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IELTS for re-registration update
The following information is available on ComLaw re IELTS for repeat registration from 1 Jan 2014:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2013L01858
I will be meeting with Senator Cash at 10am to discuss this, amongst other things.
Agents, please URGENTLY provide your comments to this blog so that I can take the feedback to the meeting.
To me it seems like the addition is that lawyers don't need to do the test.
Comments
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Wednesday, 30 October 2013Yes ,It is not fair for registered migration agent to take IELTS test . I have been work as migration agent for 7 years and I have been no problem with any stakeholders. Moreover, I speak 4 different language , so I have clients from China. Japan,Korea, malaysia, Singapore, Indonisia, HongKong, and Taiwan.
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Wednesday, 30 October 2013
This unfair, racist and quite frankly stupid "requirement' attaching to reregistration needs to be revoked immediately.
· Judit Hajdu likes this comment. -
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
To apply IELTS requirements JUST from 2004 to 2010 are unfair and unethical. If new persons entering the migration advise profession ( post 2010 ) are aware of these requirements, it is reasonable because they know it before hand. Initially DIAC thought of applying these requirements even to those Agents who were registered before 2004. Then they changed mind and left it for a handful of Agents first registered between 2004 to 2009.
Long time back, there was no higher English test requirement for Doctors, Nurses and teachers alike. Now there is. why doesn't DIAC orders assessing authorities / employers to ask all those to do new IELTS tests with higher requirements.
If MARA / DIAC has any issue with a particular Agent that suggests English communication problem, they can introduce some short course in a supportive environment so assist the Agent improve on those issues. -
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Tax agent doesn't need to this Test for Reregistration Why would a Migration Agent?
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Wednesday, 30 October 2013
DIBP spends a lot of effort regulating RMAs, while not doing anything about offshore unregistered agents. Maybe we could just open our offshore offices and work from there. We can then forget about all these requirements.
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Wednesday, 30 October 2013
This is unfair and creats professional uncertainty there is not even one occupation where new requirements are imposed on the existing members of particular occupation.
This mean all the teachers who obtained registration with English in the early years will go for English test?
Migration legislation is very complex, if there is new study requirement to remain in the profession that may be understandable.However English test is unfair and un-constitutional as someone in the profession form more than 5 years can go for another occupation. How writing of the IELTS is important where more than 99.99%people do type on computer? -
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Hi,
This IELTS law is ridiculous. If there is an agent without the English Skills needed to practice why can't this be individually assessed. Besides why can't this be changed for people who are born with Australian citizenship and do not speak any other language.
I had to sit an IELTS test simply because I didn't have a degree (but I attended university for the Migration Agent Certificate) and because I did not finish year 12. Unhappy camper I don't speak any other language. I am feeling annoyed for people like me who have been singled out because they chose to work in law instead of finishing high school and who completed the mandatory course requirements for registration as an agent and now on top of it have to sit and pass a test in their only language. The whole course would have been a waste of $12,000.00 if didn't achieve the required IELTS result. -
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
What is the definition of a "a legal practicing certificate issued by an Australian body authorised by law to issue it"? Does this include registration as a Trade Marks Attorney or other specialist legal practitioners who do not hold General Legal practitioner certificates?
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Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Agree with the comment ,This unfair, racist and quite frankly stupid "requirement' attaching to re-registration needs to be revoked immediately.
If some one have completed say, Masters in Migration Law with Australian top University where more than 80%students were failed in particular semester , it will be injustice to keep those people away just for writing skills as no one write with hand these days and everyone type on the computer as said by Garry.
All agents who have not completed Grd cert in Migration law may be forced to complete that or can be forced to do Masters in Migration Law so that they can have better understanding of law. However English should not be imposed at least on already registered agents. -
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Absolutely unfair! kick out some agents and leave them seek unemplotment help from Centrelink? instead of paying tax now?
When we paid and did the GD course, we were not told there is such a requirement! -
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
It is absolutely unfair. We should fight against this unacceptable requirement. I was registered in 2006. And I remember that there was also an English requirement at that time. I met the requirement, as a result I was successfully registered. And after nearly 8 years experience without any troubles with clients and DIBP, I am required to provide another English requirement again..How silly it is..
A minimum score of 6.5 in each subtest is required now. How about someone who took a test prior to the introduction of 0.5 band gap for Speaking and Writing. I once took a test in 2005 and obtained 8, 8, 7 and 6 (speaking). There was no 0.5 scale for Writing and Speaking at that time. -
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
I am Practising RMA for 6 years , Qualified Chartered Accountant (CA Australia mem no 201405) & CPA (Australia) Accountant and a Australian passport holder. I have assisted many migrants including business migrants to obtain their visas. I am not sure why should I do Ielts for my re-registration. Total unfair measure.........
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Wednesday, 30 October 2013
It is absolutely unfair. We should fight against this unacceptable requirement. I was registered in 2006. And I remember that there was also an English requirement at that time. I met the requirement, as a result I was successfully registered. And after nearly 8 years experience without any troubles with clients and DIBP, I am required to provide another English requirement again..How silly it is..
A minimum score of 6.5 in each subtest is required now. How about someone who took a test prior to the introduction of 0.5 band gap for Speaking and Writing. I once took a test in 2005 and obtained 8, 8, 8 and 6 (speaking). There was no 0.5 scale for Writing and Speaking at that time. -
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
I fall through the cracks and will have to do the IELTS. The requirement for me to do the IELTS in order to renew my registration feels like an insult after completing two post-graduate diplomas in different areas of specialisation in Law in Australia, completing a Masters in Laws in Australia, being a registered Trade Marks Attorney, a RMA and a Justice of Peace (QUAL) and writing at least one submission a month for the MRT that involves complex research and arguments. I have lived and worked as a skilled migrant and Citizen of Australia since 1996. Yet, I will have to do the IELTS.
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Wednesday, 30 October 2013
I also believe this requirement is unfair and stupid. As a migration agent, I have been practicing in the industry from June 2005 I was first registered until the present. I have never had any issues with the MARA, code of conduct and any other stakeholders because of my English.
I along with two others scored the highest score on 2005 MAPKE exam.
In 2003, when I applied for a then subclass 885, I have achieved not less than 7 points IELTS for each section.
The funny thing is after over 8 years practice, I was asked to resit for an IELTS test again to proof my English ability.
Each year, myself lodged heaps of migration cases with DIBP, which I suppose might be much higher than those agents who were registered before 2004 but did not practice much in the industry.
Therefore, I wonder, based on what reasons, MARA applies this requirement only to those agents registered post 2004, rather than prior 2004?
Registered earlier means better English??? -
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Sitting for an IELTS and achieving the specified scores set by MARA are not an issue for most of agents at all. Only the issue concerning us is the requirement unfair, discriminative and unconvincing.
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Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Racism - Alive and Well.
If we are to invoke this damn stupid regulation, let's make it fair and equal.
All RMA's
All Lawyers
All DIBP Case Officers
Problem is DIBP would then have to close down through lack of staff, how often do we get a case officer (inside Australia) whom we cannot understand so we ask them to email, email received - no better, they would be flat out scoring 4.5 in IELTS yet they and their Supervisors can't understand a written submission, Departmental Policy Commentary or in fact, legislation.
I do not need to sit an IELTS but I am troubled by this piece of exclusion legislation.
Does it have it's genesis in the fact that many law firms (nice guys excluded Chris L et al) are sitting on their bums with little income, I know Barristers have never seen it so quiet as have my local lawyer friends. -
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
It is totally unfair to issue this requirement for those registered migration agents, who have been working in this industry for many years. They have already invested a lot of money whatever in studying the migration law or in their businesses, which have been treated their main income for their family. Suddenly, the government wants to take away their jobs. Generally, the law can't retrospct those regulations or legistrations, which had been published. It will be inconsistent and unstable if current authority to do so. For instance, there are many registered nurses to get their license only with IELTS 6, should they need to get IELTS 7.
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Wednesday, 30 October 2013
This is absolutely unfair. All the migration agents already met the English requirements when they were initially registered. I clearly remember that there were English requirements between 2004-2010. Who knows if we are required IELTS 8.0 in the future.
Immigration blog
It's not fair for some migration agent like me who have couple of years of practice experience with no Problems with any stakeholders for english. This is just a policy to kick out some innocent and experience agent from industry and make them jobless. What about my investment of time effort I have given in this proffession?