The Maritime Crew Visa (MCV), Subclass ZM988 Visa Scam

Australian High Commission Bangladesh Bangladesh

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The Maritime Crew Visa (MCV), subclass ZM988 visa scam

!!!BEWARE!!!

The Maritime Crew Visa (MCV), subclass ZM988 visa scam

The Department of Home Affairs is warning people of a scam involving the maritime crew visa (MCV).

Unscrupulous operators are charging people large sums of money (the equivalent of several thousand Australian dollars), to allegedly arrange an employment contract and visa for employment on maritime vessels (ships) travelling to or working in Australia.

Some MCV visas are automatically granted online. These agents lure gullible clients by showing them what appears to be valid visas on the departmental website. However, where these visas are obtained based on fraudulent claims these are subject to cancellation. These visas allow entry to Australia as a legitimate crew member on a vessel by sea only. An MCV does not permit travel by air to Australia. A separate visa is required for that purpose.

The Australian High Commission is unable to verify employment offers from Australian companies. Job-seekers are strongly advised to verify all job offers using publicly available contact details for the relevant companies. Information on applying for Australian visas is available on the websites https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/ and www.bangladesh.embassy.gov.au.

Should you believe that you are the victim of a scam, you should report it to your local police and may wish to report it via the website www.scamwatch.gov.au

Further information on migration fraud, stories of victims, email and internet scams, and how you may obtain help is available on the Home Affairs website.

Be aware of Migration Fraud