Australian Immigration Daily News

The following email is being received by RMAs in Queensland at the moment:

Dear AAAAAAA [name removed for privacy reasons]

The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (the OMARA) is monitoring the conduct of registered migration agents to verify agents' compliance with the Code of Conduct.
 
The OMARA is authorised under section 316 (b) of the Act to “… monitor the conduct of registered migration agents in their provision of immigration assistance and of lawyers in their provision of immigration legal assistance” and section 316 (g) of the Act to “… monitor the adequacy of any Code of Conduct”.
 
The current focus of the OMARA is on agents that operate in Queensland.  You have been randomly selected for monitoring.  It would be appreciated if you would take the time to complete an online survey relating to your business practices and compliance with the Code of Conduct for registered migration agents.  The survey can be accessed by following the link below:
 
Follow this link to the Survey:
Take the Survey
Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
https://dibpau.qualtrics.com/WRQualtricsSurveyEngine/?Q_SS=8G4utjXH8pVYHrf_2bm23MBNxEgwpJX&_=1
 
Please note that you may be selected for a monitoring visit in the near future.  Should this occur, the OMARA will be in contact with you to make appropriate arrangements for the visit.
 
Thank you for your cooperation.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries regarding this matter.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
XXXX YYYYY
Assistant Director
Registration, Professional Development and Monitoring
Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority
Email: [name removed for privacy reasons]

Advice from Christopher Levingston, Accredited Specialist Immigration Lawyer is that absent a formal written request under section 308 or other statutory power there is no requirement for any RMA to comply with or take part in "random monitoring". 

by Michael Jeremy - Registered Migration Agent and Migration Lecturer

Last month, February, I attended the Watermelon Festival in Chinchilla in Southern Queensland. My mate Terry has a watermelon farm and my interest in melons over the decades made Melonfest Chinchilla impossible to resist.

My professional interest in agriculture and horticulture in Australia also made this part of Queensland a must visit. Despite issues with oversupply making previous seasons tough for watermelon growers, Melonfest 2015 was reported a great success, with commercial Sydney and Melbourne television stations covering the event live.

MIGRATION ALLIANCE VIDEO RELEASE

The new Migration Alliance video is now live and will soon be uploaded to the homepage.  Watch it here:

Michael Jeremy (on the left in the picture) will be presenting two separate, full-day 10-point CPD blitzes in Perth on 13 March and 14 March 2015.   Here is what the super-guru of Australian immigration has to say:

"I really enjoy delivering training workshops as these OFFER a much more interactive and interesting learning environment.

I always learn new things and see things from different perspectives as a result of the broad range of experiences held in the workshop. It also gives PARTICIPANTS a greater ability to get to know each other and find out what their colleagues are interested in, specialise in and how to create networks in an often isolating industry.

The topics we'll be discussing in Perth:

•     The ever-changing General Skilled Migration, 'this is not an application' - Expression Of Interest (EOI). Not to be outdone, the states, territories and regions of Australia also have their own Skilled Occupation Lists, skill and English criteria and systems of invitation to the party. The Immigration Department also has interesting and growing cancellation powers over permanent visas.

•     Ministerial Intervention, which is an interesting, complex and explosive area of immigration in which to practice. Migration professionals must always remember that this is about the 'Minister' NOT the 'Department'.

•     The notorious 457 Visa is, in my opinion, one of the most complicated programs within skilled migration. It really is about Australian employers and their ability to abide by the sponsorship obligations. This is a really interesting area of Immigration law in which to practice.

•     ENS (Employer Nomination Scheme). This is widely misunderstood to be 'permanent sponsorship'. It's nothing of the sort. We'll go through some interesting aspects of the regs and how to best advise clients on pathways and streams.

•     The Health Criteria is my favourite seminar. The Health Crtieria apply to every person who seeks entry to Australia and to remain in Australia, it's the standards of evidence that differ across individuals and how those standards of evidence are best determined. In this seminar we'll look at HIV, Ebola and medical conditions such as Schizophrenia. We'll also discuss how best to manage an application for a health waiver.

I invite all attendants to come armed with questions and issues to raise within the group."