There is no mandatory requirement that you render the services of an RMA or a LIA for assistance with your immigration matters. However, immigration law of Australia as well as New Zealand are very complex and unless you meet all the legislative requirements of the visa application, there is a high risk of visa refusal. A visa refusal would not only mean loss of the immigration fees that you have paid the department but it could also adversely impact on the future chances of obtaining a visa.

Registered Migration Agents (RMAs) of Australia and Licensed Immigration Advisers (LIAs) New Zealand are conversant with migration laws, visa application procedures and processes, and keep themselves updated with the ongoing changes. We can provide suitable guidance to applicants to avoid possible pitfalls, so that once an application is lodged with the immigration department, the chances of failure are considerably reduced. That is why both the Department of Home Affairs (of Australia) and Immigration New Zealand highly recommend that you use a licensed professional when applying for a visa.

No, we are not an employment agency. Australia NZ Migration Centre (ANZMC) specialises in migration matters, and therefore, we focus on making the migration pathway clear and smooth for you. Although we shall be happy to provide you with general guidance to carry out your job search activity upon migration, our activity does not include job placement services.

There are different requirements of English levels for different Australian visas. Depending on the visa that you apply for, DIBP may require you to provide evidence of having a specified minimum level of English language. However, in addition to DIBP, your skills assessment authority and, if you are a student, your educational institution (that is, your University or TAFE Institute) may also require you to meet certain English level conditions. Therefore, you may be required to meet the requirements of various parties in regard to your English language levels. Therefore, be sure to check regarding the English language requirements of all the concerned parties before planning to apply for an Australian visa.

The most preferred way of providing evidence of your English language standard is through the scores obtained from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). However, in some cases, scores from Occupational English Test (OET) is also acceptable. Also, if your first language is English, and you hold a current passport from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland, you are considered as having competent English level, which is equivalent to an IELTS score of band 6 in each of the four components of reading, writing, speaking and listening.

A Permanent Residency (PR) visa is permanent right granted by the Australian government to live and work in the country. A PR visa holder gets immediately entitled to Medicare benefits (a health benefit scheme of Australia), but social welfare benefits are granted only after two years of living in Australia. An Australian Permanent Resident is not entitled to vote. Temporary residents (TR) in Australia (for example, student visa and work visa holders) are generally not entitled to Medicare or social welfare assistance at any time and they cannot remain in Australia for more than 4 years. TR visa holders are advised to take out private health insurance.

No, an Australian Permanent Residency status is not the same as Australian citizenship. First of all, Permanent Residents are not entitled to an Australian passport. Additionally, there are quite a few rights and "perks" available to an Australian citizen, which are not available to the holder of an Australian Permanent Residency visa. In order to become a citizen of Australia, the holder of an Australian Permanent Residency visa must satisfy some eligibility requirements before applying for citizenship. For more information about the eligibility criteria and application procedures for Australian citizenship, please visit www.citizenship.gov.au.