Australian Immigration Daily News

Yesterday, Migration Alliance sent an email to the RMA profession requesting that RMAs complete a survey regarding packages for Temporary Visa Holders and International Students in Australia who have been affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

We have received an overwhelming response from RMAs.  At this time, a small group of dedicated RMAs are working together to write a submission to government based on the answers and ideas that have been provided by members.

Migration Alliance hopes to be able to make a submission to government tonight by about 8PM, Sydney Eastern Daylight Time.

Migration Alliance received the following communication today via email:

As of Tuesday 24 March 2020 the Business Migration Centre will be working remotely.  We will no longer be accepting hard copies of applications or applications delivered to the office.  Please email your application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

Please do not send large documents.  We only require the documents requested on the front page of the application form.  Minimal paperwork that provides evidence of your claims in your application will suffice.

Migration Alliance has been in contact with the Department of Home Affairs and awaits advice regarding the status of persons on temporary sponsored visas, or student visas and what will happen in circumstances where they lose their employment.

We understand this is being discussed at the moment, and the government is trying to find workable solutions.

We will post any advice on this topic here on this blog and via email to our members.

In my capacity as Founder of Migration Alliance, in collaboration with Ken Phillips, Executive Director of Self Employed Australia (SEA), we provide the following summary to our RMA members:

This summary aims to assist Migration Alliance members and supporters understand the key Coronavirus emergency assistance available through the Federal government, and more.  SEA have collated this from official government sources and checked with our government contacts.

The assistance support is available for self-employed, small business migration agents who:

• Are sole traders and don’t employ anyone
• Employ people

And covers (details and links below):

I am not going to give up the fight to have unregistered immigration practitioners removed from lodging Australian visa applications for and on behalf of unwitting clients.  The fresh new Form 956 goes part of the way there on this journey, but we need to keep moving forward.

Unregistered migration practitioners who engage in the lodgement of Australian visa applications on behalf of vulnerable persons are exploitative, predatory and unethical.  They do not have a demonstrated level of sound knowledge.  If they were registered, the level of incompetency shown in their work would likely result in a decision by the Office of the MARA to cancel their registration, and the removal of their right to practise.

Sometimes unregistered practitioners commit offences under a number of different laws over an extended period.  Use the examples of Abel Kalpinand Prasad, or Eddy Kang.  These two individuals were operating onshore, on our own Australian soil.  Look how hard it has been for the authorities to bring them to justice.  If only they had been banned from lodging visa applications in the first place.  If only the system prevented their access.