Today I received two emails about the removal of the requirement for lawyers to be registered as migration agents.
EMAIL 1 – from the Law Council of Australia
Today the Australian Government announced that it will dismantle the dual regulation of lawyer migration agents. Migration lawyers with practising certificates will not have to register with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) once the reforms have been legislated and commence later in 2015.
The Law Councils media release warmly welcoming this reform is attached.
Registration requirements for migration agents entering the profession will be tightened, and re-registration processes streamlined for agents who have a proven record of good standing. The Government says it will implement a majority of the recommendations of the 2014 Independent Review of the OMARA.The Governments media release is accessible here.
EMAIL 2 – from the Migration Institute of Australia
Whilst the removal of lawyers from the registration system is something the MIA has made submissions against, the final outcome does not remove the personal need and responsibility of lawyers to undertake migration courses should they wish to provide migration assistance. Membership of the MIA as the professional association, which offers professional support, education and collegiality should be an integral part of the migration profession as it is well placed to assist both lawyers and non-lawyers in acquiring specialist migration knowledge, practice and procedure.
Creative commons acknowledgment for the photograph.
