One may desire to arrive in Australia with a visa to work, study or live, possibly on a permanent basis and may have no idea how to go about it. With thousands of visa applicants for migration visas to Australia every year, it is vital to ensure a decision ready application is submitted.

This is why Registered Migration Agents are tremendously useful to consult. One may not know where to begin or may not meet the criteria for a visa. So, migration services offered by such agents will prove highly useful. However, one may wonder how to select the best migration consultants or agency and not be tricked out of one’s money by fraudulent unregistered Migration Agents.

The following tips will help one to select the perfect agency:

Avoid agents driven by sales/commissions

This must be noted as a big red flag. When a migration agent attempts to force you to sign something or puts pressure on you to commit to them, it is best to look elsewhere. There are many companies that use sales reps to collect more business and may have them operate on commission, making an attractive sales pitch to lure you in.

There have been many scams where people have signed up and paid for visa processing for which they are not even eligible. There is a big difference between applying for a visa and meeting the criteria for the visa. If you don’t meet the criteria, there is no way you will gain a visa. A good registered migration agent will check one’s circumstances and inform them whether they are eligible for applying for a particular visa.

Industry Registration

To offer migration advice in Australia, a professional agent must be registered with the OMARA (Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority). Registered agents will be monitored for the integrity of operations and quality of migration assistance.

Registered Migration Agents should:

  • Meet the needs of qualification for registration that includes having sound expertise of migration procedures and law.
  • Maintain skills and knowledge required to offer timely and accurate advice to clients.
  • Have good character and fulfil obligations to their clients.
  • Complete on-going professional training for re-registering as a migration agent every year.
  • Abide by the code of conduct of migration agents.
  • Maintain a professional library and stay updated with industry knowledge.

It is vital that the agent one chooses is registered with OMARA because this office regulates all migration agents in Australia. Lack of registration implies that one cannot know whether the agent has integrity or knowledge of all procedures for migration to Australia. Also, if one has complaints against an OMARA-registered agent, one can submit a complaint, which the MARA may take up action against the agent.

Un-registered agents are not accountable to anyone and can scam unwitting clients out of thousands of dollars without arranging a visa.

Check Referrals

One of the best ways to judge whether migration services are good enough is to check with their previous or current clients. A good place to start would be checking their Google reviews. This is because companies cannot modify or delete reviews on Google, meaning their reviews are free from company bias.

Ascertain the star rating of the agent, giving priority to agents with four stars or more. Also, go through reviews to find out what clients liked or disliked about them. A crucial red flag is when negative reviews outnumber the positive ones.

Meet face-to-face

Arranging a face-to-face meeting with a Registered Migration Agent before hiring them may seem like a no-brainer, but many skip this step to save time. But in case one is investing a sizable sum for their visa process, one must ensure that they are hiring the right Registered Migration Agent. The best way to hire a good agent is to meet up with them and have an initial consultation.

In case one is located far away or offshore and is not able to meet an agent physically, try to arrange a Zoom or Skype meeting or even a phone call. Some agents may charge for an initial consultation so it’s important to check first.

Look for experience

Experienced Registered Migration Agents in Australia may charge more for their services than inexperienced agencies. But one will be putting their visa at risk by opting for a cheaper and less experienced service. The Australian immigration procedures are highly complicated and many years of experience is required to understand it completely.

Therefore, do not hesitate to ask a Registered Migration Agent about how long they have been in the business.

Enquire about their success rate

Another important question to ask an Registered Migration Agent is about their success rate. Though agents cannot guarantee the success of visa applications, one can easily surmise their professionalism by their success rate. Also, be wary of migration agents who are willing to take up any visa application. Agents with integrity will only take up cases they believe in and will not give false hopes to clients who are likely to not meet visa eligibility criteria and will be refused a visa.

In summary, these are some helpful tips to consider when searching for migration services in Australia.