Amendments to the Migration Agents Regulations 1998 and the Migration Agents Charge Regulations 1998
1 July 2003 - Legislation change
Client summary
From 1 July 2003, immigration law has been amended to:
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increase the prescribed fee, that the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) charges for assessing the courses of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) providers, from $33 to $99;
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allow sponsors for Sponsored Professional Development Visas to be exempt from the prohibition against giving "immigration assistance" if unregistered, in relation to these visa applications only;
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allow for CPD activities for registered migration agents to be notified by Internet and hard copy, rather than being published in the Commonwealth Gazette, and for the MARA Board to approve these activities, rather than the Minister;
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increase the prescribed fees charged by the MARA for commercial migration agent initial registration applications and re-registration applications from $1,180 and $950 to $1,760 and $1,050 respectively; and
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clarify the definition of non-commercial agents to mean those who work exclusively for and within a not-for-profit organisation.
Technical details
Additional information: Changes to the MARA's assessment and notification of CPD activities and to allow sponsors for Sponsored Professional Development Visas to give "immigration assistance" have been made by amending Regulation 3, Part 2, Regulation 6A and Schedule 1 of the Migration Agents Regulations 1998.
CPD activities will be published on the MARA's internet site: www.themara.com.au.
Changes to the MARA's registration fees and the definition of non-commercial agent have been made by amending Regulation 4 and Regulation 5 of the Migration Agents Charge Regulations 1998.
Transitional arrangements: Nil
Forms: Nil
Instructions: Nil
Effect on delegations: Nil
Effect on systems: Nil