A Department of Immigration and Australian Citizenship spokesman said DIAC compliance officers carried out the raid on January 27 after receiving a tip-off.

"As a result, 10 people of interest were located,'' he said.

"All Malaysian nationals, they had entered Australia on visitor or student visas and had been working on farms in the Sale region.''

As a result of the raid, six immigrants were detained and taken to the Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre and were removed from Australia last Wednesday.

The other four were given notice their visas may be cancelled and are in discussions with the DIAC.

Two Sale region farmers have been given warnings about employing people who are unlawful or who do not have permission to work.

The 10 illegal workers are the newest additions to a spate of illegal migrant workers in the area. On August 11 and September 28 last year, DIAC officers located a total of 42 foreign nationals in the Sale region for either being in Australia unlawfully or having breached their visa work conditions.

The DIAC spokesman reminded local employers it is a crime to employ illegal migrants, and urged them to check their employee's visa status.

"It is a criminal offence to allow an unlawful non-citizen to work or refer an unlawful non-citizen to work in Australia,'' he said.

"It is also a criminal offence to allow a visa holder to work or refer a visa holder to work in breach of their visas conditions.

"DIAC encourages employers to check employees work entitlements.''

Employers convicted under Commonwealth legislation face fines of up to $13,200 and two years imprisonment while companies face fines of up to $66,000 per illegal worker.

The DIAC declined the opportunity to comment when questioned by the Gippsland Times regarding the possibility of prosecution of any of the organisers of the illegal work groups.

People with information about illegal workers or visa overstayers are encouraged to call the Immigration Dob-In Line on 1800 009 623.