Rljacobs

I know these guys get paid a lot to do their jobs, with that in mind, do they often bend the rules for a potential candidate ie. leave out relevant info on application forms if it's not going to get them a visa, tick the yes box when inn fact the truth may be no? Is it more than their job is worth to do this? I'm not after an underhand agent btw, just curious!

Pollyana

If they are registered with MARA and behave like that then MARA would remove them from the register, that's what its there for. There almost certainly are unscrupulous agents out there but thats why people should use registered ones, and that's why the law says that anyone giving immigration advice within Australia must be registered. Unfortunately they can't have that kind of control over agents in other countries.

pumpkin blossom

I have dealt with a couple of agents who I was having to tell how the visas worked, and what options I could go for because they didn't know! I have not had any lie to get money out of me.
My partners cousin did use an agent in the uk, they got as far as the medicals and police checks for the skilled independent visa. At the time that would have been 1-2 months until they got pr. They were offered a job and their agent told them to cancel the application and apply for a 457 visa. I tried to stop them. They had gone over 45 years at that point, so couldn't start it all again. They didn't listen to me, cancelled the visa and then realised that they were stuffed. All the agent said was 'oups, nothing we can do about it now, you are over 45'. They never made it to oz when they had been so close, and the agent got fees for the pr visa and the 457.

I am a great believer in trying to check as much info as you are given as possible, as there are idiots out there.

Pollyana

If they were MARA registered I hope complaints were filed?

Rljacobs

That's flipping awful! I think I'd go nuts if it was me

pumpkin blossom

I told them who to complain to, but they tried complaining to immigration themselves, I think in the hope they could re-apply even though they were too old. Of course they said no. I got fed up of hearing about it in the end, as ignoring my advice had got them in that situation in the first place (I also advised them to check with another agent before cancelling their app). So no idea if they ever did complain to the correct people.

tomar

My son was totally screwed, yes I do mean that, by an agent here. It was when the student to PR 2 years of study route was changed. Even though the changes were pointed out to the agent in Oct, the said agent was adamant that he was fine. He had credits from previous study, so fell short under the new rules. Foolishly we thought the agent must know more than us. Had the agent been on the ball, he could have studied the extra couple of subjects over the christmas break, and been fine, just delaying his degree by a couple of months. Visa was lodged, started work. Two weeks later, phone call, whoops have made a mistake, had to leave job instantly, accused of taking the job under false pretences. A nightmare! Luckily re-applied to Uni for further study, applied for extension to student visa, all had to be done in days, before his visa ran out.
No we didn't make a fuss, daren't as agent quite well connected, and didn't know if a complaint would go against him long term, You never know.
Yes agent insisted on all the money, as claimed it was not their fault that they almost lodged the visa application. No point arguing, he was never going to win, even though he had made a record of all phone calls from the Oct. outlining all concerns about the changes.

Pollyana

If the agent was registered then a complaint should have been made, especially if the agent had messed up but still insisted on payment.
If people don't complain about poor advice then other people will fall into the same traps.
And it needs to be a complaint to MARA, not to DIAC.