Migration Agents

There are many requirements that need to be met in order for the Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority to consider and approve an application for registration as a migration agent. These are specified under Part 3 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act) and in the registration package. Please check the website of the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) for full details.

One of the requirements is as follows:

• a current legal practising certificate in an Australian state or territory; or
• in the twelve months prior to your application for registration being received, that you have satisfied the requirements for the award of the Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice from The Australian National University, Griffith University, Murdoch University or Victoria University and completed the common assessment items relating to registration, which form part of the Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice at those same universities in the 12 months prior to registration.

In the MARA prescribed examination notice dated 31 May 2006, the new examination prescribed under s.289A© of the Migration Act 1958 for registration as a migration agent is described as ‘the common assessment items for registration’ which form part of the Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice at the Australian National University, Griffith University, Murdoch University and Victoria University.

As a result, each unit of study in the Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice will contain items of common assessment provided by MARA. The MARA assessment items are administered by the four providers around Australia and marked according to common marking standards. Moderation of marking occurs.

The Authority has subsumed the requirements for the completion of a Prescribed Examination within the requirements for completion of the Prescribed Course.

Students graduating after 1 January 2008 from the Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice (the prescribed course) will be recognised as passing the Prescribed Examination when they have achieved a minimum 50% score on each item of assessment in each course of study. Note that if a student fails any item of assessment they may be eligible for a supplementary exam.

Students graduating after 1 July 2009 from the Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice (the prescribed course) will be recognised as passing the Prescribed Examination when they have achieved a minimum score of 50% in assessment tasks 2 and 3 in each course and passed each course overall. Note that if a student fails any item of assessment they may be eligible for a supplementary exam.

Changes from 1 January 2010

All applications for initial registration as a migration agent received on or after 1 January 2010 will need to meet a new increased English language standard. The following standard applies:

• an IELTS test score of 7.0 with a minimum score of 6.5 in each sub-test (speaking. Listening, reading and writing) in the academic module undertaken not more than 2 years prior to lodgement of an Applications for Registration as a Migration Agent; or
• an internet based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 100 with a minimum score of 22 in each subtest in speaking, listening, reading and writing undertaken not more than 2 years prior to lodgment of the Migration Agents Registration Application; or
• evidence that the person has successfully completed:
  - matriculation level with a pass in English (not English as a Second Language) where English was the language of instruction at the school; and
  - a Bachelor degree, or a higher degree, with a minimum of 3 years’ equivalent full-time study, where:
       - the degree was conferred by an Australian, New Zealand, UK or Canadian University;
       - the study was undertaken while the person was residing in the country where the degree was awarded; and
       - English was the language of instruction at the University Note: Other countries where English is an official language will be considered on a case by case basis.

Please check the website of the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) for full details.

We offer the Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice in each of 3 semesters – semester 1 on the Gold Coast campus and semester 2 and summer semester at the South Bank campus.

The program is taught in intensive face-to-face blocks of 4 days for each course in the program. Classes in each block run from Monday to Thursday from 9 - 5pm.