International students, visitors, and temporary work visa holders should be careful about what they bring with them when they arrive in Australia. The Australian government has passed the legislation that allows levying heavy fines of up to $2,664 along with canceling visas for not declaring banned food items they have brought with them.
The new rule will be in effect from January 2021. For what they see as an offense, the biosecurity officers can issue infringement notices for the fine amount. The specific food items that are banned across the border are considered unsafe due to the threat to bring in harmful pests and infectious diseases into the country.
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Biosecurity Amendment Bill 2020 |
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| Motive | |
| Support Australia’s environment, Australians’ health, and the competitiveness of the country’s agricultural industries. | |
| Banned foods | |
| Certain foreign foods, animal products, and plants | |
| Penalties | |
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| Who are under check? | |
| Current | New rule |
| Visa cancellations for visitor visa holders who bring along banned items undeclared. | Temporary work visa holders and student visa holders included from January 2021. |
| Declare if you got these! |
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The factors that authorities consider before canceling a temporary visa on the grounds of biosecurity include:
- The seriousness of the breach
- The individual circumstances of the traveler
- The impact on Australian agriculture and business
The passengers coming to Australia must declare the items in their luggage in an Incoming Passenger Card. This will be provided on the aircraft or the cruise.
The declared goods will then be taken to the clearance point. There they will be assessed by a biosecurity officer. He will inspect it for assessment.
If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to Australia, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.
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