Migration Agents in Australia
Emigrate to Australia
If you plan to seek advice to emigrate to Australia, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs recommends that you use a registered migration agent.
Migration agents operating in Australia are required by law to be registered. Some agents operating outside Australia have also chosen to be registered.
If you use a registered migration agent, you can be sure that the agent has met the qualification requirement for registration. You can also take action if the agent fails to act in a professional or ethical way. All registered migration agents must:
- meet the qualification requirements for registration, which include a sound knowledge of Australian migration law and procedures;
- be of good character;
- abide by the Migration Agents Code of Conduct (PDF file*) which they are required to display in their offices.
All registered agents should have a registration certificate which has been issued by the new Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA).
While a registered migration agent may be able to assist you in presenting your case to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs as fully and competently as possible, you will not get preferential treatment from the Department because you have used a migration agent.
The MARA is administered by the industry association, the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA).
The MARA is responsible for registering agents, investigating complaints about, and imposing disciplinary sanctions on, agents who breach the Migration Agents Code of Conduct or otherwise behave in an unprofessional or unethical way.