why use a registered migration agent

Why use a registered migration agent for your Australian visa application? 
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​How many people migrated to Australia in 2016-17?
Of the 539,000 people who migrated to Australia in 2016-17, 315,000 arrived on a temporary visa, including just over 150,000 international students, just over 50,000 working holiday makers, and 32,000 workers on temporary skill visas.

There were 106,000 migrants that arrived on permanent visas including 45,800 on skill visas, 29,800 on family visas and 23,900 on humanitarian visas.
The skill stream places and family stream places, which offer permanent visas to work or live in Australia, tend to be complex and expensive, costing many thousands of Australian dollars in visa application charges (VAC). Many of these visas also have strict age limits.

If your visa application is refused, will you have your VAC reimbursed?
With over 90 visas to choose from, the application process for both temporary and permanent visas can be a minefield.  If your visa is refused the Department of Home Affairs keeps the VAC. This means that people hoping to migrate to or visit Australia are at risk of losing valuable time and money.

How does Australia protect visa applicants from being ripped off?
The Australian government recognised that people were vulnerable when receiving advice from unscrupulous migration advisors offering incorrect advice and charging excessive prices.  As a result, the migration profession has been regulated in one form or another since 1948.  Currently all registered migration agents (RMA) fall under Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA). This is a discrete office located within the Department of Home Affairs whose main purpose is to:
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• ensure that clients receive high quality immigration assistance; and
• protect the interests of people receiving immigration assistance.

 
What qualifications do RMAs have?
In order to be recognised as an RMA it is necessary to meet certain academic requirements and complete a recognised course in Migration Law. It is also essential to be over 18 years of age, be proficient in English, meet certain Australian residence requirements, be a fit and proper person of integrity and it is compulsory to hold professional indemnity insurance. 

All RMAs have to attend Continuing Professional Development courses to ensure that we are up to date with the latest issues, such as any changes to the points test relied on for Australian skilled migration visas.

The benefits of using an RMA
If you use an RMA you are employing the services of someone who is bound by the strict Code of Conduct as set out by MARA, specifically aimed at protecting visa applicants.

We at Origin Visa and Migration Services are registered migration agents with your best interests at heart.  We have a duty to preserve your personal and confidential information at all times. Once we have received all of the necessary information from you, we will act in a timely manner to ensure that you are served in a professional and efficient manner.
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Give Origin Visa and Migration Services a call if you’d like more information on Australian skilled migration visas, as well as family, partner or Australian visitor visas.