A new case officer, administrator or junior agent can make a practice faster within weeks, or create risk from day one. The difference is usually how the first two weeks are run. This checklist covers access, client data, how work is recorded, and who is responsible for what.
It's general information for registered migration agents and practice owners, not legal or employment advice.
Before day one
- Decide the role in writing. What the person will do, what they won't sign off, and who supervises them.
- Be clear about immigration assistance. Only registered migration agents (and Australian legal practitioners) can give immigration assistance. If the new person isn't registered, write down which tasks they can do (admin, document collection, data entry, bookings) and that a registered agent reviews and signs off advice and applications. Check the Code of Conduct on mara.gov.au for your supervision obligations.
- Prepare their own logins. Every person gets their own account, never a shared one. Set the role and permissions to match the job.
- Plan a buddy. One experienced person they can ask first.
Week one: access and the basics
- Sign-in and security. Own account, strong password, two-step sign-in turned on. Walk through your rules for client data: where it's stored, what can't be emailed or saved to personal devices, and what to do if something goes wrong. Your security page is a good starting point.
- Confidentiality. Have them sign your confidentiality agreement, and explain how it applies to client files, phone calls and messages.
- How a matter is set up. Show one real (or fictional) matter from intake to decision: the intake form, the client service agreement, the document checklist, the stages and the dates. Our client intake guide covers the first call.
- File notes. Explain your standard: what goes in a file note, when it's written, and where. See file notes for migration agents.
- Deadlines. Show how dates are recorded and how reminders work. A missed date is the most expensive mistake a new person can make, so make this the first thing they practise.
Week two: doing the work with a safety net
- Shadow, then do. They sit in on intake calls, then run one with the supervisor listening.
- Review everything at first. Every client email, document request and file note is reviewed before it goes out, until the supervisor is confident.
- Use checklists. Give them the document checklists for the visa types they'll handle, so requests are the same no matter who sends them.
- Record keeping. Walk through what must be kept on file and for how long. See our record-keeping checklist.
End of week two: check in
- What's clear, and what isn't?
- Which tasks can they now do without review?
- Which tasks stay with a registered agent?
Write the answers down and update their permissions to match.
When someone leaves
Turn off their access on their last day, reassign their open tasks and matters, and check that every file note and document they worked on is saved to the client's file.
How AgentDS fits
AgentDS is a CRM for migration agents. For a new staff member:
- Individual accounts and staff roles, so each person sees and does what their role allows.
- Two-step sign-in with an authenticator app.
- Tasks with owners and due dates, and file notes on every client, so the supervisor can see what was done and by whom.
- Reusable document checklists that keep requests consistent across the team.
Frequently asked questions
Can staff who aren't registered migration agents work on visa matters?
They can help with tasks such as admin, document collection and bookings, but immigration assistance must come from a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner. Check the Code of Conduct on mara.gov.au for supervision requirements.
Should staff share a login to the practice CRM?
No. Give every person their own account with the right role, and turn on two-step sign-in. It keeps client data safer and shows who did what.
What should a new staff member learn first?
How dates and deadlines are recorded, and how file notes are written. Those two habits prevent most problems.
What do I do when a staff member leaves?
Turn off their access on their last day, reassign their tasks and matters, and check their notes and documents are saved to the client files.
This guide is general information, not legal, employment or migration advice.