Australian Immigration Daily News

Migration Alliance is pleased to announce the first edition of  iMigrant magazine will be launching next month (see below).   The iMigrant magazine will be published in conjuction with iStudent magazine, currently the most popular magazine for international students in Australia.

BACKGROUND - A MEETING OF THE MINDS

After a few years of careful consideration and research, and an introduction by a valued industry contact, Migration Alliance sat down with iStudent.  We had one conversation, and realised right then that our visions, aims and values were similar.

iStudent has a passion for the rights and protection of students and students interests.    Similarly, Migration Alliance has a passion for the rights and protection of RMAs and RMA interests.

iStudent's aim is to become the largest marketplace for international education in the world, where students empower other students to make transparent, informed choices about study abroad.  Migration Alliance's aim is to become the largest marketplace in the world, where migrants empower other migants and RMAs connect-in.

iStudent has built a centralised online database of international student experiences.  These experiences are shared with other students around the world to show them what it is really like to study in Australia and around the world.

The partnership between iStudent and Migration Alliance has evolved to include the release of a joint magazine, which until now, iStudent has successfully published as a solo-effort.

WHY iSTUDENT?

One of the objectives for the partnership is to expel myths and gossip which occurs when students talk at the pub and amongst friends, sharing poor or incorrect Australian immigration advice.  The melding of Migration Alliance services with iStudent's platform will solve the problem  as international students will be able to obtain the advice directly from RMAs instead of their friends.

Both organisations believe that the student / RMA comes first.  Both organisations have a core belief that their customers must have access to real information, and that the information must be easy to access and empower the student / RMA.  It is important that no one, no government entity or other organisation, no stakeholder in the Australian immigration space control the information flow.
 
For this reason and the reasons set out below, we believe that the partnership and offering is in the Australian national interest. 

EDUCATION AGENTS (WHO ARE NOT RMAs) ARE REMOVED FROM TRANSACTION

International students can make contact with institutions and education providers directly without the need to use a third party to act as an indermediary.  This means that students don't get 'hijacked' by unregistered middle-men who try and force students into dead-end courses leading the student nowhere,  but of course giving the unregistered agent commission for the booking.

Migration Alliance holds the view that only RMAs should provide immigration advice and assistance to visa holders or intending visa applicants to Australia. 

Unregistered student agents, aka 'education agents' often provide immigration advice and assistance outside their area of expertise and as part of general advice given when booking students into courses.  These 'unregistered education agents' prepare student visa applications for intending students as part of the 'booking service' to obtain commission from colleges for enrolments.  These 'unregistered student agents' are showing students pathways for migration to Australia based on limited knowledge, often with sad and disasterous results for the international students who find that they study a course which does not lead to a permanent migration or other useful outcome.

It is widely known that some 'unregistered education agents' send students to certain colleges so that the student doesn't need to attend class and can instead work full time.  Bookings are made on the basis that the 'unregistered education agent' effectively sells the ability to work more and study less.  Students recruit other like-minded students to achieve the same outcomes.

A NEW WAY

Finally we have created a partnership with an organisation which offers a new way, a better way and an alternative option  for international students.  Students can make free choices about when and where to study in Australia and obtain proper immigration advice the first time from RMAs.

A win-win.