Skilled Migrant Professionals October 2014 | Page 26

Migration Tip Five Consider asking for an eligibility assessment If you aren’t 100% confident that you can meet the requirements for a particular type of visa, there is nothing wrong with asking a registered migration agent to provide you with a written eligibility assessment. For an agreed fee, a registered migration agent can review your paperwork and formally advise you as to whether or not they believe you can meet the visa requirements. It can be very useful to obtain a second opinion from an expert. Tip Six International students and permanent residence International students are big business in Australia! There were 525,000 international student enrolments in 2013 and in terms of our economy, international students contribute over $15 billion AUD every year. Education agents at international study expos will promote certain Australian colleges and universities and will usually receive thousands of dollars in commission for each student enrolment. Many education agents are unscrupulous and will advise that a particular course of study will lead to permanent residence, but that is simply not the case. Many students are shattered when they find out that the degree, diploma, or other qualification that they have worked so hard for does not provide a direct pathway to permanent residence. If you are unsure about whether your chosen course of study can lead to permanent residence, take the time to seek professional advice before enrolling. There is no point in pursuing an expensive course of study that leads nowhere. And finally... There are no absolutes in the world of Australian immigration. Each change of government results in a new list of changes to the Migration Regulations. Similarly, each upturn or downturn in our economy impacts the occupations listed on the SOL, the CSOL, and the state and territory lists. It is important to keep up-to-date with these changes if you are interested in migrating to Australia. I hope that some of t