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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
Having just failed the exam for a second time (the only exams in my life I have failed, including law and accountancy professional exams) I have several issues around the whole concept of the Capstone exam which relate primarily to the great chasm in skill and knowledge required to pass the Grad Diploma and the Capstone exams (as evidenced by the very low pass rates) when the Grad Diploma is presented as providing the range of skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in the Capstone exam - based on the pass rates, this is blatantly not true.
As for the Capstone exam itself - the written paper especially part C seems to me to depend on an ability to type quickly (I have to admit I am a lousy typist and the assessors have remarked that my answers are good but too succinct). Maybe i should have done a typing course as well as the Grad Dip. The oral exam bears no relation to how I conduct interviews with my clients - I spend a lot of time interviewing clients and I would never walk into an interview having had just a few minutes to read and investigate a relatively complex brief - just wouldn't happen. If I were a client and I thought that the agent interviewing me had spent just a few minutes looking at and researching my case I would go somewhere else.
Anyway, having failed twice I have come to the unfortunate but realistic conclusion that the structural and policy defects in the Capstone exam regime make it extremely unlikely I will be able to pass; a pity - I think I had the makings of a competent agent, but that's life. As for the $30,000 it's cost me - at least VU and the College of Law are happy.
Before the last election the Prime Minister the Honourable Scott Morrison MHR, on behalf of the Coalition government promised all Australian that "....if you have a go we will give you a go". The Prime Minister must be held to his promise. I urge you to write a letter and remind the Prime Minister and his government of this promise and request that he honour it.
The letter should be as follows and signed by all the students:
To the Honourable Scott Morrison MHR Prime Minister of Australia
Parliament House Canberra
Dear Prime Minister,
Before the last election you, Prime Minister the Honourable Scott Morrison MHR, on behalf of the Coalition government promised all Australian that "....if you have a go we will give you a go".
Prime Minister "we are having a go" but the Law School which administers the Capstone test on behalf of OMARA is not giving us a go because the the test has an inbuilt mechanism to guarantee failure similar to the dictation test that was used to keep Australia White.
Prime Minister, will keep your promise and ensure that we are accorded procedural fairness by OMARA and at the same time restore credibility in our Universities by allowing them to provide the course and assess the competence of the students who complete that course, thus obviating the need for the farcical and discriminatory Capstone test.
Your faithfully.
Stop whinging and start agitating. nobody will give you anything until you demand it. So get to it. Until then the Universities and the Capstone shysters will happily keep taking your money. Australia has form in ripping people off, just have a look at the Banking Royal Commission.
The existing Registered Migration Agent ruined the industry. Now the punishment received by the new comers who must take such capstone exam. To honor the newcomers who could pass the exam, they should be entitled as Chartered or Certified Migration Agent which could distinguish from the existing RMA...
People thinking about doing the Diploma in Migration Law in Australia please think about it again very seriously. As a recently graduated student, I am in a $25,000 debt, 1 year wasted, lost my salary for a year and the compromise on spending time with family for a year to get the net result of not being able to register as a Migration Agent. Its a scam now and you will be left nowhere once you have paid money. Capstone is a money-making scheme and 87% fail rate says how ridiculous this system is. So Beware and think really hard before giving your money to any university cause they won't help you a bit.
After reading the discussion in regards to the Capstone exam, I am a little discouraged but still adamant on becoming the RMA and pondering upon enrolling in G.Diploma at Murdoch.
I get it that it is hard and many with years of experience could fail. It seems like it is impractical and they are playing games with the aspiring candidates.
So far one has to be a quick reader, should possess a very good typing speed and simultaneously proofread the material, vast knowledge of visas, Part C is lengthy and is worth 65%. Did I miss anything?
Could I please ask the ones who have attempted the exam twice that if the material was based around what yous have studied in the G.Diploma? If not then what do yous think that you should've glanced through in order to get the appropriate marks/score?
What should we be studying? Where should we be looking at/into?
Was there a particular topic that was repeated in the exam?
A mate of mine is completing his Bachelor of Law. Wondering if he decides to register himself as RMA, would he be exempt from undertaking the Capstone exam?
If only 5% are successfully getting through then what did they do differently then the rest?
Someone said in the forum that his answers were succinct. Is that what they want or they want us to be wordy?
Thanks
After putting so much effort and money is this field really worth or rewarding?As jobs are not much and well paid...also no restrictions on offshore agents who without any knowledge and training reaping maximum benefits.Only thing is to put all expense and complications on new candidates.So in case if you are making this licence so tough and expensive atleast generate some potential in this industry otherwise who will spend so much and put so much effort with no bright future.There are many other industries where licencing are far less expensive with higher success rate and lot of potential.This industry is like plundering new candidates with no future.
Totally unethical ,unfair and expensive test