A visa marriage can be the last resort for those who can't get permanent residency any other way to live in Australia.
But it appears trying to get permanent residency through legitimate channels can be just as risky as paying someone to marry you.
"Don't think about fake marriage, it's a true marriage, everything is true. Everything is real, it's just you don't sleep together, that's all."
"You have to provide enough evidence so that immigration believe that this is a true marriage. You go to holiday together, take photos together."
"My visa fails, can I get the money back?"
"This is all about trust, I don't scam people."
This is a real conversation between an SBS reporter from the Vietnamese program and a marriage broker of Cambodian background.
The following is also an undercover recording, of a conversation between an SBS Chinese reporter and a potential husband.
Reporter: "I need to pay about $150,000, right?"
"Yes, that includes everything."
"How soon will I be able to get permanent residence after applying?"
"Within 2-3 months, a year at the most."
When SBS first started researching, the team found advertisements from people seeking their 'perfect match' in online forums and community language newspapers.
But in many case it's not love they're after - what they're looking for is a visa marriage.
Another way to get permanent residency is by finding a sponsor employer.
This is increasingly popular, especially with foreign students who've already invested time and money in Australia.
There are many job brokers and migration agents who say they can help would-be migrants navigate the government's ever-changing system.
Sijimon and Leena live in Kerala in India's south.
In 2008, Leena studied hospitality in Australia.
She thought she'd be eligible to apply for permanent residency after graduating - but the government changed the rules, taking her course off the list.
They returned to India, but not before meeting and placing their trust in a registered migration agent.
"Now the employer fees, the sponsorship fee, he's going to charge $25,000 for that."
Sijimon: "How much? $25,000?"
"That's right yes. That's US dollars."
This is a recording of the migration agent appearing to ask the couple to pay the employer for the visa sponsorship.
Under the Migration Act, payment for sponsorship is illegal.
"I tried to negotiate with him, but to be honest there are people over here actually paying 50,000 or 100,000. So it's very hard. However, this is a genuine job."
In 2015, the government increased the penalties for those paying to get sponsorship and those receiving such payments.
But Sijimon and Leena thought they were investing in their future, and trusted their agent.
After all, he was a registered agent.
"These employers will only accept cash so you either need to give it to somebody in Melbourne and actually come and meet up over here or - I'm trying to think of the best way - he won't allow bank-to-bank."
As it turns out, Sijimon and Leena lost more than the chance to start a new life in Australia.
"After he received the money, and charged for the visa and all the money, he's just ignoring us. His phone was completely disconnected and his email is transferred to another person. So at the end, that visa was completely refused. We feel awful, awful."
It's not just individual migration agents or employers taking money when they see an opportunity.
In the murky employment visa market, there are entire companies trading in broken dreams, exploiting foreign students and other would-be migrants.
SBS's The Feed flew to Brisbane to investigate a skilled visa recruitment agency called Global Skills and Business Services.
The company was set up and run by a man called Jack Raskovic who is the director and sole shareholder.
It targeted foreign students looking for jobs, especially work sponsorships that could lead to permanent residency.
The students signed employment contracts, and met Mr Raskovic and his staff in professional-looking offices in Sydney, Melbourne and in Brisbane.
Vanni (ms) is one of the many SBS talked to.
"In 2016 he found me a good employer, and everything was good and I signed a contract with him. But that job never happened in reality. Everything happened on paper. Since last year 2016 I'm still waiting for that job to happen, still waiting for the money I paid which is $25,000 I paid into his business account."
Mandeep (ms) is another who dealt with Global Skills and Business Services.
"I paid him $40,000 and I got all that money from India, from my in-laws and my parents. They have mortgaged their property and got the money and they transferred it from India. When I was asking for my money, for a few months he was promising he was in the process of finalising my refund. After that, I got the email that the company's being liquidated. They won't give me my money back."
Under the service contracts signed by clients and Global Skills, clients aren't guaranteed jobs, but they are entitled to a refund (less reasonable expenses) if their employment lasts for less than twelve months.
But Global Skills and Business Services is now in liquidation, claiming nil assets.
A list of creditors shows more than 30 people who are owed similar amounts to Vanni and Mandeep.
There are others SBS spoke to who are not on the creditors list, including a man who signed a contract when the company was already in liquidation.
For some, these were their life savings.
This young man paid $50,000 to secure an employer.
His father in India used his savings, and took out a high-interest loan to cover the rest.
They both thought with his new job, he'd be able to pay back the loan quickly.
"If Jack doesn't give me my money back what am I going to say to my dad?"
(Reporter) "And do you think your dad is feeling pressure as well around this?"
"He is absolutely feeling the pressure because the money which he earned in his entire life he gave me just in a moment."
While Global Skills and Business Services is in liquidation, Jack Raskovic is now working for a new company called All Borders.
It's run out of the same office space, with the same phone number, appearing offering exactly the same services.
He has a new business card.
The company is registered under his partner's name.
SBS's The Feed has put in calls to Jack Raskovic, offering him the opportunity to respond to the claims.
They called his office, his mobile and after SBS sent an email, he closed that email account.
These stories are not uncommon - many migrants have similar experiences when attempting to navigate the visa system.
Many victims are afraid to come forward.
Like Mandeep, many have limited understanding of Australia's legal system and worry about their visa status.
"We don't know the basic rules, basic law, where to go and to whom we should complain and who can guide us, as international people we don't know."
Others won't go to the police because they are also breaking the law by paying for the sponsorship.
This is Vanni again.
"And then there's always this fear that maybe a legal entity is going to blame you at the end, maybe police are going to say something bad, or maybe immigration will chase us. The terrible thing is that when we know we have lost money, no-one wants to lose their visa as well and go back. So I think that's why people don't want to come forward. They are scared. They have nothing. And even they can't afford to lose anything more. They already lost everything."
Sean Stimson, from Redfern Legal Centre in Sydney, is pushing for changes to the laws to encourage victims to come forward.
"We've been working on some law reform over the last 18 months-two years, to look at amending the Migration Act around Section 499, to put better protection in place for the international students. That is, that they're able to come forward and present their situation without fear that their visa will be cancelled."
He says until then, victims should seek legal advice - there are other ways they may be able to get help.
Those who are telling their stories now are hoping the Australian legal system catches up with the perpetrators.
B/A: You can watch the full report on The Feed on SBS Viceland and online.
