Please see below some new information that has just been sent to us by the Office of the Migration Agent Registration Authority (OMARA).

Anyone who needs immigration assistance should first check the online register of Registered Migration Agents (RMAs) https://www.mara.gov.au before paying for the services of a migration agent.

A Bill recently passed through Parliament –the Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2019 – that will mean lawyers will no longer need to register with Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) to provide immigration assistance. It’s important to know that this change won’t actually happen for several months and, until then, lawyers still need to register with the OMARA.

Before that change happens, the Department of Home Affairs will provide more information to the community to explain how to access immigration advice under the new system.

The media release announcing the passage of the Bill is on the Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs’ website at: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/jasonwood/Pages/government-removes-unnecessary-dual-regulation-for-lawyers.aspx