Australian Immigration Daily News

The Director of the OMARA is sending out the following email today:

As advised in email correspondence of 22 February 2021, you have been identified as a registered migration agent (RMA) who holds an unrestricted legal practising certificate (ULPC).

Legislation commencing on 22 March 2021 will remove holders of ULPCs from the statutory scheme governing RMAs and as a result, on that date, holders of ULPCs will be removed from the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) Register of Migration Agents (Register). 

Transition arrangements

As long as you remain registered with the OMARA until 12:00 AEST on 22 March 2021, you will be automatically transferred from the OMARA Register to a stand-alone database that will facilitate maintenance of your access to Department of Home Affairs’ systems including ImmiAccount. 

There are no actions required from you to enable this transfer.  Your access to ImmiAccount should be unaffected. 

You are reminded to use the new Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person, available from 22 March 2021, for any new clients that you provide immigration assistance as of the 22 March 2021. Client applications already lodged in ImmiAccount prior to the 22 March 2021 do not require a new Form 956. 

The new form will be able on the Home Affairs and Australian Border Force websites.   

For action

If you are not, or are no longer the holder of a ULPC, please contact the OMARA to avoid your name unnecessarily being removed from the Register on 22 March 2021.