How to Choose an Education Agent – A Migration Agent’s Opinion
Oftentimes the student visa is the first step to migrating to Australia. It lets you work 20 hours per week (once your course starts) and in a country with such a high minimum wage (typically 15USD an hour) earning Australian dollars can really help some people save to lodge their permanent residency application once they qualify. Also, living in Australia makes it easier to perfect your English and your English language score is vital for many permanent visas.
Student agencies can help you select which course to study but we must not forget, they are not a charity service and they may have an incentive to recommend some courses over others. Just like in any industry some are better than others.
So, that bares the question, how do you know which agent to choose and if they are giving you the best advice for you? If you are looking for a different course or a different price than an agent has already given you then it might be that you are approaching your search in the wrong way. At the end of the day there are only a finite amount of courses that are on offer and if you are searching for a course that doesn’t exist, you are going to be wasting your time and your education agent’s time. We suggest when choosing an agent, that you make sure they have your future in mind.
Ask yourself and your agent, not just which course is the cheapest and will give me the most free time but instead:
- What visa options will I have after this course?
- How will this course help me find a job?
- What is the reputation of the course provider?
- Will this course suit my career goals or just my visa goals?
If these points do not come up then perhaps you are at the wrong place! Our pet peeve in the industry is when education agents sign up a boyfriend and a girlfriend for one course each when actually they may be eligible to be added to each other’s visa. So remember only a registered migration agent can provide you migration advice so if you are choosing a course with future visa goals in mind, don’t waste your time and money, seek advice from a registered migration agent, not a friend or an education agent.