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MARA | The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority

The Office of the MARA is attached to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and administers the functions of the Migration Agents Registration Authority, which is set out in s316 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act).

The Office commenced operations on 1 July 2009 and its key objectives are to ensure that:

• All complaints about the services of registered, or formerly registered migration agents are appropriately addressed;
• Only suitable persons are registered as migration agents, and unsuitable persons are refused registration or re-registration;
• Registered agents maintain appropriate knowledge to enable them to provide accurate advice to consumers;
• The Office of the MARA works collaboratively with the department and other bodies such as prosecuting or regulatory authorities to address the activities of agents outside its mandate; AND
• Consumers understand their rights and agents understand their obligations under the regulatory framework. 

The law requires that migration agents operating in Australia be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority.

Agents registered with The Office of the MARA operate under a strict Code of Conduct. Click here to view the Code of Conduct, and for more information on The Office of the MARA please visit, www.mara.com.au.

Also you may wish to read the The Office of the MARA booklet on Information on the Regulation of the Migration Advice Profession. It sets out information about the migration advice profession, the functions of the Authority, the legislation regulating the profession, what a client can reasonably expect from a migration agent and complaint procedures. Click here to download this booklet (.pdf).

If you do not have Adobe Reader to read .pdf files, it can be downloaded free here from the Adobe website.

Registered to provide Australian Immigration Advice

The senior members of our Australian migration casework department are registered with MARA, which authorises them to provide Australian visa and immigration advice to potential migrants.

See below for a list of the department's registered agents