IEAA as your registered Migration Agent/Lawyer?

Why to choose IEAA as your registered Migration Agent?

So you’ve decided to leave your home country and move to Australia. You think you know what visa to apply for and are ready to start the application process. So why should you hire a Migration Agent to do the visa application process for you?

You don’t have to use a migration agent to apply for a visa but if you do, you should use a registered migration agent.

What is the Migration Agent Assistance?

Registered migration agents must keep up-to-date with current laws and procedures. Only registered migration agents can give you immigration assistance legally in Australia.

The immigration assistance is:

  • understand your situation
  • review possible options to achieve you goal
  • discuss advantages and disadvantages of possible options
  • help to prepare a visa application
  • providing advice to a visa applicant about their application
  • helping prepare a document in connection with the sponsorship of a visa applicant, or to advise the sponsor
  • preparing for proceedings, before a court or a merits review tribunal such as the Administrative Appeals Tribunals, or representing someone at those proceedings
  • helping to prepare a request to the Minister to exercise certain powers under the Migration Act in relation to a visa applicant
    There are a number of reasons why you should hire a migration agent to assist you in the very complex process of securing an Australian visa. Below we list common top reasons why hiring a Migration Agent is the best thing you can do when migrating to Australia.

What is the Migration Agent Success Rate?

The Australian visa system is very strict – if you make one wrong move you put yourself at high risk of refusal. Just in the migration year (2017-18) refusals have gone up by a massive 46.2%! Many refusals come from applicants making little mistakes such as uploading the wrong documents or not uploading enough substantial evidence

If you want to avoid these mistakes, it’s best to hire a Migration Agent to do the job for you as they ensure your application has all the evidence it needs before it is submitted.

It’s also important to remember that government fees are non-refundable. This means you’ll be out of pocket by a couple grand with nothing to show for it if your visa is refused. Additionally, having a visa refusal leaves a permanent mark on your immigration record. This means the refusal may affect your chances of success if you decide to apply for another visa to Australia. So paying for a Migration Agent may be a small price to pay in the long run of securing your visa.

Although nobody can not guarantee a successful visa application, in certain visa categories IEAA has proud of being 100% success rate for last year.

Why Visas can be more complicated than they appear?

A good example of this is Graduate Temporary Subclass 485 visas.

Many students lodge these themselves without an agent, without realising that the requirements are quite complex. However, many students do not get the result that they expect and we’ve seen the following

  • Students selecting the wrong stream, and ending up with either a refusal or a visa which is shorter than they expected
  • Missing key time of application requirements (for example providing evidence of English language testing, health insurance, AFP clearances) and being refused. If you miss an essential time of application requirement, it is usually not possible to fix this, even if appealing to the AAT (Administrative Appeals Tribunal)
  • Getting the timing wrong – for example lodging without a proper completion letter confirming the date of completion or on the same day they complete and being refused.
  • An Expert Migration Agent will thoroughly understand both the Migration Regulations and the Department of Immigration Procedures Advice Manual. They will also have comprehensive pre-lodgement checklists to ensure that essential requirements are not missed at lodgement.

How Migration Agent follows Rules Change Constantly ?

The migration landscape changes constantly, because migration law almost include all countries other law codes such as civil law, marriage law, trade law, citizenship law, etc- an option which may have been a good one last year may now not be possible. So far, we have seen

  • Major Changes to the Skilled Occupations Lists for General Skilled Migration, 457 and ENS
  • Much higher points scores required for SkillSelect invitations for Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visas
  • Several states have made significant changes to their State Migration Plans (eg Tasmania, ACT, Queensland, Victoria)
  • Partner visas now must be lodged online with paper applications no longer being accepted

Part of a migration agent’s job is to keep up to date with all changes to Migration Rules and settings, so that they can ensure that their clients are aware of all opportunities as they arise.

Qualifying for migration to Australia is getting more competitive, so having a skilled migration agent on your side can give you a big advantage.

Why dealing with the Department of Immigration can be complex and difficult?

Due to funding cuts and an increase in the number of visa applications lodged, the Department of Immigration is less accessible than was previously the case. They now prefer to deal with clients electronically, and getting through on the phone is very difficult Visa applications are now processed by teams, and you will no longer have a dedicated case manager processing your file. This makes it difficult to discuss any special circumstances which may apply to your case Immigration is indicating that they will refuse applications where they are not fully documented Where they do ask for further information, the request from Immigration can be difficult to understand – applicants can easily make a mistake and not provide the documentation required An experienced migration agent will ensure that your case is as fully documented so that any requests from Immigration are minimised. If you do receive a request for further information, they will be able to advise you clearly about which documentation will address the issues raised. Where necessary, they can escalate issues to management to get problems resolved.

Why Migration Agent have expert legal knowledge of Migration Law?

The process of applying for a visa is a complex legal one. This means your application is going to be filled with legal jargon that you might not have a full understanding of. If you just make assumptions about the legal wording, you run the risk of submitting an application that won’t meet all the requirements – which can lead to your visa being rejected.

Migration Agents have often been working in the immigration system for years and know anything and everything to do with visa applications. They know all the legislative requirements, what documents are classed as ‘good’ evidence, and can ensure forms are filled out correctly. Additionally, Australia’s migration system is constantly changing and it’s a Migration Agents’ job to make sure they are completely up to date with all new laws and requirements.

It should be noted that not all Migration Agents are lawyers but all Migration Agents in Australia must have a certificate in Migration Law and be registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA). If you want an agent with a little more legal know-how make sure to ask if they have also been omitted as a lawyer. Another benefit of contracting a lawyer Migration Agent is that if your visa is rejected, they can represent you if you chose to Appeal the decision in court.

How Migration Agent could save time and ease the stress of the situation?

Many people go into the visa application process thinking it will be as easy as submitting a few documents and filling out a couple of forms. But this is definitely not the case. You have to make sure each form is filled out correctly, collect every shred of evidence that is valuable to the department, and liaise with the department. The process is very time-consuming and can be quite stressful. An experienced Migration Agent can handle this whole process for you. Additionally, hiring a Migration Agent may save you from additional delays. Visa applications are often delayed when the department has to request for more information from the applicant. But with Migration Agents, they know all the evidence required for each visa type and will compile every document needed to make your application as strong as possible. This means you might be able to avoid the request for more information and head straight to approval.