Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority

Resolving disputes with your agent

The first step in resolving a dispute with your agent is to contact the agent with the aim of settling the matter yourself.  Quite often matters can be resolved quickly without anyone else getting involved. If you are unable to resolve the matter with your registered migration agent, the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) may be able to help you. We consider all complaints received about registered migration agents to see if we can act on them.  

Sometimes we are unable to take any action and some disputes are best dealt with by another area of the Department or another organisation. For example, if you believe your agent is involved in a criminal matter, such as migration fraud, you should inform the police and also report the matter to the Department using the Border Watch online report.
Border Watch online report

Unlawful operators

Be careful of unlawful operators pretending to be registered migration agents. Always check the register of migration agents on this website to make sure you are using a registered migration agent. It is important to note the OMARA can only consider complaints about registered migration agents. If you know of an unlawful operator providing immigration assistance, report them to the Department using the Border Watch online report. 
Register of migration agents
Border Watch online report

What are your expectations?

Before lodging a complaint with the OMARA, you should consider what you expect the outcome of your complaint to be.  The OMARA can only act in certain circumstances and sometimes a client’s expectations may be greater than what the OMARA can achieve.  This can happen with fee disputes or where a visa application has not been successful.

When you start using a registered migration agent, they must give you a written agreement listing the services they will provide and how much they will charge you.  This is called an ‘Agreement for Services and Fees’ and is often referred to as a contract. When you sign the contract with your agent, you are agreeing to the services and fees listed in the contract.  If your agent has provided the services listed in the contract that you both signed and has charged you the fees that you both agreed to, you may not have a valid reason to make a complaint. Having a visa refused is not grounds for a complaint unless you believe the agent has not acted professionally and in accordance with the Code of Conduct.
What to expect from your agent

What the OMARA cannot do

To manage your expectations, you need to know what the OMARA cannot do.  The OMARA cannot help you to get the visa you applied for and we cannot order your agent to give you a refund. Our actions relate to recommending an agent amends their practice or disciplining an agent where the agent has breached the Code of Conduct for registered migration agents (the Code). If the OMARA finds the Code has not been breached, no action can be taken.  For further information on the types of action the OMARA can take, please see the section of this website on complaint outcomes.
The OMARA cannot:

  • order your agent to give you a refund
  • order your agent to pay you compensation
  • change or influence your visa application or decisions made by the Department of Home Affairs
  • provide you with legal advice
  • assist you with your visa application.

Fee disputes
Consumer bodies
Complaint outcomes
Make a complaint about an agent

Other information: