Overlapping OVHC and OSHC

[AnitaAnne]

I applied for Temporary Graduate Visa 485 on 15th December, 2021 while I still had student visa and OSHC till 15th March, 2022. 

My consultancy bought me a OVHC starting from 15th December, 2021. I got a letter in 17th December, 2021 stating my bridging visa is approved but it will be active after my student visa expires in 15th March, 2022. I have paid over $800 in an OVHC which only got activated when my bridging visa activated in 15th March, 2022.

When I asked the OVHC insurance provider what is the point of having two insurance policies at the same time when my OVHC is only effective when my bridging visa got activated, they suggested me to change the start date of the insurance to 16th March, 2022 when my bridging visa actually activated and told me it won't have any consequence on my Temporary Graduate Visa decision. 

But, but, but my migration agent keeps telling me that I shouldn't change the start date because it will hamper my application and tries to divert the topic. I tried to discuss this with other agents in the same consultancy but none of them replies my mail. So what was the point of me paying hundreds of dollars in OVHC while I already had OSHC? All this time, I feel like my migration agent didn't give me the full picture of this. Did my migration agent cheat on me?

[wrussell]

 

Quote

Did my migration agent cheat on me?

If your agent was a REGISTERED migration agent s/he must let you know whether a commission was being received from an insurance provider, or other party. Find out. 

 

Shoving a snout further into the trough might explain part of the costs you are facing.

I always advise my clients to make their own insurance and other  arrangements that attract a commission. I have never taken a commission from any party and I never shall. This did not stop the Australian Taxation Office from sending me a form letter threatening dire consequences for failing to declare commissions.

NOTE:

You cannot legally hold OSHC if you do not hold a student visa.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

[wrussell]

After I received the attached ATO threat I had a telephone discussion with an ATO officer about charging less than the average industry fees (mostly due to my bro bono work) which could have come from only the OMARA that records an RMA's average fee claims, sometimes. 

Name case. 

We discussed a subclass 410 for which I had charged $250, including GST.

I had called up the clients' previous 410 application, changed the date,  had the clients sign it, added their new  photographs and a cheque for payment, shoved the lot into an Express Post Envelope and asked them if they wanted another cup of coffee before they left to post the application on their way home. Total runtime, about 30 minutes. How much do you think I should have charged for half an hour, 2 coffees and an Express Post envelope?

We then discussed whether the ATO wanted to face an action for abuse of office. Case closed!

OMARA and ATO.pdf