Immigration officials have issued a new warning about unlawful migration agents who make false promises of permanent residency and deceive visa applicants.
The latest raid by Immigration officials and the Australian Federal Police centered on a Melbourne migration agency. Investigators are currently pouring over evidence gathered from the agency.
Migration agents in Australia are required by law to be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority
The agency is suspected to have been making false promises of permanent residence as well as providing migration assistance while not registered to do so.
'The search warrants that were executed send a strong message to those who seek to defraud migration programs and deceive innocent people,' said Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Scott Morrison.
'My department takes allegations of migration fraud seriously and the department and the courts will act against those who attempt to engage in this behaviour,' he added.
Outcomes of visa and migration applications cannot be guaranteed. Migration agents in Australia are required by law to be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA.) It is an offence under the Migration Act for a person who is not a registered agent to provide migration assistance to another person.
'The department works closely with other government agencies, both federal and state, to assist in the identification and prosecution of these offenders,' Morrison explained.
'Instances of alleged criminal activity relating to the immigration portfolio can result in criminal and/or administrative penalties, including imprisonment,' he added.
Visa applicants wishing to find out whether an individual is registered as a migration agent can do so by visiting the Office of the MARA's website.
Meanwhile, the latest figures show that the Department of Immigration and Border Protection delivered the 2012/20-13 permanent migration programme to the exact planning level of 190,000 places.
It also delivered 128,973 places across all streams of the skilled programme which was complemented by a family programme of 60,185 places and a further 842 places in the special eligibility category.
The top five source countries for the 2012/2013 permanent migration programme were India, China, the United Kingdom, the Philippines and South Africa.
The latest raid by Immigration officials and the Australian Federal Police centered on a Melbourne migration agency. Investigators are currently pouring over evidence gathered from the agency.
Migration agents in Australia are required by law to be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority
The agency is suspected to have been making false promises of permanent residence as well as providing migration assistance while not registered to do so.
'The search warrants that were executed send a strong message to those who seek to defraud migration programs and deceive innocent people,' said Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Scott Morrison.
'My department takes allegations of migration fraud seriously and the department and the courts will act against those who attempt to engage in this behaviour,' he added.
Outcomes of visa and migration applications cannot be guaranteed. Migration agents in Australia are required by law to be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA.) It is an offence under the Migration Act for a person who is not a registered agent to provide migration assistance to another person.
'The department works closely with other government agencies, both federal and state, to assist in the identification and prosecution of these offenders,' Morrison explained.
'Instances of alleged criminal activity relating to the immigration portfolio can result in criminal and/or administrative penalties, including imprisonment,' he added.
Visa applicants wishing to find out whether an individual is registered as a migration agent can do so by visiting the Office of the MARA's website.
Meanwhile, the latest figures show that the Department of Immigration and Border Protection delivered the 2012/20-13 permanent migration programme to the exact planning level of 190,000 places.
It also delivered 128,973 places across all streams of the skilled programme which was complemented by a family programme of 60,185 places and a further 842 places in the special eligibility category.
The top five source countries for the 2012/2013 permanent migration programme were India, China, the United Kingdom, the Philippines and South Africa.