What is a MARA-Registered Migration Agent and Why Does It Matter?
Published 2026-01-20
What is MARA?
MARA stands for the Migration Agents Registration Authority, now officially known as the Office of the MARA (OMARA). It's the Australian government body responsible for regulating migration agents. Every person who provides immigration assistance for a fee in Australia must be registered with MARA. The system exists to protect consumers and maintain professional standards in the migration advice industry.
What Does Registration Require?
To become a registered migration agent, a person must complete an approved Graduate Diploma in Australian Migration Law and Practice, pass a knowledge exam, meet character requirements (including police checks), and maintain professional indemnity insurance. Agents must also complete Continuing Professional Development (CPD) each year to maintain their registration. This ensures agents stay current with constantly changing immigration laws.
Why It Matters for You
Using a MARA-registered agent means you have legal protections if something goes wrong. Registered agents are bound by a Code of Conduct, must maintain client confidentiality, keep proper records, and carry insurance. If you have a complaint about a registered agent, you can lodge it with MARA, which has the power to sanction, suspend, or deregister agents who breach their obligations. Using an unregistered agent leaves you with no regulatory protection.
How to Verify Registration
You can verify any agent's registration status at portal.mara.gov.au. Search by the agent's name or MARN (Migration Agent Registration Number). The register shows whether the agent is currently registered, any conditions on their registration, and whether they've been subject to sanctions. Every agent listed in our directory has been verified against the MARA register.
Registered Agent vs Immigration Lawyer
Immigration lawyers (solicitors) who are admitted to practice in an Australian state or territory are exempt from MARA registration but are regulated by their state's Legal Services Commissioner. Both registered agents and immigration lawyers can legally provide immigration assistance. Lawyers may be better suited for complex legal matters, appeals, or tribunal hearings. Agents are often more specialised in standard visa applications and may be more cost-effective for straightforward cases.
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