Australia Migration News Update
- Changes to VETASSESS assessment requirements for General Occupations from 1 January 2010
- Stronger Measures for the Protection of Children
- Changes to Medical 'Re-Use' Policy to Prevent Processing Delays
- Changes to lodgement and processing arrangements for Occupational Trainee visas
- Important Information Regarding Sponsored Family Visitor (Subclass 679) Visa Applications for the Christmas Holiday Season 2009
- Update to Student eVisa Lodgement for Assessment Levels 2-4
- Temporary Business (Long Stay) - Standard Business Sponsorship (Subclass 457)
- Outcome of Full Federal Court case - Minister for Immigration and Citizenship vs Kamal [2009] FCAFC 98
- New priority processing directions for certain skilled migration visas
- Frequently Asked Questions – Temporary residence visas (excluding subclass 457) and the impact of the Migration Legislation Amen
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Migration Agents
It is possible to employ migration agents to assist with a visa application to Australia. Such persons who provide immigration assistance are regulated by a governing authority called the Migration Agents Registration Authority. Only Australian Citizens and Australian Permanent Residents are eligible to apply to MARA for registration. Australian Lawyers are immediately eligible to apply for registration whilst other applicants must hold a Graduate Certificate in Migration Law and Practice. Although, Lawyers only make up a small number of registered Migration Agents, since 1998 over 18% of the MARA’s sanction decisions have been against lawyer agents. The Australian Government strongly recommends that visa applicants select a registered migration agents over the selection of overseas non-registered agents.
To identify how many years an agent has been registered from, the first two numbers of their seven digit registration number will show the year - the earliest registrations are from 1992. Only agents registered before 28 March 1998 will have a five digit number.[71] In February 2009, The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, announced the establishment of a new body to regulate migration agents after a review found dissatisfaction among consumers and potential conflicts of interest under the existing arrangements.
Senator Evans said that from July 1, the new Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) will undertake the regulatory functions which have been operated under statutory self-regulation by the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) since 1998.[72] The new office may also perceived as having a conflict of interest as it will closely related to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
Source: Immigration to Australia Wiki