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In the past few days we have seen an increase in clients coming to us seeking help with their visa applications because some “migration agents” didn’t do their job properly. When we ask them about their visa grant letter, or refusal letter, or any other sort of communication, they have nothing to show us because they simply have never been given anything by their “agents”. Check if they are officially registered! In Australia, it is illegal to provide migration advice if you are not a registered migration agent. To find out if the person you are speaking to is officially registered as a migration agent, we urge you to follow this link: https://www.mara.gov.au/search-the-register-of-migration-agents/. Put in that person’s name to see if he/she shows up at all. If they don’t, then stay away from that person and do not – by all means – pay them any money. There are enough fake agents out there, such as is the case with Eddie Kang for example, who are making money from you, selling you the opportunity of getting a visa or even better, they have a “sponsor” for you. No agent, registered or not, can give you a visa, no matter how much money you pay them. Only the Department of Home Affairs will be making a decision on your visa. The job of a migration agent consists of helping you prepare a strong visa application, telling you what documents you need, informing you about everything along the way and communicating with you and the Department on your behalf. Check if they have lost their registration! On the official website of the Office of Migration Agents (MARA) you will also find a list of all those people who have been registered as agents before but have now been permitted to practice as an agent: https://www.mara.gov.au/news-and-publications/public-notices/disciplinary-decisions/. There are currently 92 (!) agents who are either suspended, cancelled or barred from practicing. Checklist: Check the name of your agent through the link provided above Check their official migration agent number (MARA number – If they have one, they will be happy to give it to you). Ask for a services agreement. Ask for a receipt of payment. You can find our migration agents and their registration in our About Us section.

The creators of the TOEFL® test have developed a free English Course for you to prepare for the test. The test is offered in cooperation with edx and covers all for components (Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking). During the course you will have access to videos, sample questions and answer explanations, quizzes as well as discussion boards. To top that, you will also have access to real test materials that have been used in the past. Now, before you ignore this course because it’s not preparing you for the PTE or IELTS, keep in mind that all of those tests have one thing in common: testing your English. Meaning, why not take this free course offered by experts to improve your English? At the end of the day, the overall goal is to improve your English. Anything helps! Useful links: Enrol in free course What score do I need? PTE vs. IELTS Computer-delivered IELTS Migration Agent took the IELTS – see what he has to say  

It was only a few months ago, that the ACT partially closed its state nomination program leaving thousands and thousands of people confused and frustrated. Migrants who had moved to Canberra (only) to be eligible to apply for permanent residency all of a sudden did no longer have the chance to apply for PR. Now the state announced it will re-open its program on the 29th of November 2018 for occupations that are in demand. “Potential applicants that were close to qualifying to apply for subclass 190 nomination when the program was partially suspended in June 2018 may be eligible for additional points under the merit-based assessment system. This transitional measure will apply for the remainder of the 2018/19 program year”. BUT … … the state will no longer assess applications based on a first-come-first-served approach but will be using a merit-based assessment. The idea behind this new change is to implement a system that will allow the ACT to nominate places being supported throughout the whole year rather than having to close its program suddenly. ACT – 190 Visa Application ACT Skilled Occupation List

Unfortunately, this is not a joke. Border agents in Australia or New Zealand are allowed to go through your digital devices. They can look through your smartphone, tablet or laptop and there’s nothing you can do about it. Border agents can now not only search your personal baggage but also what you might be hiding in the digital world. It doesn’t matter if you are a citizen, visa holder or visitor. If you don’t want to show them the contents, you could face prosecution and NZ$5,000 in fines. This is not just the case in Australia and New Zealand but becoming a general trend worldwide with a more than fivefold increase in these type of searches. The devices that are confiscated are often returned only days or weeks later. It gets better! They don’t just stop there. They also ask for your social media account usernames (a question on online visa application forms in the US). What to do in this situation? First off, make sure you know your rights in the country you are trying to enter. Do research before you arrive (whether by air, land or sea!). Secondly, don’t argue with the officer! You might also want to consider saving sensitive data on a secure European server as Data protection is taken more seriously in the EU (see General Data Protection Regulation). Food for thought: Google, Apple and Microsoft are all stating that handing over your password is in breach of their service agreements, privacy management and safety practices. This does by all means not mean that you should start arguing with the officer but it makes you wonder, what situation you are being put in when being asked to hand over your most private data.

  It’s no news that the occupation lists are being updated on a regular basis – usually every 6 months. What are the changes based on and what does it mean for your occupation? The Department of Jobs and Small Businesses regularly reviews the occupations that are on the list to assess what skills are needed for the Australian labour market. Stakeholders can turn in their submissions and give recommendations as well. Then the Department of Jos and Small Businesses provides recommendations to the Government and a decision on updating/ or not updating the occupation list is made. See below for all steps: Source: Department of Jobs and Small Businesses What is the traffic light bulletin? This system marks the occupations to be removed with the color “red”, the occupations to be moved from the MLTSSL to the STSOl with “orange”, the occupations to be moved from STSOL to MLTSSL with “yellow” and the occupations to be moved fom STSOL to ROL with “purple”. Check here to find out if your occupation is considered for removal or movement between the lists.   Contact Us