Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) has lashed out at the overseas education agents for misleading foreign students, and dubbed international students as victims of migration nexus.
In response to media reports pinpointing the black marketing trade in the international education sector of Australia that led to exploitation of overseas students, the Institute's chief executive, Maurene Horder urgently called for a crackdown on private colleges and an overhaul of immigration and education system.
"Any unethical or illegal behaviour by registered migration agents is not tolerated by the Institute and should be cracked down by the Department of Immigration.
The MIA also strongly advocates establishing an independent Migration Consumer Complaints Commission, with the power to review fees,' she said in a statement.
"International students are the most visible victims of the Australian international education and migration nexus," she said adding, "Education agents should be regulated".
However, the same rules do not extend to offshore migration agents or to education agents either here or overseas, and it is often these agents who mislead or exploit clients," Horder pointed out.
While Registered Migration Agents must abide by expensive registration and a stringent Code of Conduct, those who are not required to register get away scot-free and leave visa applicants without a safety net, she said.
Additionally, MIA is concerned that education agents who receive undeclared commissions from training providers may not act in the best interests of the client.
She said bad behaviour of a minority of unscrupulous operators' impacted negatively on the entire migration advice profession.
It has been said that ever since the previous government made it possible for students of vocational courses to apply for permanent residency while in Australia, the system had degraded.
On Wednesday, several newspaper reported on how overseas educational agents were exploiting students as well as how Indian students specially from Punjab were using student visa to eventually get residency.
Horder called for an independent commission to be established. She said there was a dangerous disconnection between the state and federal departments which had responsibility for education, employment and immigration.
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