The Australian government will spend $99.2 million to boost a visa risk assessment system to help the immigration department identify and weed out travellers who pose criminal and terror risks.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton told a national security conference in Canberra on Wednesday night that staff are good at detecting fraud but technology is leaping ahead.
"Risks will be more easily identified at the visa application stage before individuals reach the border," Mr Dutton said.
Under the system, staff will gain access to information to assess a traveller's broader risks, including whether they are likely to overstay their visa or work when they don't have that right.
One challenge facing staff was detecting circumstances where documents were genuine but the traveller was not.
"We have had instances where a criminal or person with terrorist intent has left or indeed entered the country using a relative's passport," Mr Dutton said.
