Jul 2007
– Melanie Macfarlane is a registered and practising Migration Agent with over 15 years’ experience securing visas for migrants to live, work and study in Australia. She has worked with individuals, families and employers from small to large-scale businesses, all with the same common goal – to explore new opportunities and create a happy world, one migrant at a time.
Melanie founded MMMigration in 2007 and has since grown the company to six offices across three states in Australia and three cities in Colombia. She’s built a passionate, like-minded team who embody her positive values, setting them apart as leaders in the migration industry. From MMMigration’s vibrant offices to their professional service, the team reduces the stress and confusion from the migration process, ensuring peace of mind and positive outcomes. To date, MMMigration has helped over 5,000 people with a 99% success rate in helping migrants gain visas and permanent residence in Australia.
A migrant herself. Melanie was born in Freetown, West Africa and grew up in Vanuatu and Indonesia where her diverse circle of friends gave her a good understanding around equality and opportunities to succeed. Her experience as an English language teacher in Indonesia, an education consultant and a recruiter in bringing chefs over from Peru, has created for her a solid network, particularly in her focus areas of childcare, IT, engineering and agriculture.
Melanie’s motivation to educate, unite and support a policy of attracting highly skilled workers to expand the Australian economy is integral in shaping Australia and bringing innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly at a time when around 50% of all current jobs will soon cease to exist. She aims to connect, collaborate and present Australia as part of a global village, where immigration has built its cities and communities and has always been an important stimulus for economic prosperity.
Recent media reports including articles on international students and concern about huge reliance on international students for university finances. The media in general has been about education agents scams and the inquiry into migration agents. This a call for a more positive outlook and media on the benefits of internationals to Australia. Recent changes from April 2017 to March 2018 including Employer Sponsorship and July 2018 General Skilled Migration now requiring 65 points and more places going to New Zealanders on new 189 visa designed for them, plus SAF (Skilling Australians Fund) and Labour Market Testing from 12 August 2018 – an overview of what is happening in immigration in general in Australia and how it has impacted Australia up to now, with population reaching 25 million. The presentation will give the background of international education in Australia, growth and statistics, including the growth of 485 graduate visa, where Australia sits on the world stage. A look at global mobility and growth of these types of organisations worldwide - a snapshot of worldwide immigration policies and who really stays and who doesn’t.