Breaking Australian immigration news brought to you by Migration Alliance and associated bloggers. Please email help@migrationalliance.com.au
Correspondence from the Deputy President, Migration & Refugee Division Head, regarding amendments to the COVID-19 Special Measures Practice Direction – Migration & Refugee Division is now available on the AAT website.
The updated Practice Direction is available on our website and comes into effect on Monday 8 March 2021.
This issue has now been resolved and the ANZSCO list is now showing all relevant codes.
When it comes to migration agent CPD and attendance at online workshops, sometimes CPD providers are unable report CPD points to the OMARA due a migration agent's insufficient attendance.
Remain in the activity for the duration of the activity
The policy is that migration agents must remain in each activity for the duration of that activity. This means being in attendance from the start to the finish of the activity without logging out.
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The Director of the Office of the MARA sent the following email to Migration Alliance last night. The information below is on the OMARA website:
Transitional arrangements from 22 March 2021 are being developed to enable holders of Australian legal practising certificates (ALPCs), who cease to be a registered migration agent (RMA) following the commencement of new legislation on 22 March 2021, to maintain access to their ImmiAccount. It is intended that once an ALPC holder has been removed from the Register in accordance with the new legislation, they will be able to use their former MARN as a temporary lawyer ID number to access their existing ImmiAccount. ALPC holders removed from the Register should continue to use their former MARN until such time as a new unique identifier number is provided by the Department for ALPC holders to access their ImmiAccount. This is expected to be in place in the latter half of 2021.
On 22 March 2021, a new form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person will be available on the Home Affairs website to allow the holder of an Australian legal practising certificate to advise the Department of Home Affairs that they have been appointed by a client (e.g. a visa applicant) to provide immigration assistance under the Migration Act 1958 and, if applicable, to receive documents on their behalf. The new form 956 is to be completed for any new clients as of 22 March 2021.
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The Law Society of NSW has published an FAQ page about the deregulation legislation. The page provides useful hints on how to transition from a migration agency to a legal practice. It has a section which provides step-by-step processes for the transfer of client monies and files to a legal practice.
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