Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Migration will be holding a public hearing in Melbourne on 23 July 2018 as part of its inquiry into the efficacy of current regulation of Australian migration agents.
The Committee will hear evidence from refugee and asylum seeker support organisations, immigration lawyers and registered migration agents.
The inquiry is examining issues including:
- examining the registration and regulation of migration agents in Australia including: education, English proficiency, payment, fee-scheduling as well as the suitability and stringency of the accreditation process and evidence of deficiencies.
- the nature and prevalence of fraud, professional misconduct and other breaches by registered migration agents, the current review mechanisms for migration agents and the adequacy of penalties.
- deficiencies and barriers to relevant authorities' investigation of fraudulent behaviour by registered migration agents in visa applications, including the adequacy of information and evidence sharing between such authorities.
- evidence of the volumes and patterns of unregistered migration agents and education agents providing unlawful immigration services in Australia.
- reviewing the appropriateness of migration agents providing other services to clients.
The Committee will also examine integrity issues associated with the Electronic Travel Authority visa.
The full terms of reference are available on the Committee’s website.
Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. Click on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner and use the forms to login to My Parliament or to register for a My Parliament account.
Media release issue date: 20 JULY 2018 ---
