Beware of Maritime Crew Visa scams
Have you been offered a job to work on a ship travelling to or working in Australia?
A migration related scam is a way of tricking you into paying money for something that you think is real when it is not real. There are different types of migration related scams. This page provides information about Maritime Crew Visa scams which the Department of Immigration and Border Protection has been made aware.
In this scam the person is contacted by phone or receives an email with a job offer from a scammer alleging to be able to arrange an employment contract and visa for employment on maritime vessels travelling to or working in Australia. The scammers are known to charge large sums of money (the equivalent of several thousand Australian dollars). Some of the scammers also imply that they are collecting payment for the department or that the department requires the fees be paid. This is not true.
Some of these scammers entice clients by showing them what appears to be valid visas on our departmental website. However, where these visas are obtained based on fraudulent claims they are subject to cancellation. You will not be permitted to travel to or enter Australia using this the Maritime Crew Visa (MCV).
Some of the scammers create a website and/or stationery and email addresses pretending to be a shipping or cruise company in Australia.
If the information requested appears to be suspicious, please contact the relevant shipping or cruise company directly via their official website to verify if the job offer is legitimate. Use official contact details for the company. Do not use the contact details that have been received from the job offer correspondence.
If you wish to report a scam please see: How do I report migration fraud? Suspected scams can also be reported to SCAM watch, which is an independent website run by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).
For more information on a Maritime Crew Visas see: Maritime Crew visa (subclass 988).
Information from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) about maritime scams can also be found at: Important information about scams.
More information about working in Australia is available on the department's website.