Australian Immigration Daily News

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• 

  jon jovanovic Thursday, 16 May 2019

  Open letter to Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison
  
  
  Currently in Australia various Royal Commissions have demonstrated
  that, if you want to find phedophiles take look in our religious and
  government welfare institutions, if you wanted to find bank robbers
  and fraudsters, have look in our banks and finance institutions and if
  you wanted to find elder abusers, take peek into our old people homes
  and similar establishments.
  
  Whilst a Royal Commission has not yet been held into our tertiary
  institutions, it is well overdue. Under the watch of this government,
  the loudly self proclaimed good money managers, management of money
  has been anything but good, in fact it has been appalling.
  
  As Australia's migration program has grown, in particular and
  including the growth of influx of foreign students, locally known as
  "cash cows", the government decided to overhaul and upgrade the
  Migration Agents qualifications and infuse them with professionalism, adding
  tertiary grunt, by making it a post graduate Diploma. This upgrade is
  occurring under the watchful eye of the Homes Affairs Department,
  headed by the Right Honorable Peter Dutton MHR.
  
  However, contemporaneously the government has cut funding to
  universities and encouraged them to become more entrepreneurial. As an
  adjunct to that entrepreneurial spirit, universities have been
  encouraged to provide specific need courses, such as a one year
  Migration Agents diploma, only available to University Graduates.
  
  A number of universities still offer Migration Agent courses charging
  huge fees exceeding $20,000 per-annum.
  
  Now who could argue with that?
  
  Well argue they can, and argue they will, because at the same time as
  Dutton was upgrading the qualifications for Migration Agents, requiring
  them to obtain post graduate qualifications, he exempted others, namely lawyers.
  
  Hence lawyers who only held a law degree, could become Migration
  Agents without any further studies or knowledge of the Migration Act
  and Regulations,
  
  But that is not all, there is more much more.
  
  Once these university graduates (a University Degree is a prerequisite
  for entry into a Migration Agents course) have completed their studies
  and met the satisfactory assessment of the University who conducted
  the course, they could not become Migration Agents. Hence, in disgust
  one university has stopped providing the course, and two other
  universities are contemplating to do so.
  
  Can you believe it?
  
  No sir, they had to sit for the Capstone test at a further cost of $2,750.
  
  Now listen very carefully, because this is the very reason why a Royal
  Commission should be held forthwith in the manner in which Migration
  Agents are appointed and the Minister who has the ultimate
  responsibility for the selection and the appointment of the same.
  
  The Capstone test has been developed and is administered by guess who?
  
  Yes, lawyers.
  
  We all know the vastness of empathy and benevolence swirling around
  and about in the legal profession, not to mention the selflessness of
  lawyers when it comes to protecting their own self interest.
  
  The government selected the College of Law to devise and administer
  the Capstone test at a cost of $2750.
  
  Conflict of Interest?
  
  Now I wrote to the College of Law to find out how they prepare
  students for this test and received this reply
  
  "...we do not provide study material or preparation courses for the
  exam.." (see enclosed letter in full below). Suprise suprise.
  
  Can you believe it, lawyers who are exempt from any requirements to
  become Migration Agents and yet Minister Dutton has given them the
  power to devise and administer the test for the admission of Migration
  Agents?
  
  And here is the rub, of the 50 graduates who had successfully
  completed their Migration Agents university course some gaining
  distinctions, only 2 passed the Capstone test.
  
  The cost of for 50 Graduates to complete the course and sit the
  Capstone exam was $1,287,500. 2 passed. To produce 1 graduate
  Migration Agent as overseen by Minister Dutton cost $648,750, and yet
  0 if that graduate happens to be a lawyer.
  
  Is that good economic management, ands utilisation of scarce
  resources, by this government?
  
  My question to both of you Mr Shorten and Mr Morrison is this
  
  Will you investigate the shambolic manner in which the Department of
  Home Affairs administers the registration of Migration Agents and the
  blatant discrimination it imposes on graduates attempting to gain
  registration not to mention the existence and toleration of the
  glaring conflict of interest exhibited therein?
  
  Jon Jovanovic
  68 Doyle Ave
  Lenah Valley Tas 7008
  0414467364
  
  
  
  
  
  Dear Jon,
  
  Thank you for your email.
  
  The College of Law has been engaged by the Office of the Migrations
  Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) as its agent to deliver the
  Migration Agents Capstone Assessment as specified by legislative
  instrument IMMI 18/003.
  
  Students are tested on Occupational Competency Standards (OCS). We
  cannot specify exactly what will be covered in the exam or what
  specifically will be assessed.
  
  We do not provide any study materials or preparation courses for the
  exam. Resources will be presented with the exam if they are required.
  Otherwise, the point of the Migration Capstone Assessment is to
  confirm the knowledge a student should already have gained surrounding
  Migration Law as per their previous studies. We simply deliver the
  exam on behalf of OMARA.
  
  The assessment is open book, so students are free to access any
  resources they deem appropriate to adequately answer the questions
  during the examination. We advise students access the materials they
  used during their Graduate Diploma. Access to LEGEND.com is not
  necessary.
  
  In regards to the pass rate, the information circulating is inaccurate
  as it has been assumed by previous candidates. Under our agreement
  with OMARA, all information regarding the Migration Capstone
  Assessment is delivered to OMARA following each intake. We cannot
  comment on pass rates and request that you refer any enquiries to
  OMARA.
  
  Please click here for more information from OMARA on the exam and why
  it was introduced.
  
  If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
  
  Kind Regards,
  NAME REMOVED TO PROTECT PRIVACY
  Client Services Officer
  
  Level 16, St James Centre
  111 Elizabeth St
  Sydney NSW 2000
  
  PHONE NUMBERS REMOVED TO PROTECT PRIVACY
  
  www.collaw.edu.au

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• 

  Electric Boogaloo Monday, 03 June 2019

  There is much to be said about those who are hapy to 'just scrape through. I hope i don't get a doctor who just scraped through on 65... Very low for those who want to play with peoples lives. As a matter of interest, did you know the LLB used to require a undergraduate degree in latin? Things have certainly changed since then, including the entry level to Law school. Yes, we can see the impact that it has had on the legal profession, it would be nice to return to standards based - rather than money based learning outcomes.
  
  As prior, universities shouldn't be letting these people through - i know i complained about the lack of standards at the now closed ANU. If anything, the pass mark should be lifted to 85.
  
  Can't Legal Training Australia run a prep course for these low achievers?

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• 

  Chris Friday, 14 June 2019

  Well, understand this when the "White Australia" policy was around, intending migrants have to pass a language test, is free of course but it can be in any European language. The test is designed to fail of course for non-Europeans. If the issue is high fees then there is a solution (say Afterpay ?). If the issue is too little time to complete the exam because it takes longer to type etc, then you can practice until you can type faster. If the issue is that you do not want such a test or prefer existing RMAs to do the same in the interest of fairness, then you can vote this government out and get the next Minister to agree. It is only another 3 years wait. It took 72 years for the "White Australia" policy to be abolished in 1973 even then most Australians do not support this (post war). But this was the Labour party's platform in 1901 and the Labour party is interested in protecting voters' jobs. I am sure the new Labour leader would love to hear about this.

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• 

  HARINIKA NADEESHANI SAMARAWEERA Wednesday, 19 June 2019

  Dear All,
  
  Great effort on above complaint. I could have contribute my participation if I known by this before. Anyway keep me in touch with this link.
  
  Migration Agents Capstone assessment is a really waist of our money and time. I even made a complaint to College of Law by myself, but the enrolling officer said the complaint has forwarded to the College of Law management and they will attend to it. But still no response from them.
  
  I have sat for February 2019 intake and unsuccessful and again sat for the May 2019 intake and the results were released yesterday, again I'm unsuccessful on it.
  
  I feel like The College of Law doing this purposely to make us fail and then only Legal practitioners can continue with retain with Migration matter as Registered Migration Agents.
  
  This is really unfair situation and Legal practitioners against us and they are the one testing us are we qualify to become a Migration Agent in Australia. OMARA should do something for us.
  
  We have spent our whole last year to complete Graduate Diploma for Migration Law and now we are spending money to pass the Capstone assessment together with IELTS exam too. English testing is fair, except the Capstone assessment. Because we have to under go a Practice Ready Programme (PRP) in our first year of registration to test our ability to provide advice for clients. So, why they asking for another test to test our ability again in the Capstone Assessment. This is really unfair and non of the professional filed hasn't got pre qualifications like this.
  
  We all requesting to remove the Capstone assessment from Migration agents industry and please let us involve in this Australian Visa advising industry and provide more valuable and productive work to this Australian community.
  
  Thank you
  
  Best of Luck for everyone (specially who graduated with me last December).
  
  Harinika N Samaraweera

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• 

  Steve Thursday, 27 June 2019

  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.

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• 

  HARINIKA NADEESHANI SAMARAWEERA Thursday, 11 July 2019

  Dear all,
  
  Please see the new payment structure for Capstone assessment in August 2019.It is more costly than before for second or third attempt.... Getting more and more complicated..... so unfair. We are not in this business yet, but have to pay more and more money to get through this pointless exam....
  
  "Dear Candidates,
  
  This is a reminder that the deadline to enrol for the August intake for the Migration Agent Capstone Assessment (OM193s) is 4.00 pm AEDT Friday 5th July 2019 (please note, places are limited).
  
  The previously advised changes will come into effect this intake, please see below significant changes:
  
  The Capstone Assessment will be split into two separate assessment components:
  o a Written component assessment ($1650.00 inc GST) and an;
  o Oral component assessment ($1100.00 inc GST)
  
  The Written assessment component will be offered first and only candidates who enroll and successfully complete the Written assessment component will be permitted to progress to the Oral assessment component.
  
  In order to successfully pass the Assessment its entirety, candidates must achieve the following:
  o 65% or above overall for the Written assessment component; and
  o 65% or above overall for the Oral assessment component. "

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• 

  Jon Jovanovic Tuesday, 20 August 2019

  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 proceedurall fairness by OMARA and at the same time restore credibility in our Universities by allowing them to provide the course and assess the competenece of the students who complete that course, thus obviating the need for the farcical and discriminatory Capstone test.
  
  Your faithfully.

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• 

  Lucky Tuesday, 01 October 2019

  We need highly knowledgable migrant professional not English grammar teachers...

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• 

  Paul O Wednesday, 02 October 2019

  How do you expect these people with poor English to read and understand the regulations and the act?
  How will they give legal advice in writing that cannot be misunderstood by a client if their English is below standard.
  Perhaps you can give me examples of how they will handle this professionally

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• 

  Jon Jovanovic Tuesday, 12 November 2019

  Hi Guys,
  
  Please find enclosed correspondence to and from Griffiths University and the office of the Honourable Andrew Wilkie MHR. You will notice that the University shares the same concerns most of you have and has been and continues to have the problem rectified. It seems that OMARA and the Minister are continuing to stonewall those attempts. Pardon my scepticism but if it feels like, smells like and it appears to be like a spot of latent racism that is emanating from the offices of OMARA and the Minister, then it is what it is. We cannot and should not waste precious human resources to appease the ideological whims of the Minister and his Department. My suggestion to each and every one of you is to get on your bike and lobby your local Member of Parliament until this injustice is rectified.
  
  Cheers
  
  Jon Jovanovic
  PS if I can help in any way call me on 0414467364
  
  Jon Jovanovic
  5 Nov 2019, 15:57 (7 days ago)
  to vc
  
  Dear Professor Evans,
  
  My son Adam Jovanovic has just completed a Migration Agent's Diploma
  at your University. Are you aware that completion of this $24,500
  course is not a sufficient qualification to become migration agent as
  there is an additional necessary test that needs to be passed; the
  Capstone test at a further cost of $2,700.
  
  The very expensive course offered by your University does not equip
  students to successfully complete this Capstone course as indicated by
  the abysmal failure rate.
  
  My son has indicated that the course offered by your University has
  emphasises obscure and rarely used contents like orphan visas, whereas
  the emphasis of the Capstone test has a greater practical bias and
  tests on rural, student and work visas which mirrors events in the
  real world.
  
  Why is this not given emphasis in your course?
  
  After all the whole purpose of the course is to prepare students for
  the real world, is it not?
  
  Why is no training given to students to deal with these issues leading
  to the ongoing waste of talent and resources?
  
  How can your University justify the $24,500 fee when successful
  competition of your course, whilst a necessary condition for becoming
  a migration agent is not sufficient as it does not prepare students to
  successfully navigate the further requirement to become a migration
  agent.
  
  Is this a policy issue of the government which has severely cut
  funding to force Universities by hook or crook to raise money?
  
  I await your response with assedious interest.
  
  Cheers
  
  
  
  Jon Jovanovic
  5 Nov 2019, 16:10 (7 days ago)
  to Andrew
  
  Hi Andrew,
  
  Please find enclosed correspondence sent to the Vice Chancellor of
  Griffiths University where my son completed a Post Graduate Diploma in
  Migration. He would like to practise as a migration agent. Due to the
  rules introduced last year he has to in addition to completing a Post
  Graduate Diploma in Migration he has to pass a Capstone test which has
  an astonishingly high failure rate and there is no preparation for the
  same provided.
  
  Furthermore it is administered by the College of Law. Students that
  have sat the test have indicated that not enough time is provided for
  competing the test. It seems that the test is designed in such a
  manner to prevent candidates who have obtained the Post Graduate
  Diploma from passing and competing with lawyers who can be migration
  agents without having any qualifications except a law degree and a
  practising certificate.
  
  Seems a bit odd that lawyers who are in direct competition are setting
  and the test and assessing the results. Don't you think?
  
  Don't you think this is just a tad of conflict of interest?
  
  I would also appreciate if you could pass on my letter to the Minister
  for education and the shadow minister as they no longer provide their
  emails.
  
  Thanks Andrew.
  Cheers
  
  Response regarding Graduate Diploma of Australian Migration Law & Practice
  Inbox
  x
  
  Emma Robinson
  Fri, 8 Nov, 17:56 (4 days ago)
  to me, Griffith, Therese
  
  Dear Mr Jovanovic
  
  Thank you for your email dated 5 November 2019 and for your concern about the suitability of Griffith University's Graduate Diploma of Australian Migration Law & Practice.
  
  In 2017, after considering Griffith University's extensive program proposal, OMARA approved Griffith's Graduate Diploma program as meeting all of the criteria set by OMARA for this program, and listed it as one of the prescribed courses for the purposes of registration. Our program's learning activities and ​assessment items have all been mapped to the appropriate Australian Qualifications Framework level for a Graduate Diploma and to the Occupational Competency Standards for Registered Migration Agents.
  
  Since January 2018, in addition to the Graduate Diploma program, OMARA also listed the capstone assessment as the prescribed exam for registering as a migration agent. The capstone assessment is set and run by the College of Law independently of the universities providing the Graduate Diploma program. Following recommendations made by the Kendall Review that the capstone assessment is a stand-alone assessment de-linked from the Graduate Diploma program, OMARA has enforced this separation between the providers of the Graduate Diploma and the providers of the capstone assessment. In practical terms what this means is that the providers of the Graduate Diploma do not have any knowledge of the content of the capstone assessment or the level at which the questions in the capstone assessment are pitched. As any educator would know, this lack of alignment is problematic.
  
  We have long expressed our concerns with this model to OMARA and have advocated strongly for changes to the capstone assessment, particularly in light of the low pass rates. We also note that the low pass rates apply universally to all candidates sitting the capstone, regardless of which university Graduate Diploma program they have completed. We have been successful in having some of our concerns accepted by OMARA with subsequent changes to the capstone assessment. These changes were applied to the August 2019 intake of the capstone assessment but we have yet to receive pass rates statistics from OMARA for this intake. We continue to communicate our concerns to OMARA and will be meeting with them later this month.
  
  There are eight courses in our Graduate Diploma program. Four of these courses focus on legislative requirements and the other four courses focus on teaching the relevant practitioner skills required to apply those legislative requirements. The practitioner skills courses include a simulated client file component in which students are required to prepare and lodge two visa applications (and manage their client files according to the Code of Conduct requirements). In 2019 the visa applications prepared by students were a partner visa and an orphan relative visa, and the students learned to deal with numerous practical issues as part of those visa applications including, but not limited to, client management, financial management, PIC 4020 notifications, DNA requests, and visa refusal.
  
  These were not the only visa sub-classes taught, as combined, our eight courses cover a wide range of knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to practise as ethical and competent registered migration agents. Each course has at least 4 assessment items assessing students' knowledge and understanding of the learning materials and covers areas including valid visa application requirements, legislative constraints, eligibility requirements for most visa classes, cancellation powers, merits and judicial review, legal writing, client interviewing, oral and written advocacy, Code of Conduct and file management requirements.
  
  We update and change our assessment for each program cohort so that the range of visas taught and assessed varies and takes into account the innumerable changes to the migration law and policy as well as student feedback. A wide variety of visa sub-classes are taught and assessed throughout the program, including employer-sponsored, independent skilled, TSS and student visas.
  
  Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.
  
  Kind regards
  
  Emma
  
  
  
  Emma Robinson | Program Director
  
  Graduate Diploma of Australian Migration Law & Practice
  
  Griffith Law School
  
  von Stieglitz, Millie (A. Wilkie, MP)
  Wed, 6 Nov, 16:26 (6 days ago)
  to me
  
  Dear Jon,
  
  
  
  Thank you very much for your enquiry regarding the Capstone test.
  
  Before I can give you a detailed response I need to speak with Andrew’s advisor who is responsible for education. She is on leave until Monday.
  
  I will have a chat to her when she is back at work and get back to you ASAP.
  
  
  
  Kind regards,
  
  
  
  Millie von Stieglitz
  
  Office of Andrew Wilkie MP
  
  Independent Member for Clark

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• 

  Paul O Tuesday, 12 November 2019

  I believe there is an agenda in all this and that it is established by the Government.
  1. Immigration was given control over MARA
  2. MARA was then said to be independent
  3. MARA required an applicant to complain before they would act to investigate
  4. MARA then established the new Diploma in Migration Law and all diploma courses have to be approved by MARA (remember MARA Is Immigration)
  5. Immigration during the last year or more has been issuing its own complaints to MARA (Itself)
  6.MARA is now issuing its own complaints without any requirement for a public complaint or referral from Immigration (Itself)
  6. Lawyers want to be exempted from Registering with MARA
  7. Most lawyers failed the Grad Cert in Migration Law.
  When I took it there were almost 100 in the class and 35 passed. All accountants and those working for migration agents passed. More than 60% taking the course were lawyers. This means many lawyers were incompetent at migration law at a basic level
  When my Stepdaughter took the course close to 100 in the class and only 14 passed. Same mix meaning almost all lawyers failed the basic migration law course
  These people want automatic license to practice migration law even though the demonstrated incompetence in the Grad Cert.
  
  So now we have the regulator imposing their own investigations.
  Diploma in Migration law (Does not guarantee registration)
  Capstone Test to prevent access to the profession.
  
  The agenda is clear
  
  MARA will sanction and remove a lot of agents from the system with their own investigations
  Fewer agents will be licensed in the next 2-3 years (it will be a trickle)
  Thousands will leave the profession because they are not making money and others due to the sanctions
  Lawyers will want to take control of the industry and the less agents that are there to complain the easier it will be for them.
  
  If only lawyers are licensed to process visas there will be no need for MARA (A division of Immigration)
  
  Those agents who are on the suspect list (yes it exists) will be targeted to remove them
  
  
  As the numbers dwindle the need for regulation by Immigration is passed to the Law council.
  With the introduction of computer based processing (an open invitation for corruption and bribery to undermine the visa processing) there will be a reduction in the need for migration agents.
  
  Now Immigration has introduced a new special team to assist high quality skilled migrants to migrate to Australia. This will be manned by Immigration staff and remove the need for migration agents
  
  How soon do you think Immigration will provide staff to assist any visa applicant?
  Maybe I am cynical but it looks a lot like this to me.

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• 

  jon jovanovic Wednesday, 13 November 2019

  What in effect you are saying Paul is that MARA is restricting trade and stifling competition. Perhaps a class action ought to be commenced. Maybe we should contact Slater and Gordon who specialize in this sort litigation? What do you think?

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• 

  Bothukur Thursday, 28 November 2019

  Respected Paul O
  With due respect I would say your assumption of the person as INDIAN, who though used unprofessional word to address someone who supported CAPSTONE EXAM is INCORRECT and shows you are no better than that person.
  It would be construed as RACIAL REMARK AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK.
  If you want I would send watch some videos of an Indian Politician named SASHI THAROOR to know the level of English Indian's capable of.
  
  Thanks

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• 

  Eric Monday, 09 March 2020

  Hello everyone
  
  I am a person who is looking forward to stepping into this industry. By the information regarding the capstone test I got on the internet, it has been sufficiently proven that the test has become the biggest challenges for these who intend to become a Migration agent.
  
  I'm disappointed that most of the comments from the two camps are with negative attitudes exclusively. Those who are registered migration agents claim that the capstone test is extremely reasonable for the new candidates to prove they are competent enough. What does competence mean? Can people improve this superpower? Can people keep this superpower at the same level from born to die? Those who take the examples as ’my clients met incompetent agents’ that sounds like you are always right. Ask yourself whether you have ever met a question which you couldn't answer immediately in front of your clients, or answered incorrectly. You judged the new applicants with English level, nationalities and abilities. However, although you are born and raised in Australia, are native speakers, you must know how to deal with some people who don't speak English. Those agents who have similar backgrounds could handle these cases much better than you. However, others from the opposite camp believe that these existing ’old’ agents cannot pass the capstone test. How much extent you are certainly sure those licensed guys are afraid of the test. How about we ask for their help from these who said they 100% sure they can pass the exam easily. I remember there is one person said he guided a candidate who passed his second attempts. Please do us a favour, helping us with this test instead of sneering. Massive thanks!!
  
  I just want to say I feel helpless in this particular circumstance. Couldn’t we hold together and surmount this difficulty as a group? No matter which camp you support.

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  Jon Jovanovic Tuesday, 10 March 2020

  The Capstone test is a sham designed to ensure that only lawyers do immigration work. This fact is acknowledged by the Universities who provide the diploma course and by implication the College of Law who administer the test. It is but another example to demonstrate the lack of principles, of many of our previously revered institutions revealed by recent Royal Commissions. Don't expect that our tarnished politicians will do anything about it.

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  eric Tuesday, 10 March 2020

  So we are all finished lol

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  Paul O Tuesday, 10 March 2020

  Prepare for all migration agents to be tested in the future. Then be under the control of the law council. This will dissolve MARA and reduce Immigration expenses

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  Eric Monday, 26 October 2020

  Hi Paul,
  
  You are calm and rational, well said and forward thinking.
  
  How can I get your mentoring? I am in Melbourne.

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  Jon Jovanovic Wednesday, 11 March 2020

  A level playing field is a bit too much to expect from the ideologues who control migration and the rapacious nature of the legal profession and the and profit driven Universities. Once upon a time Universities were places of learning. Now Vice Chancellors have become property speculators peddlers of suspect degrees to Non English speaking Chinese with deep pockets. Witness the whole sale removal of courses which used to be offered by the University of Tasmania so that their Vice Chancellor can engage in property speculation. The Capstone Test is but a symptom of that disease.

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  Mary Maravelias Monday, 26 October 2020

  I am actually appalled by a few of the comments on here.
  
  If English is such an important component to Migration Law, then this should be considered before Universities allow students to enrol in their courses. I see it as the fault of universities that they aren't presenting the real picture of what is required in order to pass the Capstone assessment. They're quick to grab the money but slow in being transparent. Is this ethical? I think not so.
  
  I am a graduate teacher of English and English Literature and have also failed the Capstone exam.
  
  We are in the process of writing a submission to the Ombudsman, OMARA, MP's and all parties concerned to address the serious issues regarding the tertiary providers and the Capstone examination. The two are not compatible as it stands now. What we are taught doesn't seem to be in line with the Capstone exam expectations. I, along with my fellow students have spent countless hours studying! Countless! To the point where we have physical and mental exertion.
  
  Who is in the wrong here?
  
  This process is flawed! We have spent over $25000 in a course that was inflated with expectations only to come to a dead end.
  
  I see this as unethical.
  
  It's actually hypocritical that we are taught the importance of following the Code of Conduct and upholding a high standard of ethics when the educational and registration bodies involved with Migration law are not dealing with students in an ethical manner. It could be seen as a money grabbing endeavour to many. These extraordinary expectations should be openly disclosed by the tertiary providers. Students should be told outrightly that they can expect a 90% chance of failing. This was not disclosed in the advertising I saw by Victoria Uni when I first enrolled! I see this as false advertising.
  
  At the very least I would say there is a problem with the educational model that does not meet the requirements of the Capstone exam. Or is there a reason for the low pass rates? There seems to be in place a cap on the amount of students allowed to progress past the Capstone exam. Is this because of the de registration of practicing lawyers? There is obviously a limit placed on the amount of students allowed to go through to registration. The College of Law has been quite consistent in its failure rate as the first provider of the Capstone.
  
  Instead of berating each other about our so called deficiencies, I would point the finger at those providing the Migration Law courses and those who are testing it.

  Reply Cancel ·

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