Most Australian employers know they must conduct a VEVO check before hiring someone on a visa. But VEVO alone does not protect an employer from liability. Sponsorship obligations, notifiable events, and mid-employment visa condition changes all carry separate compliance risks that VEVO cannot cover.

In this post, we break down where VEVO checks fall short, what extra legal obligations employers need to manage, and how to stay protected..

VEVO Checks: The Starting Point

The Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system is a tool provided by the Department of Home Affairs. Employers can use it to confirm a worker’s:

• Visa subclass

• Work conditions (such as limits on hours or restricted occupations)

• Expiry date

Under the Migration Act 1958, employing a person without valid work rights can trigger penalties under sections 245AB and 245AC, with civil penalties exceeding $79,200 per breach. VEVO checks are a critical safeguard, but they are not the whole picture.

Sponsorship Obligations: Beyond the VEVO Result

For businesses that sponsor employees under subclasses such as the 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa, the Migration Act and Migration Regulations 1994 impose sponsorship obligations. These obligations apply regardless of what a VEVO check shows.

Examples include:

• Paying market salary rates (Regulation 2.79)

• Ensuring the sponsored worker performs the nominated occupation (Regulation 2.80)

• Notifying the Department within 28 days of changes such as resignation, role change, or business restructure (Regulation 2.84)

VEVO will not show if you are meeting these obligations. An employer could pass every VEVO check and still face sanctions for failing to notify the Department or breaching sponsorship duties.

Notifiable Events: The Hidden Risk

One of the most common compliance failures occurs when employers forget to notify the Department of Home Affairs of certain changes.

These include:

• The end of a sponsored employee’s employment

• A change in business structure (for example, mergers or acquisitions)

• Significant changes to the terms of employment, such as work location or role duties

Under section 140M of the Migration Act, the Minister can cancel or bar a sponsor for failing to meet obligations. A sponsor bar can prevent an organisation from employing visa holders for years, creating immediate workforce disruption. VEVO will not flag these obligations or deadlines.

Visa Condition Changes Mid-Employment

Visa conditions can change while employment is ongoing. Common examples include:

• A student visa holder completing studies, which alters their permitted work hours

• Bridging visas issued during a transition to another visa, sometimes with stricter work rights

• Sponsored employees whose visas are varied due to Departmental action

VEVO provides the current status at the time of the check. But unless the employer monitors continuously and understands the underlying conditions, they may miss changes. Failing to adjust work arrangements exposes the business to penalties under sections 245AAA and 245AC of the Migration Act.

Why VEVO Alone Creates Blind Spots

Relying solely on VEVO checks creates blind spots because:

• They are point-in-time checks, not a compliance system

• They do not track sponsorship obligations

• They do not remind employers of notifiable events

• They do not provide training or guidance for managers on how to act on visa conditions

For enterprises with large international workforces, these blind spots create material risk.

Closing the Gap with Complize

Complize is designed for employers that need more than VEVO. It:

• Automates real-time visa monitoring, reducing reliance on manual checks

• Tracks and alerts employers to sponsorship obligations and notifiable events

• Provides Visa Bytes training to educate managers and HR teams on visa conditions

• Maintains an audit-ready register to show compliance with the Migration Act and Regulations

By addressing the obligations VEVO does not cover, Complize reduces the risk of fines, sponsor bars, and workforce disruption.

Next Steps for Compliance

VEVO checks are necessary but not sufficient. Employers must meet broader legal duties under the Migration Act and Migration Regulations that VEVO cannot capture. Sponsorship obligations, notifiable events, and visa condition changes mid-employment all create exposure if not managed.

For organisations employing visa holders, Complize provides the enterprise-level tools to close this gap, ensure compliance, and protect the business.

Contact Complize  to learn how your organisation can move beyond basic VEVO checks and achieve full compliance confidence.