Consumers face financial loss through services by visa consultant firms

A cautionary notice is being issued to consumers regarding the services provided by visa consultants in Fiji and Australia following recent cases before the Consumer Council of Fiji where consumers have allegedly faced substantial financial losses and received inadequate service from visa consulting firms.

In a statement, the Consumer Council of Fiji says one of these cases, a couple engaged a visa consulting firm to aid in their application for Australian student visas, paying over $10,000 in fees.

The Council says the couple later discovered that they had received incorrect advice from their consultants regarding their eligibility, leading to substantial financial losses.

In a separate scenario, an applicant faced losses when he followed his agents’ advice to apply for an Australian student visa for cookery studies, despite already having sufficient qualifications in a completely different field.

Rather than advising their client to build upon his existing qualifications for career progression, the firm encouraged him to opt for cookery, which would mean starting his career again from scratch and neglecting the potential for advancement in his current profession.

The Council noted that in both of these cases, the consultants failed their clients, who were expecting expert career and educational advice which could likely lead to a successful visa application. Consumer Council CEO Seema Shandil says consumers engage consultants for expert guidance and actions likely to result in a positive visa outcome and they're not merely form-fillers.

Shandil says, unfortunately, some consultants lack the necessary expertise, providing uninformed guidance that overlooks individuals' career paths and potential.

Shandil adds simply obtaining a visa through any means should not be the sole objective but instead, the focus should be on leveraging and enhancing the current skills and educational background of applicants to improve their future visa prospects.

The Council says over the past 3 years, they have registered over 60 complaints against visa consultants, worth over $180,000.

The Council is urging consumers to exercise caution and carefully consider their future before making decisions.

For consumers encountering issues or disputes with visa consulting firms, the Council urges them to file complaints through the national consumer helpline via 155 or email via complaints@consumersfiji.org.