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Unregistered Practice - dodgy Australian immigration advice given in Macedonia
The DIBP and OMARA really need to fix up Section 280B and create tighter restrictions for persons giving immigration assistance. Unwitting and vulnerable visa applicants to Australia are being provided documents with 'pathways to Citizenship' which are nothing more than a money spinning con.
The following information has come in today via email:
The source does not wish to be identified citing they are fearful to do so:
The source who I will name PERSON X has provided me with a copy of this document:
Dodgy-Australian-immigration-advice-in-Macedonia.pdf
This is an example of Australian immigration advice that is given to people in Macedonia by a Tourist agency connected with an Education Agent in Australia. Please could RMAs read the read the advice given to the unwitting and vulnerable members of the public. Whilst we are on Australian soil the Office of the MARA spend their time regulating RMAs. The OMARA is part of the DIBP. Migration Alliance has lobbied hard to have the government fix regulation 280B to prevent persons who are not registered migration agents from lodging applications for and on behalf of others and from providing immigration advice and assistance.
If the government is serious about stopping fraud and clogging up the system with dodgy, vexatious or plain ineligible applications then in my view they need to start with stopping unregistered practice. Now please read the last part of the advice, specifically where they advise about the "pathway to citizenship".
It simply does not make sense to have a regulatory authority set up whereby any Tom Dick or Harry can make a complaint against a RMA and then people like this (see attached) can say anything they like and give any advice they want about Australian immigration just to attract business.
It is quite frankly outrageous.
One RMA writes to me 'The precious consumers of the DIBP are very protected from these clowns aren't they? On the other hand we have to wast time and money to keep our selves nice and legit, and then be compared to children.'
PERSON X has explained that people (visa applicants - clients of DIBP) have the impression that they only enter Australia and get a job and then wait for citizenship based on the kind of appalling advice provided in the document above.
PERSON X states 'Why on earth don't they start to regulate the profession like New Zealand does?'
Comments
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Tuesday, 25 March 2014I have heard this kind things many many times. It is so disappointed that RMA has to spend time and money to maintain the RMA's status while other unregistered migration agent doing such kind things with no restriction. They also ruin the reputation of RMA. OMARA, please do something to stop it. OMARA should take the responsibility to inform public that only RMA can provide immigration assistance advice. Section 280B needs to be fixed!!
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Tuesday, 25 March 2014
There are 1000's of unregistered migration agents in India and the Government have not done anything about them.
The entire education system is compromised by overseas agents. Below I outline how they are doing their business :
1. Show funds for the purpose of visa application; these education agents that are are sub-agents of agents that have contractual arrangements with universities, open fake bank accounts and show funds for the purpose of visa application;
2. Facilitate fake marriages of students that are about to come to Australia, in the process the spouse gets a free ride;
3. Charge fees that are not initially specified to the clients;
4. The Government have already given too much power to the universities (SVP) as they are giving offer letter without checking on the IELTS score or the funds requirements, of the candidates;
5. These agents apply in the name of clients and hence are never to be caught;
For permanent visa application:
1. Give promises to clients, that do not have the required qualifications or experience;
2. Do paper marriages;
3.Do not explain the migration process to the clients;
On the look of MARA register i saw that there are 74 results for MARA agents practicing in India. The number suggests that there are enough registered migration agents in India to service clients and hence their is a case of not accepting any file by unregistered agents.
Immigration blog
I sent this to Hon Senator Michaelia Cash MP and Hon Scott Morrison MP
Unregistered Practice - can we tighten Section 280B please to protect vulnerable consumers
Dear Michaelia and Scott
I would like to re-propose the tightening up of Section 280B to stop unregistered practice.
Please find the latest article on unregistered practice:
http://migrationalliance.com.au/immigration-daily-news/entry/2014-03-unregistered-practice-dodgy-immigration-advice.html
I have previously sent in other stories of unregistered practice in India and other locations where offshore agents are conning and ripping off vulnerable consumers, who part with their money for baseless promises of a new life in Australia and false hopes at the hands of con-men/women.
People are being duped because Australia allows persons who are unregistered to provide immigration advice and assistance. This leads to vexatious applications, poorly documented applications clogging up DIBP caseloads and a loss of money and time for everyone. Officers are the DIBP have to spend more time dealing with dodgy, incomplete and inaccurate visa applications prepared by incompetent individuals.
If we tightened up S280B then we would fall in line with other countries like New Zealand who do not accept applications from unregistered agents.
On 8 January 2014 I sent a submission on this to Michaelia's office:
http://migrationalliance.com.au/immigration-daily-news/entry/2014-01-abolish-unregistered-practice.html
We can help prevent fraud and bogus documentation if we can control the source of the issue. The source of the issue is the unregistered agent.
Thank you for considering my proposal.
Best regards
Liana Allan