Former State President and National Board Member of the Migration Institute of Australia Mark Glazbrook has called for the introduction of  a two-tier RMA registration scheme, whereby, “migration agents that meet the necessary criteria …would be granted a higher level of accreditation than their peers, and extended streamlined processing rights that make it more attractive for applicants to engage their services,” according to a recent report on the “In Business South Australia” website: http://www.in-business.com.au/news/story/2014-8-12/18852

The report states that the partnership would be similar to the model recently proposed in New Zealand, with responsibility for visa application processing shared between government and approved industry representatives.

The Migration Alliance cannot agree with this proposal. There are currently over 5000 RMAs. The proposed scheme mocks the effectiveness of the MARA Code of Conduct which in essence is meant to put registered practitioners on a similar playing field in order to provide competitive, accessible and professional services to a diverse range of people. However, the MA is not against experienced practitioners being granted ‘Specialist Accreditation’ as is the case currently with Lawyers with the various state law institutes.

MA believes that the big issue that must be addressed is unregistered practice. This must be the focus at present given all the media hype about widespread rorting of Australia’s immigration system. Once unregistered practices is minimised or better still stopped, then perhaps a system whereby applications lodged by experienced registered practitioners are allowed streamlined processing ahead of direct public applications ought to be considered.

Liana Allan of the Migration Alliance says, “The department of immigration must develop a partnership of trust with the migration advisory industry. DIBP must recognise the professionalism of registered practitioners and not mock the entire OMARA registration system by dealing with RMAs in the same light as applications from the general public.

Thousands of jobs are in demand with roles like Carpenters, Plumbers, Electrical Mechanics, Electrical Trades Assistants, Crane Operators, Riggers, Doggers, Formworkers, Pipelayers, and Concretors expected to lead the occupation list for the estimated 4-year construction phase of the massive $34 billion Ichthy gas project in the Northern Territory.

The list which is yet to be finalised is expected to include these jobs that are currently in demand by the project. (http://iminco.net/3500-nt-jobs-ichthys-gas-project-darwin/). In addition to this, support services jobs like retail managers, bus drivers, restaurant supervisors, plant operators and chefs may be considered for the list in the "designated area migration agreement".

According to the Australian Financial Review, the Northern Territory is set to be approved under the first so-called “designated area migration agreement” followed by Western Australia’s Pilbara.

The agreements are designed to free up businesses outside the resources industry to hire semi-skilled workers without having to meet the strict language, salary and training requirement of other migration programs.

A spokesman for Assistant Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash said the Territory agreement would be in place shortly and the Pilbara deal “should be in place by the end of the year”.

The following news is just in from the Victorian Government:

Welcome to the Victorian Government's Agent Alert for migration agents and representatives.

A former DIBP official and her husband who were involved in a $3 million visa racket were allowed to flee the country with more than $1 million in the bank days after their home was raided by federal agents. Reetika Ajjan, a former DIBP employee, is accused of supplying government information and equipment to an illegal racket run by her husband Jeetender, which resulted in more than 1,000 fraudulent visa applications, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

A police raid at the couple's house in October 2011 turned up almost $500,000 in cash, which was enough to charge the couple. But Mr and Ms Ajjan were able to flee the country because the Immigration Department failed to seize passports or ensure a criminal charge was laid quickly.

The couple were also able to wire $1.2 million to India in the days after the raid and before they fled to India.

Secret briefings from the Immigration Department, obtained by the Sydney Morning Herald, reported that investigators thought Ms Ajjan should be charged for dealing ‘with proceeds of crime of a value exceeding $100,000', which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in jail.

Ms Ajjan and her husband are now living in Delhi and Australian authorities are attempting to recover the $1.2 million she transferred to India, which is believed to be the proceeds of crime, but the Australian Federal Police has indicated the money may be difficult to recover.

Members might be interested in a complaint that I was copied into today.  The complaint has gone in to the DIBP.  Names have been removed for confidentiality reasons and replaced with XXXXXX.  This is not the first complaint of its kind:

I would like to make a complaint about a case officer who I believe has failed to treat my client with fairness, open and reasonable which has resulted my client to fall into unfavourable circumstances (see below).

The case officer, XXXXXXXXXXX (Position Number: 60002844) refused a nomination application (Nomination TRN XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) on 15 July 2014 and withdrew the corresponding subclass 457 visa (TRN: XXXXXXXXXXXX) on the same day without giving the client the opportunity of 28 days to comment on information for a Temporary Work(Skilled) (subclass 457) commonly known as IMMI Natural Justice letter which are normally given to other subclass 457 applicants.