Australia is a popular destination for migrants. Immigration becomes a big factor for population growth in Australia because of its growing opportunities.

What do migrants/immigrants need if they want to migrate to Australia?

Australian citizenship and immigration to Australia starts with an application for an Australian visa. There are several categories of Australian immigration which migrants can apply for to legally enter Australia.

Types of Australian Visa Programs:

• Work Visa
• Travel Visa
• Partner Visa
• Working Holiday Visa
• Student Visa
• Parent Visa

Migrating to Australia has to be evaluated by an immigration lawyer/agent, or the Immigration Officer at the Australian Embassy. Migrants need to apply directly at Australian High Commissions and choose what category of immigration they are qualified to apply for. Citizenship application process is easier and faster when all the necessary documents and information is complete.

Requirements for Applying for an Australian Visa:

Travel Documents – Valid legal documents such as birth and marriage certificates can be presented in applying for a visa as evidence of identity and nationality. A passport is the most common and preferred travel document.

Health Requirements – to be eligible for the immigration, migrants must meet certain health requirements by undergoing health examinations before a visa can be granted. Australian Immigration has the right to ensure that the migrants are in good and healthy condition.

Character Requirements – an evaluation of character requirements which contains a test is needed to ensure that the applicant has an acceptable character. If the migrant doesn’t have any criminal record and is of good conduct, then they meet the visa character requirements and are able to enter Australia.

Australian Values Statement – every migrant wishing to migrate to Australia are required to respect Australian values, traditions, language, freedom of religion, equality, and way of life. Applicants must follow these Australian values unconditionally.

Financial Requirements – visa applicants planning to migrate to Australia must also meet the visa financial requirements. Migrants must have sufficient funds to be eligible for immigration. Financial requirements also apply to all visitor visas.

There are two programs designed to help migrants who want to live in Australia permanently, the Migration Program and the Humanitarian Program.

• The migration program includes: Skilled migration which has a number of options for people who have particular occupation skills, outstanding talents or business skills; Family migration is where migrants can be sponsored by a relative who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident; and Special Eligibility migration is for former Australian citizens or residents who wish to return to Australia permanently.
• The humanitarian program is for refugees and others with special humanitarian needs. A big part of the humanitarian program is the offshore resettlement program that assists people with humanitarian needs overseas and when resettlement in another country is their only option. The onshore protection is for the people who are already in Australia but their entry is on temporary visas or in an unauthorized manner and would like to claim Australia’s protection.

In the interest of consumer protection and to encourage competition, the following information shows the range of fees charged by the majority of registered migration agents. A PDF version of the agent fee data is also available.

All registered migration agents provide the Migration Agents Registration Authority with information on an annual basis on the average fees they charge for the services they provide. The following information represents the range of fees charged by 70% of registered migration agents during the period from July 2007 to June 2008. These fees include GST.

Agent Fee Data - July 2007 to June 2008 (The fees quoted are in Australian Dollars and include GST)
		Range
Permanent Residency Services	Employer Sponsored Migration General Skilled Migration Business Skills Entry Partner Migration Child Migration Parent Migration Other Family Migration Special Migration Humanitarian Offshore Onshore Protection	$2,400 - $5,000 $1,500 - $3,850 $3,300 - $10,000 $1,500 - $3,500 $1,200 - $3,500 $1,500 - $3,500 $1,500 - $3,500 $1,500 - $4,000 $1,000 - $3,000 $1,000 - $3,300
Temporary Residency Services	Students Temporary Business Temporary Non-business	$500 - $2,000 $1,500 - $4,000 $500 - $2,550
Review	Review Application	$1,200 - $4,000

Factors influencing fees

Fees charged for work performed can vary as a result of a number of factors.

Influences on lower fees may include:

• the inexperience of the registered migration agent concerned; the desire to enter a particular market
• the desire to assist in unusual circumstances
• the ease of that particular application
• the applicant having already partly completed the assignment
• the current marketplace fee levels

Influences on higher fees may include:

• the use of senior registered migration agent with many years experience
• the specific difficulties or complexities of a particular case
• the costs associated with running a larger business or practice
• the desire of the applicant for high personal levels of service

You should check with your migration agent whether there are additional charges that are not included in the quoted fees, for example; photocopying, phone calls and couriers.

(c)Migration Agents Registration Authority