The Australian Federal Police (AFP) arrested a 43-year-old Iraq-born man in Perth on 11 February 2026 and formally charged him the following day with seven counts of failing to comply with electronic-monitoring requirements under section 76B of the Migration Act 1958. Prosecutors allege the individual ignored multiple directives from the Department of Home Affairs between 10 December 2025 and 4 February 2026 to present for reporting.
Section 76B offences carry maximum penalties of five years’ imprisonment and/or AUD 99,000 in fines.
To help organisations and individuals avoid the kind of lapses now under scrutiny, specialist firms such as VisaHQ provide end-to-end visa and immigration support, including real-time status tracking and reminder services for Australia (https://www.visahq.com/australia/). Engaging a provider like VisaHQ can streamline compliance and reduce the risk of missing departmental deadlines or reporting obligations.
![AFP Charges Iraq-Born Resident Over Repeated Visa-Monitoring Breaches in Perth]()
The accused appeared before Perth Magistrates Court on 12 February, where the AFP sought continued detention on public-safety grounds. The case is part of a broader compliance sweep targeting non-citizens released from immigration detention who are subject to strict monitoring and curfew conditions after last year’s High Court ruling that indefinite detention is unlawful.
For employers, the matter reinforces that sponsored or bridging-visa holders who lose lawful status—or fail to meet reporting obligations—can trigger criminal liability and reputational risk for associated businesses. Companies using casual labour in Western Australia’s resources sector are advised to audit subcontractor visa status and ensure reporting mechanisms are clearly communicated.
Legal experts predict that the AFP will make further examples in coming weeks as Home Affairs ramps up field-compliance visits. Mobility managers should remind international assignees on bridging or protection visas to maintain up-to-date contact details in ImmiAccount and to retain evidence of any departmental correspondence.
Section 76B offences carry maximum penalties of five years’ imprisonment and/or AUD 99,000 in fines.
To help organisations and individuals avoid the kind of lapses now under scrutiny, specialist firms such as VisaHQ provide end-to-end visa and immigration support, including real-time status tracking and reminder services for Australia (https://www.visahq.com/australia/). Engaging a provider like VisaHQ can streamline compliance and reduce the risk of missing departmental deadlines or reporting obligations.
The accused appeared before Perth Magistrates Court on 12 February, where the AFP sought continued detention on public-safety grounds. The case is part of a broader compliance sweep targeting non-citizens released from immigration detention who are subject to strict monitoring and curfew conditions after last year’s High Court ruling that indefinite detention is unlawful.
For employers, the matter reinforces that sponsored or bridging-visa holders who lose lawful status—or fail to meet reporting obligations—can trigger criminal liability and reputational risk for associated businesses. Companies using casual labour in Western Australia’s resources sector are advised to audit subcontractor visa status and ensure reporting mechanisms are clearly communicated.
Legal experts predict that the AFP will make further examples in coming weeks as Home Affairs ramps up field-compliance visits. Mobility managers should remind international assignees on bridging or protection visas to maintain up-to-date contact details in ImmiAccount and to retain evidence of any departmental correspondence.
