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Release of Migration Agents Capstone Assessment
The Migration Agents Capstone Assessment has been released:
https://www.collaw.edu.au/migration
The Migration Agents Capstone Assessment (the Capstone Assessment) is an independent competency-based assessment, offered by The College of Law Limited. The Capstone Assessment has been designed to assess candidate’s skills to meet the Occupational Competency Standards for Registered Migration Agents (RMAs).
The first intake is to take place in late July / early August.
The price is $2750.
Relevant legislation regarding the Capstone (Explanatory Statement):
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017L01708/Explanatory%20Statement/Text
Comments
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Friday, 29 March 2019Hi Christopher,
After putting this post, we can’t see any reaction from your end?
Please either try to help us with your sources or else atleast let us know the right channe as no use of using this just for sake of popularity of your site or increase traffic.
We need help.
Capstone is unfair, unreasonable and unethical. We all have to abide by Code of Conduct and expect existing RMAs to show respect and support towards us.
Thank you -
Wednesday, 06 February 2019
This was a recommendation by bigshots who write and contribute to the "Australian Migration Legislation collection" book and few other people. Just want to make more money may be. I read their names in a document which you may find on internet if you do proper research. I don't have time to find it now.
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Thursday, 10 January 2019
Christopher. I agree, If they are only taking a test the fee is ridiculously high.
The content of the test is not clear.
There is nothing to guide the students for preparation for the test.
The cost of the Grad Cert is high enough.
The additional testing could be built into it
Something is not right
Maybe it is to do with the separation of lawyers from Migration Agents.
Then the time it takes to take the exam after finishing the Grad Cert means the student has a long time to wait before they can start practicing to make money from the industry -
Tuesday, 15 January 2019
Hi,
I'm taking the February 2019 capstone assessment after 1 year of completing a Grad Diploma. For someone with no professional experience in migration law, the Grad Dip was somewhat reassuring that we can navigate this practice (with some mentoring and guidance). The Capstone assessment, on the other hand, is just very expensive (in addition to the already costly Grad Dip, and upcoming registration requirements and fees) and Paul O is right in saying that we absolutely have no idea what to expect. The Program Manual just tells us that we "possess a minimum level of knowledge that is taught in the Graduate Diploma..." How minimum is minimum then? I've read somewhere that this is to appraise as to whether or not we meet the competency standards of the practice. I've read all 19 pages of the standards, but it's still so vague. Any advice from those who've taken it? -
Thursday, 07 March 2019
Hi
how was ur exam?
I am taking capstone assessment in May and i also don't have any experience in this field so bit worried as it is very expensive and i don't know what to expect in the exam. -
Saturday, 26 October 2019
Hi Neetu,
Didi you take the capstone exam in may? -
Tuesday, 22 January 2019
Hi,
I'm also sitting the capstone exam on 1 February 2019 and I agree - there is absolutely no guidance whatsoever which is ridiculous considering how much we had to pay to sit the exam. I emailed them yesterday morning to at least find out if they require us to reference in the written sections and file note (like we had to do for the Graduate Diploma course) and if so, how they prefer for it to be done - using footnotes or reference in the body of the text. I am still awaiting their response. It looks as if we will be allowed to access Legend and any other material online - do you agree? It really feels as if we are going into this exam blind... -
Thursday, 24 January 2019
Hi,
I am sitting the capstone exam in February and have tried and failed to get any details from the College around the written exam (other than an email about referencing - which basically says it's up to the candidate to decide what is appropriate).
Other than that, all the College says is that "the point of the Migration Capstone Assessment is to confirm the knowledge you should already have surrounding Migration Law as per your previous studies" - why there is a need to confirm knowledge that was obtained by completing a course two months ago is unclear.
Re Legend.com - the program guide says that Legend will not be used during the exam.
I have no idea what to expect on Feb 1st which seems ridiculous, especially after paying a substantial fee for the privilege. -
Saturday, 23 March 2019
Hi
Have you cleared your exam? -
Friday, 25 January 2019
Hi Stephen,
I'm also sitting the exam on 1 February. I emailed them about using Legend as I am equally confused, and received the following response: "As advised previously, the exam is open book meaning you can access resources to assist in answering your questions". I am therefore assuming that we can use Legend, but am not 100% sure. I also asked them if we will be marked down if we don't reference (seeing that we should decide ourselves whether to reference or not), but am yet to receive a reply... -
Tuesday, 22 January 2019I am genuinely sorry to hear about your experience, Susan and RPams. Would you be open to receiving tutoring or mentoring as a group from outside of the Capstone? We could try and organise something but again this would come at a cost. Yet another cost.
Have you considered writing to the Office of the MARA letting them know your questions are not being responded to or that you feel like you are not getting the support you need from the provider? If you are not getting the response from the provider then perhaps the Office of the MARA can ask them to respond?
I have asked a closed Facebook Group of RMAs whether they would consider helping people sitting the Capstone and will let people know on here asap. -
Friday, 25 January 2019
If this is the standard to become a migration agent why is it not the test taken at the end of the Grad Cert or Grad Diploma.
Why sit two tests when this one can be substituted into the course -
Wednesday, 06 February 2019
Hi guys, Good to see people are talking about this capstone exam. I want to be anonymous. I have taken exam, and found it is bit time consuming. The questions are prepared to make you think quickly and write the answers, and the stories are tooooo looong to read and answer, they try to distract you a lot. The good thing is you get the legislation along with the question.
Well this is the chance for them to mint money from you. They are greedy to collect hefty fees for this exam, costs almost nothing for them, it's like a Cash Cow. I believe the exam fees should be about $500/- nothing more than that, but they are making huge money out of this exam, probably the can pour champagne all over the year for all the staff.
If you send emails to the college of law staff and ask about questions of referencing they would not know as they are no vice to answer those questions. (They are only administrative staff following the rules given by their higher authorities.)
The people who prepared the questions who have extraordinary brains (they can't think as normal human being), they should understand that a newly registered agent will not handle a very highly complicated cases. I believe some questions can be easily answered only with good experience in that particular area.
On the whole they are not upto standards for what they charge and don't expect they will get matured shortly and have long way to go. Hopefully govt should action on this but they don't have time to look into this as they are busy fighting for themselves.
I don't trust College of Law anymore, just frustrated.
My advice is "If you get time read old closed cases which are bit complicated."
Well this is only my experience, and this doesn't have to be same in your case, everyone has their own stories and experiences.
All the best! -
Sunday, 24 March 2019
I agree. Took the assessment last February and failed. It was definitely time-consuming and you would have to scroll up and down and back again just to keep your facts straight (I assumed that taking notes on the side will take up more time and will run the risk of getting the facts wrong). The oral assessment was worse. It can be ANY type of migration situation combining ALL possible visa options, not to mention, complications in validity, cancellations, etc. You're given 15 mins to read the preliminary situation (meaning, within the call, they can throw massive curveballs at you). How do you even prepare for that? I honestly felt really stupid after and more so when I got my marks, only to find out that a lot of my classmates also failed. Really, how do we prepare and would $2200 be worth the re-take? We already paid a hefty sum for the grad dip, plus the $2750 for the assessment.
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Monday, 25 March 2019
Capstone test is just joke on system of education and democracy? It’s sheer reflection of ignorance monopolistic attitude from college of law to mint money at any cost?
- Already Course has been increased from 6 months to 12 months?
- Already Course fee has been doubled??
- Already exams have been taken twice by university who are running these courses
Then why would you have test from a body like college of law who is legally fighting against MARA itself?
How can you justify nature n length of Capstone test where even best if migration agents can’t clear, forget about newbies?
$2750 for this test?? It should not even cost $300??
Response from college of law is as if we don’t want you here just get out from the system??
This test is nothing but a joke on whole system with 65% passing mark specially in section C of test which has been purposely made very hard?
How can you justify passing ratio of left than 5%. I dare college of law to punblish real test result for last two examinations?? These unethical people are trying to teach ethics to new migration agents?? Shame on you OMARA and College of Law for forcing new migration students to make sure they pay hefty unethical fees and as n when they get migration license they charge real high fees to clients to recover for all their sufferings from your hand??
We have learned Code of Conduct during the course but when governing bodies are so unethical then I think I need to throw gods of conduct In rubbish bean as no code n no conduct exist in this industry at all as governing bodies itself are cheaters???
Christopher Lavington, please help if you can as we got more than 100 students who are suffering due to this unethical Capstone test?? -
Monday, 25 March 2019
Agree to above. The Capstone Test is very lengthy as well as not fair at all with new migration agents to expect to write so much at one go.
Very highly priced for facilities being provided for test.
This test should not be there at all.
Thank you -
Monday, 25 March 2019
All please sign in this Petition - Stop Capstone for Future RMA
https://www.change.org/p/office-of-the-migration-agents-registration-authority-remove-capstone-test-for-migration-students -
Monday, 25 March 2019
I have created this poll to capture data as to how many candidates have appeared in the capstone exam. As there are no official data to back us up
https://pollsgo.com/poll?p=YXWzYvI
Pls complete and share -
Monday, 25 March 2019
Looks like OMARA and COL are not checking the knowledge or skill needed as an entry level Migration Agent, Nor is it representative of the course material taught during the course.
The structure of the exam is totally unfair and unjust. The cost of $2750 is not justified at all. They are not even providing proper resource to practice.
Whosoever designed this test its evident that it is for the purpose of removing their competion from the market because existing agents know that we are potential Migration agents. This is unrelated to the reality of the teachings and designed to fail most students.
If Lawyers were to take the test they would also fail at a similar rate.
Immigration blog
I would love to know who set the exam.
Why the College of Law is running it?
Who decided that the fee of $2750 was "reasonable"?
What deal did the OMARA or Home affairs make and is there any $ in that deal for either the OMARA or Home Affairs?
This is but another financial hurdle for RMAs to climb over.