Mitigating migration agent malpractice

INDIVIDUALS or organisations who have engaged the services of an Australian migration agent are encouraged to share their experiences in a new inquiry. Federal Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Migration is set to examine the regulation of Australian migration agents.

The Committee Chair, Jason Wood MP, said it is important to ensure that Australian migration agents are acting professionally and are properly certified.

“Migration agents play an essential role in Australia’s migration programs assisting business, skilled and student migrants and their families with their visa application. Unregistered or unlawful migration agents can not only damage the credibility of our visa regime but also significantly impact on the lives of visa applicants and their families,” Mr Wood said.

“The Committee will also examine integrity issues associated with the Electronic Travel Authority visa including visa cancellation rates and non-compliance with ‘no work’ conditions,” he said.

The Committee will also consider the registration and regulation or migration agents; deficiencies and barriers to relevant authorities' investigation of fraudulent behaviour; evidence of the volumes and patterns of unregistered migration agents and education agents providing unlawful immigration services; and reviewing the appropriateness of migration agents providing other services to clients.

The Committee invites submissions to the inquiry by Friday, April 27, 2018.

To obtain more information about the inquiry, including the full terms of reference, and to find out the various ways in how to participate, visit the inquiry website: www.aph.gov.au/mig.

The Committee is unable to intervene or provide advice in relation to individual circumstances.

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website.

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