel document and one reference number. For an employer, it is also a legal safeguard. The Migration Act gives employers a defence if they take “reasonable steps at reasonable times” to check a worker’s status, and the regulations name VEVO as one of those steps. The provisions it helps defend against carry up to 240 penalty units per civil contravention, and five times that for a company.
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| What VEVO is | The Department’s online system for checking a current visa’s details and conditions |
| Who can use it | Visa holders, and registered organisations such as employers, with the holder’s permission |
| What you need | A travel document such as a passport, plus a TRN, visa grant number or visa evidence number |
| What it shows | The visa, grant and expiry dates, period of stay, work and study entitlements, and conditions |
| What it does not show | Previous visas, or new applications the Department is still assessing |
| Why employers use it | VEVO is the prescribed computer system for the “reasonable steps” defence in sections 245AB and 245AC |
| Penalty for allowing illegal work | Offence: 2 years’ imprisonment or 360 penalty units, or both. Civil: 240 penalty units |
Source: the Department’s VEVO for visa holders page (updated 23 September 2024) and VEVO overview (updated 25 September 2026); Migration Act 1958, sections 245AB and 245AC, compilation in force from 8 October 2026; Migration Regulations 1994, regulations 5.19G and 5.19H, in force from 2 October 2026.
How to check VEVO, step by step
If it is your own visa, go straight to the Department’s VEVO check for visa holders. The Department says “You can access VEVO online at any time”. Have these ready:
- Your travel document. Usually a passport. VEVO also accepts an ImmiCard, a Titre de Voyage, a Document for Travel to Australia or a PLO56 evidence card.
- One reference number. Your transaction reference number (TRN) if you applied online, your visa grant number from your grant letter, or the visa evidence number on a visa label if you have one.
- Choose the document type and reference type, then enter the number.
- Enter your date of birth, document number and country of document. The Department’s tip: check you have not entered “a capital O instead of a zero, or a capital I instead of the number one.”
- Accept the terms and select Submit.
Your visa details appear on screen, and “Send Email” sends them to an employer or landlord. On a phone, “You can download the myVEVO app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play.” One catch: “The visa grant number in your grant notification may relate to a visa that is not ‘in-effect'”, and VEVO only works with the grant number of your current visa.
VEVO for employers: how to check a worker’s visa
Employers check through VEVO for organisations, which runs inside an organisation ImmiAccount. You need an Australian Business Number to register, and the Department must approve access.
The Department’s rule on consent is short: “Only registered organisations that have a visa holder’s permission can check visa details.” With permission, you enter the worker’s name as it appears on their travel document, the document type, date of birth, document number and, for most documents, nationality.
Then save the result. The Department says “We recommend that you do save this PDF. Our compliance officers may request this information on field inspections.” It also says “You do not need to keep a copy of the visa holder’s travel document”, and if VEVO is down, to “record the time and date that VEVO system was unavailable.”
VEVO gives each type of organisation a different view.
| Organisation | VEVO category | What it displays |
|---|---|---|
| Employers, labour suppliers, background screening companies | Work entitlements | Unlimited work rights, limited work rights with the conditions, or no work rights |
| Education providers | Study entitlements | Unlimited, limited or no study rights |
| Telecommunication providers, real estate agents, financial institutions | Residence status | Whether the person lives in Australia permanently or temporarily |
| Registered migration agents | Migration agent | Similar information to what the visa holder sees |
Source: the Department’s VEVO for organisations page, updated 12 August 2025.
One gap: “You can not check Australian passports in VEVO.” For Australian citizens, the regulations list documents an employer can inspect instead, covered in the defence section below.
What the main VEVO result fields mean
The result screen is short, but the dates trip people up.
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Visa class and subclass | The visa that has been granted |
| Visa grant date | The date the Department decided to grant the visa |
| Visa expiry date | In Australia, the date the period of stay ends. Outside Australia, the date the visa ends. For a permanent resident overseas, the date the travel facility ends |
| Visa status | For example “In effect”, or “Temporarily ceased” for a Longer Validity visitor visa |
| Must not arrive after date | The person must enter Australia before this date. For permanent residents, the end of the travel facility |
| Period of stay | How long the person may stay in Australia |
| Work entitlements | Whether the person may work while holding the visa |
| Workplace rights | Information on Australian workplace rights and protections |
| Visa conditions | What the person can and cannot do in Australia |
Source: the Department’s VEVO for visa holders page, “Understand your visa details and conditions”, updated 23 September 2024.
Watch the expiry date on a temporary visa. For someone in Australia it is “the date the period of stay ends on your visa and you must leave Australia before midnight (Canberra, Australia time) on this date.” It is also the natural point for an employer to check again.
Common work conditions on VEVO, in the words of Schedule 8
Visa conditions are numbered, such as 8105 or 8607. The wording is in Schedule 8 of the Migration Regulations, and Schedule 2 says which visas carry each one.
| Condition | Usually on | What Schedule 8 says | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8101 | Visitor (subclass 600) Tourist stream | “The holder must not engage in work in Australia.” | No work |
| 8105 | Student (subclass 500), main applicant | “must not engage in work in Australia for more than 40 hours a fortnight during any fortnight when the holder’s course of study or training is in session” | Read as 48 hours for a Subclass 500 holder (subclause 2A). No work before the course starts, unless subclause 1B applies |
| 8104 | Student (subclass 500), family members | “The holder must not engage in work for more than 40 hours a fortnight while the holder is in Australia.” | Also read as 48 hours for a Subclass 500 holder. The limit does not apply where the student’s course is a masters or doctoral degree |
| 8107 | Short Stay Specialist (subclass 400), main applicant | “must not … cease to be employed by the employer in relation to which the visa was granted” | If granted for a job, only that employer and position |
| 8547 | Working Holiday (417) and Work and Holiday (462) | “must not be employed by any 1 employer for more than 6 months, without the prior permission in writing of the Secretary” | 6 months per employer unless permission is given |
| 8607 | Skills in Demand (subclass 482), main applicant | “must work only in the occupation (the nominated occupation) nominated by the nomination identified in the application for the most recent Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) visa” | Nominated occupation only, generally for the sponsor or an associated entity |
| 8608 | Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494), main applicant | “must work only in the occupation (the nominated occupation) nominated by the nomination identified in the application for the most recent Subclass 494” visa | Nominated occupation only, for the sponsor or an associated entity, or the labour agreement party |
Source: Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 8 and clauses 400.611, 417.611, 462.611, 482.611, 494.612, 500.611, 500.612 and 600.611 of Schedule 2, in force from 2 October 2026.
Three details sit below the wording. For 8104 and 8105, “fortnight means the period of 14 days commencing on a Monday”, so hours are counted in fixed two-week blocks, not any 14 days you choose. For 8607 and 8608, a break from working in line with the condition “must not exceed 180 consecutive days”, and 365 days in total over the visa. And “work” in the conditions means “an activity that, in Australia, normally attracts remuneration” (regulation 1.03).
The Department keeps a list of visa conditions by number, which helps when VEVO shows a number you do not recognise.
Employer penalties for allowing illegal work in 2026
The employer provisions sit in Part 2, Division 12 of the Migration Act: Subdivision C for illegal work, Subdivision E for prohibited employers. Subdivision C was restructured by the Migration Amendment (Strengthening Employer Compliance) Act 2024, in force from 1 July 2024. The table shows the penalties as they stood in the compilation in force from 8 October 2026.
| Section | What it covers | Offence maximum | Civil maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 245AB | Allowing an unlawful non-citizen to work | 2 years’ imprisonment or 360 penalty units, or both | 240 penalty units |
| 245AC | Allowing a lawful non-citizen to work in breach of a work-related condition | 2 years’ imprisonment or 360 penalty units, or both | 240 penalty units |
| 245AD | Either of the above where the worker is being exploited | 5 years’ imprisonment or 900 penalty units, or both | Offence only |
| 245AAA to 245AAC | Coercing or pressuring a non-citizen into a work arrangement | 2 years’ imprisonment or 360 penalty units, or both | 240 penalty units |
| 245AE and 245AEA | Referring a non-citizen for work, by a referral service | 2 years’ imprisonment or 360 penalty units, or both | 240 penalty units |
| 245AJ and 245AK | An executive officer who could influence the company, knew or was reckless or negligent about its breach, and failed to take reasonable steps | A fine of up to one-fifth of the company’s maximum | 240 penalty units |
| 245AYL | A prohibited employer allowing an additional non-citizen to begin work | 2 years’ imprisonment or 360 penalty units, or both | 240 penalty units |
Source: Migration Act 1958, Part 2, Division 12, Subdivisions C and E, compilation in force from 8 October 2026; Crimes (Amount of a Penalty Unit) Instrument 2026, in force from 1 July 2026.
The criminal and civil versions differ. For the section 245AB offence, “the fault element for paragraph (1)(b) is knowledge or recklessness”. For the civil penalty, “It is not necessary to prove a person’s state of mind”. So a business can face a civil penalty without knowing the worker had no right to work. Section 486ZE does excuse a “mistaken but reasonable belief” about the facts, but only where the person “considered whether or not facts existed”, and the person relying on it carries the evidential burden. That is why the defence below matters.
“Work” is wider here, too: “any work, whether for reward or otherwise”. A person “allows” someone to work by, among other things, employing them, engaging them under a contract for services (other than in a domestic context) or taking part in an arrangement for their work. Unpaid trial shifts, contractors and labour hire can all fall inside the rules.
To convert, a penalty unit has been $364 since 1 July 2026, so 240 penalty units is $87,360. Section 486R(5) lets a court order a company to pay up to 5 times the civil amount. For the wider set of sponsor sanctions, including bars and infringement notices, see our guide to sponsorship breach penalties, and for the section 245AYL regime, our explainer on prohibited employer declarations.
The VEVO defence: reasonable steps at reasonable times
This is where a VEVO check earns its keep. Section 245AB(2) says subsection (1) does not apply “if the first person takes reasonable steps at reasonable times to verify that the worker is not an unlawful non-citizen”, including “using a computer system prescribed by the regulations to verify that matter”. Section 245AC(2) does the same for work-related conditions.
Regulation 5.19G of the Migration Regulations 1994 then prescribes “the computer system operated by the Department, and known as ‘Visa Entitlement Verification Online’, or ‘VEVO'”. The other prescribed steps include a contract with a party that verifies work rights or supplies workers who have them, and inspecting what appears to be the worker’s Australian or New Zealand passport, or an Australian citizenship certificate, birth certificate or certain status certificates “accompanied by a form of identification featuring a photograph of the worker”.
Three things follow from the wording:
- The employer carries the evidential burden. “A defendant bears an evidential burden” for the offence, and section 245AB(6) applies the same in civil proceedings. A saved VEVO PDF is the kind of record that can meet it.
- One check may not be enough. The test is reasonable steps “at reasonable times”, so a check on day one may not cover the day a visa expires or changes.
- The check must match the work. Under section 245AC the question is whether the worker breaches a condition “solely because of doing the work”. A VEVO result showing 8607 does not help if the role is outside the nominated occupation.
Common mistakes with VEVO checks
Most of these come from checking once and assuming that settles it.
- Not re-checking before the expiry date. The visa on file may have ended, or been replaced by a bridging visa.
- Expecting VEVO to show a bridging visa that has not started. “VEVO is not able to provide any details relating to visas that are not ‘in-effect’. For example, if you hold a Bridging visa but your substantive visa has not yet expired.” Our bridging visa guide explains when each one comes into effect.
- Counting hours by the week. Conditions 8104 and 8105 use fortnights starting on a Monday.
- Moving a sponsored worker sideways. Under 8607 a 482 holder works only in the nominated occupation, so a new role or a move to a related business needs checking first.
- Not saving the result. Compliance officers may ask for it on a field inspection.
When it is worth getting legal advice
A VEVO check is routine. What it turns up is not always. Advice is worth considering if:
- a check shows a worker has no work rights, or is working outside a condition, and you need to decide what to do next
- the Department has contacted you, carried out a field inspection or issued a compliance notice
- you sponsor workers and want to change a role, a location or the entity that employs them
- a worker’s visa is about to expire and they have lodged, or plan to lodge, a new application
- you have been, or may be, declared a prohibited employer
If you sponsor workers, the VEVO check sits beside your sponsorship obligations as a business sponsor, and if you are weighing up a permanent hire, see what a Subclass 186 costs. Our employer sponsorship team can review a specific situation, subject to your circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my work rights in Australia?
Use VEVO online or the myVEVO app with your travel document and your TRN, visa grant number or visa evidence number. The “Work entitlements” field shows whether you can work, and the “Visa conditions” field shows any limits, such as 8105 for students.
Can my employer check my visa status?
Yes, if your employer is registered for VEVO for organisations and you give permission. The Department says “Only registered organisations that have a visa holder’s permission can check visa details.” You can also email your VEVO result to your employer yourself.
Can I check my Australian work permit details online?
Yes. Your work rights come from your visa and its conditions, and you can check them online at any time through VEVO or the myVEVO app.
What is proof of working rights in Australia?
For a visa holder, a VEVO result shows the work entitlements and conditions. VEVO cannot check Australian passports, so for Australian citizens, regulation 5.19G lists documents an employer can inspect instead, such as an Australian passport, or an Australian citizenship certificate or birth certificate with photo identification.
What happens if an employer does not check VEVO?
The Act penalises allowing the work, not a missed check as such. But if a worker turns out to have no work rights, or to be working in breach of a condition, the employer cannot point to a VEVO check as a reasonable step, and would need to rely on other reasonable steps or another defence, such as a reasonable mistake of fact in civil proceedings. The civil penalty is up to 240 penalty units per contravention, and up to 5 times that for a company.
A realistic next step
For a visa holder, the next step is a quick check and an email to your employer. For a business, it is a habit: check before the first shift, save the PDF, and check again before the expiry date or any change in role. If a result does not look right, or you are unsure what a condition allows, you can book a consultation with our migration lawyers.
About the author: Tina Nematian is the Principal Lawyer at One Planet Migration Law. She is admitted as an Australian Legal Practitioner, and has guided clients through partner, skilled, employer-sponsored, student, and humanitarian visa applications across Australia.
This article is general information only and does not constitute legal or migration advice. Visa rules change frequently and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Speak with a registered migration lawyer or agent before making any application. Figures were current as of October 2026; always check immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before lodging.
