Today, the Migrant Workers Centre launches its latest research report, Pathways and Pitfalls: Migrant Workers’ Experiences with the Migration Advice Sector.
This comprehensive study sheds light on the significant challenges faced by migrant workers in navigating the migration advice sector and offers key policy recommendations to ensure better accountability and support.
Key findings:
- Respondents struggled to find competent advisers in specific practice areas and to obtain accessible information about visa options. Many consulted multiple advisers and incurred fees without necessarily achieving favourable outcomes.
- 46% faced problems with their primary migration service, with 42% reporting insufficient updates on visa applications and 38% receiving incorrect advice.
- 39% reported that service-related issues impacted their visa or stay in Australia, with 48% reporting financial hardship and 45% having difficulty appealing visa decisions.
- Respondents were reluctant to pursue complaints against advisers due to the fear of visa repercussions, not knowing what to do, and lacking the means and confidence to do so.
This report shows a significant number of respondents experienced inadequate visa application updates and incorrect advice. These issues are compounded by significant power imbalances in the client-agent relationship, increasing the risk of exploitation for financial gain.
These findings highlight the urgent need for reforms to ensure that migrant workers have access to appropriate, reliable advice and are empowered to stand up for their rights without fear of reprisal. In light of these findings, we propose six recommendations to enhance accessibility, accountability, and integrity within the migration advice sector.
Recommendations
- That the Federal Government implement recommendations 1-8 of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration’s (JSCM) Inquiry into the efficacy of current regulation of Australian migration agents.
- That the Federal Government introduce a tiered registration system to provide a reliable basis upon which migrants can select registered migration agents based on their level of competency in different areas of practice.
- That the Federal Government establish an accessible mechanism for clients to seek compensation where it is found that the misconduct of migration agents has caused them harm.
- That the Federal Government work with the education sector to review commission-based services provided by education agents and migration agents.
- That the Federal Government increase funding for accessible and culturally appropriate migration advice across all streams of the migration program.
- That the Federal Government allocate targeted funding to community organisations to design programs that help build the capacity of migrant workers to understand and navigate migration advice services in Australia.
Quotes attributable to Matt Kunkel, CEO of the Migrant Workers Centre
“An alarming number of people are being let down by the supposed specialists they are relying on to navigate our complex migration system. The negative impacts of poor advice are exacerbating the already precarious position of many, who are looking for the certainty to build their lives in Australia."
“The report reveals that some workers are reluctant to pursue complaints against agents due to fear of visa cancellations. This underreporting hides the true scale of the problems in the sector. The stories of the migrant workers in this report, underscore the critical need for greater accountability and transparency within the migration advice sector."
“Unscrupulous actors in the migration advice sector are treating their clients like ATMs. Those agents who are doing the right thing, have nothing to fear from reforms that would ensure cowboy operators are run out of the sector."
“It’s been five years since the Joint Standing Committee on Migration’s review into migration advice sector. This report shows the urgent need for meaningful action to address these issues and uphold the rights and dignity of all workers."