## Privacy Statement
TSS Immigration is committed to ensuring that your personal information is handled responsibly, in accordance with the Privacy laws, including the National Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 and the Privacy Amendment Act of 2000. The TSS Privacy Policy ('the Policy') outlines how TSS collects, discloses, uses, stores or otherwise handles your personal information. On 12 March, 2014 significant reforms to Australian privacy law come into effect. TSS Immigration has amended their policy to cover these reforms.
COLLECTING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
The Policy relates to personal information collected by any means. It is TSS's usual practice to collect this personal information directly from you. However, often your personal information is collected through the use of TSS's website or in response to TSS's printed and online advertisements.
Furthermore, there may be occasions when TSS will source personal information from an external third party, or a publicly available source. If TSS does not have your prior consent, TSS will take reasonable steps to inform you that it has collected personal information from the third party.
USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
To assist TSS in the provision of its services, it collects your personal information. We only use your personal information for the purposes for which you give it to us and for related, internal management purposes.
Sensitive information will not be collected about an individual without consent from that person to do so. Where reasonable and practical to do so, TSS will collect personal information about an individual only from that individual, or an authorized representative.
USE BY THIRD PARTIES
TSS may use and disclose your personal information to third parties for the purposes it was collected, or for a related or ancillary purpose such as providing you with one of our services. Accordingly, TSS may disclose your personal information to a number of third parties, including but not limited to:
▪ TSS's related entities;
▪ prospective employers;
▪ your nominated referees;
▪ any government authority,
▪ any law enforcement body, including the Australian Federal Police; or
▪ any educational or vocational organisations to the extent necessary to verify your qualifications.
If TSS discloses personal information to any third party, TSS will generally request these parties to protect such personal information in the same way that TSS does.
DATA QUALITY
TSS takes reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information it collects is accurate, up to date and complete.
In circumstances where your personal information has changed please contact the Privacy Officer, they will endeavour to update and correct the information. TSS may also contact you from time to time to check the information is still correct.
DATA SECURITY
TSS takes reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold from loss, unauthorised access, and misuse. The use of locks and security systems assist TSS protecting your personal information.
Your personal information may be stored in hard copy documents, or electronically on TSS's software or systems.
When no longer required, personal information is destroyed in a secure manner or deleted.
INFORMATION COLLECTED ON TSS's WEBSITE
By using TSS's website, you consent to the terms of TSS's Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any term of this policy, please do not use TSS's website. Users are advised that there are inherent risks in transmitting information across the internet.
When you access TSS's website, TSS gathers information about users collectively. Such information includes the areas that users visit most frequently and the services users access the most. TSS will only use such data anonymously and in the aggregate. By doing so, TSS can optimise the services it provides to you.
TSS may also collect personal information that individuals choose to provide via online forms or by email. Any personal information provided online is treated in the same manner as any personal information collected through other means (unless specifically outlined in this Policy)
IMMIGRATION
If any person requires more information about the personal information that TSS uses and how it is kept private, they are advised to call and speak to the Registered Migration responsible for an individual client or request a copy of the full privacy plan.
Further, the Migration Act of Australia 1958 (the Act), prescribes the provisions, under Commonwealth Law, which compels Registered Migration Agents to ensure the confidentiality of clients' files and private documents provided by a client, to the Registered Migration Agent, in relation to any Immigration matter or application.
Attendant to the Act, is the Migration Agents Code of Conduct. The relevant provisions, which govern the confidentiality of clients' information, may be found at Part 3 of the Code of Conduct. In particular, Clauses 3.1 and 3.2, enshrine the confidentiality provisions and are prosecutable under the relevant and codified sections of the Migration Act. A client is entitled to view the Code of Conduct and may request a copy directly from the Registered Migration Agent, who has charge of a client file. Alternatively, the Code of Conduct may be viewed at: https://www.mara.gov.au/Site-Layout/Code-of-Conduct/default.aspx
Key Aspects:
- Clients may have full access to any information, which we may retain, pursuant to an Immigration matter and which may be required to meet the provisions of relevant criteria, as prescribed by Australia's Migration Regulations Schedules.
- Personal information is generally used to support a Visa Application, Sponsorship application or in response to a Department of Immigration and Border Protection request, for the provision of further in formation, in relation to an Australian Immigration matter, relevant to a client file.
- TSS provides a Cost Agreement, which outlines the nature of the work we will do, in relation to a particular Immigration matter. The Cost Agreement outlines the reasons, as prescribed under Australian Immigration Law, for a TSS Registered Migration Agent requiring confidential information, with regard to an Australian Immigration matter. Also, the Cost Agreement indicates that TSS is bound by relevant confidentiality law, to protect the clients' private information.
- The Migration Act of Australia 1958, requires a Registered Migration Agent to securely store all client information, within the premises of TSS. Further, the Act provides that a Registered Migration Agent must retain a client file for a period of no less than seven (7) years.
- A client retains the right not to provide certain information if they chose to do so. However, in such circumstances, a client will be apprised that the non-provision of certain documents may adversely affect their Immigration matter.
- The personal information of TSS clients, is only ever disclosed to TSS Staff, The Department of Immigration and Border Protection and where applicable, relevant Immigration Tribunals or Federal Courts.
- If a client is required to update their personal information, they must do so in writing and sign the relevant declaration of a "Change in Circumstances". Such information will not be accepted by TSS staff over the telephone, so as the information being provided may be appropriately verified.
- The personal information held by TSS is protected from unauthorised access on the password protected central computer system.
- All TSS staff are instructed on how to manage and maintain the privacy of clients' personal information.
- All TSS staff are bound by the relevant legal provisions outlined above and are compelled to abide by the privacy policies of TSS and the provisions of prosecutable Law. Misuse or unauthorised disclosure of personal information is a serious criminal offence.
USE OF COOKIES
The TSS website uses "cookies" to help you personalise your online experience. A cookie is a text file that is placed on your hard disk by a webpage server. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer. Cookies are uniquely assigned to you, and can only be read by a web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you. One of the primary purposes of cookies is to provide a convenience feature to save you time. The purpose of a cookie is to tell the web server that you have returned to a specific page. For example, if you personalise TSS pages, or register with the TSS site or services, a cookie helps TSS to recall your specific information on subsequent visits. This simplifies the process of recording your personal information, such as billing addresses, shipping addresses, and so on. When you return to the same TSS website, the information you previously provided can be retrieved, so you can easily use the TSS features that you customised. You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of the TSS services or websites you visit.
YOUR CHOICES
You may access personal information that we hold about you or you can ask us to correct personal information we hold about you.
If you are on one or more of our email lists you may opt out of further contact from us by clicking the unsubscribe option in those emails.
CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
TSS may change this Policy from time to time for any reason and will update the Policy accordingly.
CONTACTING TSS
Please contact the Privacy Officer at TSS if you have a question relating to any of the information detailed in the Privacy Policy.
Last updated: 28 April 2015