Australian Immigration Daily News

Senator Michaelia Cash has released a press release today warning about dodgy migration agents.  This is after the DIAC had the complaint since January 2012.  Finally the government is listening and the new DIBP has dealt with it.  The Migration Agents Section (MAS) at DIBP in Canberra have sent a copy of this release to Migration Alliance today.  Special thanks is given to the Migration Agents Section for their timely communication and consultation with Migration Alliance.

Mirgation Alliance reported this on the 19/01/2012 during the time the organisation was called DIAC.  This was during the Chris Bowen reign.   

This was the email I personally sent to DIAC's MAS in Canberra about AUSFIS on 19 Janurary 2012:

It goes without saying that the Australian migration industry as a whole has been rocked by the antics of Mr Eddy Kang.  Now, a RMA within the Registered Migration Agent profession, a new RMA, comes forward to tell her story about how she got caught up in the scandal. 

Again, I have to ask what is the Office of the MARA doing about this?  Is there anything on their website or have there been any warnings to RMAs by news blast or email (in furtherance of their protection of our profession)?  Or is the Office of the MARA our adversary?  I will leave it at that.

Please find below the interview with Cinia which tells her story.

There is a shortage of skilled help on Australian farms, but getting the Department of Immigration to understand the skill-set sought by farm owners is proving difficult.  The skilled occupations list doesn't seem to be cutting it.

A recent article in The Australian newspaper discusses an onion and carrot grower, Yvonne Smith who sponsored two South Africans to Australia under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS).  Mrs Smith is still facing issues finding local staff as there are simply not enough Australians that would like to work on farms.

Farmer, Mrs Smith is concerned that the Skilled Migration List does not address the skills shortage on farms. Perhaps we need to go back to the days where there were accessible and easy waivers for occupations in groups lower than 4 on the then ASCO (now ANZSCO) for post-codes in regional and / or rural Australia.

The Australian Computer Society has today announced changes to the graduate skills assessment application process to align with changes implemented by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP).

The ACS is choosing to implement the changes effective from January 15, 2014, which will provide certainty to those studying courses that are scheduled for completion in the final months of 2013.

The implementation of the ACS graduate application changes will ensure applicants are being assessed in line with the Migration Amendment (Skills Assessment) Regulation 2013 changes announced by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to take effect on Oct 28, 2013.

The ACS is committed to providing a robust assessment service that accurately identifies an applicant’s ICT skills and their compatibility with the skills that the Australian Government has identified as being in shortage.  To aid clarity and enhance consistency, the ACS has reviewed the current suitability criteria for applicants with an Australian study component in their skills assessment.

The following changes will come into effect on Jan 15, 2014:

·       The ACS Temporary Graduate – 485 skills assessment will clearly state that it is specifically for the purpose of applying for a subclass 485 visa application.  Applicants with an Australian study component that are applying for a subclass 485 visa will be assessed on the Australian qualification only, based on the completion of the relevant Australian Bachelor degree or higher.

·       Applicants with an Australian study component that wish to apply for permanent residency will require either 1 year of relevant work experience or completion of an ACS Professional Year Program to receive a suitable skills assessment which can be used for general migration purposes. 

·       The ACS Post Australian Study skills assessment is intended to support graduates in applying for permanent residency under the General Skilled Migration or Employer Nomination Scheme after completing an Australian study component.

·       The Australian study component is taken into consideration because of the value of studying in Australia and the exposure to Australian culture and language, which in turn places applicants in a better position to be employed in their nominated occupation.

·       The work experience or professional year program is assessed for suitability of the full skills assessment and the applicant is considered skilled from the completion date of the relevant Australian degree.  The Post Australian Study skills assessment can be used for migration purposes in general.

I am not sure whether other Migration Alliance members received this email today from the DIBP.  What immediately made me laugh was that this very email reflects poor service standards.  The email was not sent by a person it would seem.  Just another case of people in the DIBP not properly identifying themselves.  Usually what we get is a case officer signing off with only their first name and their position number.  Eg 'Tiffany PN:00000'  Now we just have a blank space with no name.  I have copied my response email to DIBP below.  I would like to suggest that other migration agents respond to the mailbox provided and specifically request that the Office of the MARA are included within the survey.  We do not want the OMARA removed from the survey or lumped together generally with the DIBP.

Dear Registered Migration Agents

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection will be conducting two research projects from October to December 2013.

The first project that will be conducted is the Client Segmentation research project.

The department has engaged Colmar Brunton to conduct the research to gain a better understanding of our visa clients. Research is being undertaken with people who have recently been granted an Australian visa to understand their experiences of dealing with the department in their visa application journey and their views on how the department can improve its client services.

Colmar Brunton will be conducting in-depth interviews with approximately 30 clients, and online and telephone surveys with approximately 3400 clients.

More details about the Client Segmentation research project can be found in the attached FAQs document.

The second research project the department will be conducting is a Client Satisfaction survey. This research will be conducted by a third party, on behalf of the department and will commence by the end of 2013. The research will focus on measuring client satisfaction across the department’s major service channels. It is envisaged that the department will be surveying visa clients, migrations agents and business sponsors.

More information on the satisfaction survey will be sent to you prior to the survey launch.

If you have any queries about either survey, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and a team member from the section will answer your query.

Kind regards

Client Experience and Strategic Marketing Section 

Survey-Client-FAQs.pdf