Dillon: No illegal workers at Udecott sites

HOUSING Minister Edmund Dillon says state company Udecott does random checks at work sites and has not found any immigrants working illegally.

He was responding to a question from Opposition Senator Wade Mark in the Senate yesterday.

"I want to welcome my colleague, who was former minister of national security. I'm glad to see you back in your new capacity. So refreshing," said Mark.

He asked what action was being taken by Udecott to deal with contractors who continue to openly flout the immigration laws of the country by continuing to employ non-nationals without relevant work permits. His question was likely inspired by a media report that Udecott chairman Noel Garcia had said 70 illegal workers were removed from the Red House site, of whom the majority were from Venezuela.

Dillon said Udecott has taken an initiative whereby, when the issue was brought to the public domain, letters were written to contractors outlining the immigration laws with respect to work permits.

"Additionally Udecott has in fact done random checks at all their sites between July, August and within this current month, and has assured me that to date there is no one on any of their sites, non-nationals, without the relevant work permit."

He said a non-national can come and work in this country without a work permit legally for 30 days and once a year.

"Therefore we must not jump to conclusions that because there is a non-national working (and) that they are working without a permit, they are working illegally, because they can do so for 30 days in any one year, once they declare so to the immigration officer."

Mark asked what sanctions would be imposed for those delinquent contractors who continue to employ non-nationals without relevant documentation and who are not working under the 30-day provision.

Dillon responded there are contractual arrangements in place as well as immigration law.