Registered Migration Agents: Helping You Increase Your Chances of Successful Migration Application

Averages of 250,000 Australian visas are granted each year. However, the amount of visa applications is more than triple that number, which means that more and more foreign individuals want to move or work in Australia.

So what are those 250,000 applicants doing right? In most cases, it is a simple matter of getting the services of a registered migration agent. Sure, there are quite a number of people who do all the work themselves, but the benefits of getting assistance from a knowledgeable and registered agent far exceeds the proposed savings one gets from doing it themselves.

But whether you plan to do all the work yourself or hire an agent, there are always pros and cons to any method you choose. If you do it yourself, you eliminate the need to pay thousands of Australian dollars. But it will also take so much effort and time on your part by doing all the research and legwork yourself, plus you have to start from square one if you don't have any contacts with immigration and other government departments. If you hire a migration agent, you will definitely spend a considerable amount of money for someone who will guide you every step of the way in your application. But, since they have the right knowledge and experience, you will definitely save more time and effort on your part.

If you choose to hire a migration agent, there are things that you have to know. Since literally hundreds of thousands of people are trying to migrate in Australia, some individuals have also taken advantage of this opportunity to make money using fraudulent information. Unregistered migration agents abound so it's best that you make sure your agent is registered with The Migration Agents Registration Authority in Australia.

The office of the MARA was established in 2009 by the Australian government and in partnership with the "Department of Immigration and Citizenship" (www.immi.gov.au), to protect and ensure that migration agents' clients are provided with the proper and highest quality assistance that only registered agents can give. If you are planning on hiring an agent, you can check MARA's website, which is www.mara.gov.au for a complete list of registered migration agents Sydney, in other cities, and overseas.

Registered migrations agents have the legal training, greater knowledge of Australian immigration laws, requirements, policies, and have years of experience in the field. They are also well-equipped with the latest news and updates since they must go through continuing professional development so they can re-register to be able to continue practicing their profession.

There are hundreds of types of visas each with different requirements and policies. From the 457 visa, to the Working Holiday Visa, the Student Visa, and Australia Partner Visa, it can be a headache which subclass you should apply for. Migration agents, with their vast knowledge and expertise, will not only point you to the right direction, but will actually guide you every step of the way.

However, you shouldn't rely solely on your migration agent to do everything. You would also have to educate yourself about the basic laws and processes so you know what's happening in terms of your application. Working together, both you and your agent will increase your chances of success, plus reducing time and stress compared to doing it on your own.

About the author: 

Michael Ma is working as migration agent assistant at Move Migration; a migration agent company in Sydney, Australia. They are top quality boutique immigration specialists who have a proven track record of exceptional service.