This is a general notice to all RMAs who are looking to have their points reported for CPD activities by providers.

It has not been possible for CPD providers to report points to the OMARA as the website has been down.

The website is now back online but this means there may be a delay in reporting.

Section 316 sets out the functions of the OMARA. 

In a confusing email being sent out by an OMARA delegate, which may lead agents to believe that they are compelled to respond, the wording wrongly states "The OMARA is authorised under section 316 (b) of the Act X (NO!!! the Act does not state the word 'authorised') to “… monitor the conduct of registered migration agents in their provision of immigration assistance and of lawyers in their provision of immigration legal assistance” and section 316 (g) of the Act to “… monitor the adequacy of any Code of Conduct”." 

Here is the real wording for that part of the Act:

MIGRATION ACT 1958 - SECT 316

Functions of Migration Agents Registration Authority

             (1)  The functions of the Migration Agents Registration Authority are:

                     (a)  to deal with registration applications in accordance with this Part; and

Senate Estimates

On Monday, 23 February 2015 the tribunals' Executive and I attended Senate Estimates and appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitution Affairs. I provided the committee with an update on matters of significance since our last appearance in October 2014, including a caseload update and an indicator of this year’s caseload strategy. The tribunals were questioned on the current caseload, in particular those related to unauthorised maritime arrivals, processing times and improvements and efficiencies implemented by the tribunals.  Read more>

Caseload report to 28 February 2015

Perhaps the most important advice to agents in 2015 about OMARA's 'random audits' can be found in the words recently posted by Immigration Lawyer, Ray Turner:

Xu Jiayin, one of China’s richest men, was ordered to sell his Point Piper mansion within 90 days because it was purchased without approval of the Foreign Investment Review Board, according to a report in The Australian.

This is the first time since 2006 a treasurer has used FIRB rules to enforce a sale of foreign-owned residential property, according to the report.

The Treasury says that several properties are being investigated with the Treasure's office now being inundated with phone calls raising concerns about other unlawful purchases. A treasury spokesmen however denies a ‘witch-hunt’ is on.

“We definitely don’t want to create an atmosphere of xenophobia or anything else. We actually just want to be in a position where we maintain, preserve, and enhance the integrity of the foreign investment regime,” he said.

Real estate agents predict that the forced sale could result in a loss of up to 20 per cent of the property value for Mr Xu. Lawyers are warning that people not properly qualified or insured to advise foreign investors for such large investments are leading them in troubled waters.

Prices of luxury homes in Sydney spiked by 11 percent last year with no signs of it settling down as foreign interest in luxury properties not only from China but also Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey and Nigeria rise. ‘Ultra-high net worth individuals’ from these countries are apparently on the hunt for luxury international properties.