Complaint Review: Wilson Consulting Services (MARN 0963397)

After moving to Australia for work on a 457 visa, we were finally eligible for Permanent Residency in Australia and used the immigration agent contracted with my husband’s firm to apply a few months ago. Given that we had to pay nearly $10,000 out of pocket (not covered by my husband’s employers), we expected a reasonable degree of communication and competence. The immigration agent used was Melanie Wilson with Wilson Consulting Services (MARN 0963397) ABN 85 595 561 180 based in Brisbane, QLD.

We were told the process would take 6 to 8 weeks to process from the time we submitted our application and supporting documentation. At week six, we touched base with Melanie to ascertain the PR application status and were told that she had no new information. At week eight we again checked in and informed Ms. Wilson that were keen to access the health benefits of Medicare and had a health condition which needed attention. Under our current insurance, we have to pay everything up front and get reimbursed. It was getting costly for CT scans and other tests (the insurance can take up to 60 days for reimbursement) and having Medicare would allow us to receive medical care without having to pay for all tests and doctor appointments at time of service and wait for reimbursement. She told us that there was no new news.

I went ahead and paid for the testing needed and was diagnosed with fibroids and a hernia. In trying to figure out the financial acrobats required to get the treatment needed, we thought we would check in again with the agent, as the time she estimated had come and gone. By this time it had been almost three months since our application was submitted. During this conversation, Melanie Wilson informed us that she had received a letter from immigration stating that we were eligible for Medicare eight weeks prior and that she “forgot” to send it to us, in spite of the fact that my husband had spoken with her at least twice over the last month. She did not tell us over the phone that the letter was dated 8 weeks prior—we only discovered this information when it was e-mailed with instructions of what to do next to activate the coverage.

After paying her nearly $10,000 one would think that such essential and relevant documentation would be provided to us in a timely manner—but it was not!

The code of conduct for registered migration agents MARN states:

2.4 A registered migration agent must have due regard to a client’s dependence on the agent’s knowledge and experience.

2.8

(c) keep the client fully informed in writing of the progress of each case or application that the agent undertakes for the client; and

(d) within a reasonable time after the case or application is decided, tell the client in writing of the outcome of the client’s case or application.

I do not believe that Melanie Wilson competently complied with her duties and obligations to us as clients or the code of ethics required by the regulatory authority of her industry. We have been put in a potentially bad situation with our existing insurance since we have been eligible for Medicare for 8 weeks and did not report it to current carrier. They could refuse to pay the thousands of dollars in invoices currently pending reimbursement based on the date of the Medicare eligibility letter. We are now having to file formal complaints and document our situation, so we are not liable for Melanie Wilson’s incompetence.

In addition, Melanie Wilson is very hard to reach and rarely answers her phone. It usually takes several attempts to reach her. This matter has been reported to the Australian Government's Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority 27 Aug 2013.

BEWARE!