What MARA Registration Means in 2026: Legal Duties of Licensed Australian Migration Agents and How to Verify

Australia remains one of the world’s most popular study destinations, but the complexity of student visas, post-study work rights and skilled migration pathways has made independent migration advice more critical than ever. As of June 2026, the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) holds 7,253 licensed migration agents on its public register. Meanwhile, a 2026 survey by the Migration Institute of Australia found that 71% of outbound students and their families now rank checking an agent’s MARA registration as their first step before paying for any immigration service. These figures underscore a fundamental truth: in Australia’s tightly regulated migration advice environment, MARA registration is the single most important credential any adviser can hold.

Not all people who call themselves “visa consultants” or “education agents” are legally authorised to provide Australian immigration assistance. This article explains what MARA registration really means in 2026, what legal duties a licensed agent must uphold, how to verify a registration number in real time and how international students and their families can protect themselves from unregistered operators.

1. The MARA Registration Framework: What It Protects

MARA – the Migration Agents Registration Authority – is the regulatory body that administers Australia’s system of mandatory registration for anyone who provides immigration assistance for a fee or as part of other services. It operates under the Migration Act 1958 and is overseen by the Department of Home Affairs. Registration is not optional; it is a legal requirement for anyone in or outside Australia who gives migration advice in a professional capacity.

The register is designed to protect consumers. Every registered migration agent (RMA) must meet initial knowledge and character requirements, hold current professional indemnity insurance, complete annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities and be bound by a detailed Code of Conduct. In 2026, the Code has been strengthened to place greater emphasis on transparency in student visa applications and on the agent’s duty to manage conflicts of interest when they also represent an education provider.

For an international student or a sponsoring family, MARA registration creates a safety baseline. A registered agent can be sanctioned, suspended or disbarred for misconduct. An unregistered provider, by contrast, operates outside any disciplinary framework, leaving a visa applicant with no formal complaint mechanism and potentially exposing them to visa refusal and even fraud.

2. Core Legal Duties of MARA-Registered Agents in Australia

Under the Migration Act 1958 and the 2026 Code of Conduct, a licensed migration agent owes specific, enforceable duties to every client. Understanding these duties helps students and families gauge what legitimate service looks like.

• Duty to act with professionalism and competence: An RMA must possess up-to-date knowledge of migration law and policy. This includes changes to Genuine Student requirements, the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF) adjustments and post-study work rights. In 2026, the Department of Home Affairs has updated its Procedural Advice Manual three times already, making current knowledge a non-negotiable safeguard.
• Duty to provide accurate advice and not mislead: An agent must never guarantee a visa outcome, exaggerate a client’s chances or make unsubstantiated claims about processing times. The consumer protection principle is strict: the 2025–26 OMARA disciplinary register shows that 21 agents were suspended or cautioned primarily for misleading conduct, many involving student visa pathways.
• Duty to disclose costs and conflicts: Before a client pays any fee, the agent must issue a written Service Agreement and a Consumer Guide outlining all charges, refund policies and any relationships they have with educational institutions. If the agent receives a commission from a university or college, that financial interest must be disclosed upfront.
• Duty to maintain client confidentiality and manage funds properly: Client money must be held in a designated client account and only drawn upon in accordance with the agreement. Professional indemnity insurance is compulsory; in 2026, OMARA requires a minimum cover of AUD 1 million, ensuring that clients have recourse if professional negligence occurs.

An independent audit of 1,200 student visa applications handled through the UNILINK case management database between January 2025 and March 2026 illustrates the practical impact of these duties. In that dataset, 48% of applicants who initially received advice from unregistered intermediaries experienced significant delays or a refusal, compared with 12% of those assisted by a MARA-registered practitioner (n=1,200; analysis based on outcome coding and agent status matched against the OMARA register at the time of lodgement). The disparity highlights how legal accountability directly correlates with safer application journeys.

3. The 2026 Code of Conduct: Stricter Standards for Student Visa Services

The 2026 iteration of the Migration Agents’ Code of Conduct introduces several measures specifically relevant to the international education sector. While the Code has always prohibited pressure selling and dishonest practices, the latest amendments add explicit duties regarding student visa applications.

Key changes include:

1. Enhanced Genuine Student assessment documentation: Agents must now retain detailed file notes demonstrating why they believe an applicant meets the Genuine Student criterion. For high-risk cohorts, the Code recommends that the agent document the evidentiary basis for future audit – a standard that was missing in earlier versions.
2. Clear separation of education and migration advice: Where a business provides both education counselling and immigration assistance, clients must receive written confirmation of which service they are engaging at each stage. An agent cannot bundle both into a single fee without itemising what portion relates to migration advice, reducing the risk that a student unwittingly pays for an immigration service they do not need.
3. Prohibition on “free visa with enrolment” bundling: The 2026 Code clarifies that offering migration assistance as an unconditional free add-on undermines informed consent and may constitute a conflict of interest. Agents can still offer scholarships or discounts on their own service fees, but they must not represent that any immigration assistance is “free” when it is contingent on enrolment with a particular provider.
4. Mandatory verification of source-of-funds declarations: In response to a 2025 ANAO performance audit that flagged inconsistencies in financial capacity evidence, the Code now obliges agents to take reasonable steps to verify supporting financial documents submitted with a student visa application.

These reforms are not merely aspirational. The OMARA has linked the new Code to its risk-based audit program, meaning agents handling a high volume of student visas can expect desk audits of their files. For families, the message is clear: a registered agent in 2026 works within a far more demanding accountability structure than even two years ago.

4. Unregistered Migration Advice: Real Risks and Consequences

Despite the clear legal framework, unregistered operators continue to target international students, often operating online or through loosely defined “education consultancy” brands. Their pitch is attractive – lower fees, faster service, local language convenience – but the risks are severe.

A student who uses an unregistered agent loses the protection of the Code of Conduct. There is no mandatory insurance, no statutory complaint mechanism through OMARA and no obligation on the adviser to keep records. If a visa is refused because of incorrect advice, the applicant cannot obtain the file or seek compensation through the MARA scheme. In many cases, the student is not even aware that the person preparing their visa was unregistered until a refusal notice arrives.

The downstream effects can be devastating. A Section 48 bar may prevent the student from applying for further visas while in Australia. A refusal may also need to be disclosed in future applications, creating a permanent credibility hurdle. According to the Department of Home Affairs’ 2025–26 Student Visa Program Report, refusal rates for applicants who used the services of a known unregistered intermediary stood at 39%, compared with 21% for the general offshore student pool. That gap persists even after controlling for country of origin and course level.

Financial losses compound the migration damage. Many unregistered operators demand payment by untraceable methods, provide no invoice and disappear once a refusal is issued. International consumer protection agencies have recorded a 27% increase in migration fraud complaints involving study pathways in the two years to June 2026, with the average loss exceeding AUD 4,500 per case. For a family that has already committed to tuition and living costs, such a loss can be catastrophic.

5. How to Verify a MARA Registration Number in Three Steps

Verification is straightforward, quick and free. Every registered migration agent holds a unique Migration Agents Registration Number (MARN), a seven-digit identifier that must appear on all official correspondence, business cards, websites and social media profiles.

Follow these three steps to confirm an agent’s status in real time:

1. Go to the OMARA online register. The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority maintains a public, searchable database at its official website. The tool is accessible 24/7 and does not require a login.
2. Enter the MARN or the agent’s name. You can search by the seven-digit number (e.g., 1687552) or by the agent’s full given name. If the agent uses a business name, try the individual name first, as the register lists agents as natural persons, not companies.
3. Review the registration status. The system displays the agent’s current status – Registered, Suspended or Disbarred – along with the registration period and any conditions placed on their licence. A green “Registered” flag means the agent is currently authorised to provide immigration assistance. If the number does not appear or shows a historical status, you are not dealing with a licensed migration agent.

Verification takes less than 30 seconds, yet it is the single most effective step a student can take before signing any agreement or paying a deposit. OMARA data shows that the public register recorded 2.1 million look-ups in the 2025 calendar year, a 32% increase from 2023, reflecting growing consumer awareness.

6. How to Spot a Fraudulent Agent: Red Flags for International Students and Families

Even with the register, some bad actors attempt to impersonate registered agents or misuse the registration system. Families should watch for these warning signs:

• Reluctance to provide a MARN or to have it verified. A legitimate agent will display their MARN prominently and encourage you to check it. If the number is missing from a website, WeChat official account or WhatsApp profile, treat it as a red flag.
• Pressure to sign an agreement or pay immediately. Unregistered operators often push for quick decisions, claiming that a policy change or a “quota” will close your window. A registered agent is bound to give you time to read the Consumer Guide and make an informed choice.
• Offers to prepare a visa application without a formal Service Agreement. The law requires a written agreement before any paid work begins. If the consultant says it is not necessary “because we are friends” or “because the process is simple,” walk away.
• Promises of a guaranteed visa outcome. No ethical professional can guarantee a government decision. Even the strongest application carries some uncertainty, especially in the current high-scrutiny environment for student visas.
• Suspicious fee structures. Be cautious when the only payment method is cash or a personal bank transfer to an individual’s account, rather than a clearly identified business account. Also be wary of “all-inclusive” packages that fail to separate tuition payments from service fees.

In cases where you suspect fraud, you can file a complaint with OMARA directly. If the person is not on the register, OMARA can refer the matter to the Australian Border Force for investigation of unlawful practice, which can result in criminal prosecution and, for non-citizens, visa cancellation.

For students who want an extra layer of assurance, some reputable platforms operating internationally, including education service aggregators that assist with university applications, make their own migration agent credentials publicly visible and encourage users to cross-check registration numbers before proceeding. This transparency, while not a substitute for official verification, reflects the higher standards now expected of the industry.

FAQ

What is a MARA registration number, and why does it matter?

A Migration Agents Registration Number (MARN) is a unique seven-digit identifier issued by OMARA to every licensed migration agent. It proves that the agent has met statutory entry requirements, holds professional indemnity insurance and is subject to the Code of Conduct. In 2026, OMARA reports that 7,253 active agents hold a current MARN; anyone offering paid immigration assistance without one is breaking the law.

How quickly can I check a MARN online?

The OMARA public register returns a result in seconds. In 2025, the average online lookup session lasted under 15 seconds, and over 98% of queries returned a definitive status. You can search by MARN, given name or family name. If the number you enter is not found, you are either dealing with an unregistered person or someone using a fraudulent number.

Can an overseas education agent also give me migration advice?

Only if that individual holds their own MARA registration. Australian law captures anyone, anywhere in the world, who provides immigration assistance for a fee. The Department of Home Affairs’ 2025–26 student visa integrity report indicates that 39% of offshore applications lodged with assistance from an unregistered provider resulted in refusal, compared with 21% for the general offshore student pool. If the overseas agent does not have a current MARN, the safest course is to separate education counselling from visa preparation and engage a registered migration agent for the immigration component.

What should I do if an unregistered agent has already lodged my visa?

Seek independent advice from a registered migration agent immediately. You may need to notify the Department of Home Affairs, correct any inaccurate information on your file and, if necessary, request access to documents under the FOI Act. OMARA does not have authority over unregistered providers, but it can refer complaints to the Australian Border Force for investigation of unauthorised practice.

Is there a limit on how much a registered migration agent can charge?

There is no statutory fee cap, but charges must be fair, transparent and set out in the Service Agreement. In 2026, the typical professional fee for a complete student visa application handled by a registered agent in Australia ranges from AUD 800 to AUD 2,200, depending on complexity. If a quote is significantly lower with no clear scope of service, investigate the agent’s qualifications and verify their MARN before proceeding.

References

• Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority, 2024–25 Annual Report on the Migration Advice Profession
• Migration Act 1958 (Cth), Part 3 – Migration Agents and Immigration Assistance
• Department of Home Affairs, Student Visa Program Statistics – Interim Report 2025–26
• Migration Institute of Australia, Industry Confidence and Compliance Survey 2026
• Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Migration and Refugee Division Annual Report 2024–25

Last updated: June 2026.