According to The Taiwan Headlines, a Taiwanese legislator is currently under investigation under an allegation that he was involved in a smuggling ring, working with an immigration office worker.  The investigation found that Lee Jo-ling, the legislator responsible for Immigration Office’s public relations with the Legislature, inserted the falsified applications for the Chinese nationals between legitimate forms of individuals recommended by lawmakers for earlier entry to Taiwan .   

According to a United Daily Report, Lee is involved in some 30 cases, but she has denied any wrongdoing, saying all the cases she processed were recommended by lawmakers.  

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Australia ’s The Age has reported that inspectors will now begin to work in ‘mobile strike teams’ which will be deployed to crack down on companies that exploit immigrants on temporary work visas.  Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone announced the extra compliance measures will cost taxpayers $23.5 million over four years.  

The move to bolster policing of the scheme follows a campaign by the both the Labor party, who claim 457 class visas are being used by some companies to undercut wages and take jobs from Australians.  The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) is currently investigating 180 companies for breaches.