Breaking Australian immigration news brought to you by Migration Alliance and associated bloggers. Please email help@migrationalliance.com.au
The DIBP structure chart is now available:
portfolio-structure-chart-09032015.pdf
From 1 July 2015, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) will become one Department.
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This is a general notice to all RMAs who are looking to have their points reported for CPD activities by providers.
It has not been possible for CPD providers to report points to the OMARA as the website has been down.
The website is now back online but this means there may be a delay in reporting.
Here is the real wording for that part of the Act:
(1) The functions of the Migration Agents Registration Authority are:
(a) to deal with registration applications in accordance with this Part; and
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Senate Estimates
On Monday, 23 February 2015 the tribunals' Executive and I attended Senate Estimates and appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitution Affairs. I provided the committee with an update on matters of significance since our last appearance in October 2014, including a caseload update and an indicator of this year’s caseload strategy. The tribunals were questioned on the current caseload, in particular those related to unauthorised maritime arrivals, processing times and improvements and efficiencies implemented by the tribunals. Read more>
Caseload report to 28 February 2015
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Perhaps the most important advice to agents in 2015 about OMARA's 'random audits' can be found in the words recently posted by Immigration Lawyer, Ray Turner:
Those of us who have practiced in the area of Criminal law know that our gaols are full of people who tried to explain their situation, and were later convicted due to information disclosed in that explanation, rather than exercising their right to silence and forcing the authorities to prove their guilt.
RMAs should do the same
Ray Turner is an accredited specialist in immigration law and has been a registered migration agent since 1992. He has been recently recognised by the Law Society of New South Wales for 20 years of service, advising and acting clients as one of Australia’s top migration law practitioners.
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