In a recent announcement, the Australian Government stated that it is considering ending the requirement that lawyers wanting to give migration advice no longer need to be registered as migration agents.
We find this news quite alarming at The Migration Place as incorrect advice is more likely to be given from someone who does not have the intricate knowledge of the complexities of migration law which can be very damaging for potential applicants.
As solicitors and registered migration agents, all of our team are held to strict standards by both the Solicitor Conduct Rules and the Australian Migration Agents Code of Conduct.
Working in migration law requires a thorough knowledge of the Migration Act, the Migration Regulations, the relevant cases and the policy that case officers use to make that decision. The policy can only be accessed by a paid subscription database that those who are registered migration agents are required to have. Many lawyers who do not work in migration are not likely to have this database and thus will not be able to give complete and correct advice.
We strongly believe that all people who are giving migration advice in Australia should be registered and held to a strict standard, as migrating is a huge commitment and we do not take our job lightly.
When choosing your representative, make sure to look for their Migration Agent Registration Number (or MARN) to ensure that you are choosing someone who is registered as a migration agent in Australia and thus qualified to give migration advice.
Please contact us on (07) 3229 4025 if you are looking for a representative who is both a solicitor and a registered migration agent.