Straightforward migration advice, built around YOUR needs.

They serve different purposes. The 482 lets you sponsor someone for a role you need filled now, on a temporary basis. The 186 is a permanent visa, most commonly reached after two years on a 482, though a direct application is possible for candidates who already meet the experience requirements. The 494 is the regional equivalent of the 482, with its own pathway to permanent residency after a further period in a regional area. Which one fits depends on the role, the location, and the person you're hiring.

Yes. Your business needs to become an approved sponsor first, then nominate the specific position, and only then does the visa application itself get lodged. It's a three-step process, and skipping ahead or getting the order wrong is one of the most common causes of delay.

There are three distinct stages, and each is a separate application to the Department. First, your business applies for Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS), showing you're a legally established, operating business with no adverse compliance history. Once approved, that sponsorship generally lasts five years and lets you nominate as many eligible positions as you need during that time. Second, you nominate the specific position, which needs to be a genuine, skilled role on the relevant occupation list, paid at the correct market rate. Third, the employee applies for the visa itself, linked to that nomination. As an approved sponsor, you also take on ongoing obligations, things like keeping records and notifying the Department of certain changes, for as long as you're sponsoring someone.

If someone leaves before their visa conditions are met, there's a defined window to sort out a new sponsor or another visa option, and the exact timeframe depends on their circumstances.

It varies by visa subclass, occupation and how complete the application is when it's lodged. As a general guide, the faster 482 streams can be processed in as little as a few weeks, while the Core Skills Stream and Labour Agreement Stream typically run 4 to 7 months, and the 186 permanent visa can take up to 12 to 15 months. These published ranges shift as the Department's workload changes, so it's worth checking current timeframes before you plan around a date.

Yes. We work with the whole picture, sponsorship approval, nomination and the visa application, as one connected piece of work, alongside recruitment support if you need help finding the right person to sponsor in the first place. If you're weighing up whether the 482, 186 or 494 makes more sense for your business, that's exactly the kind of conversation to have with us before you commit to a candidate.

The Department looks at your relationship across four areas: your finances, your household, how your relationship is recognised socially, and the nature of your commitment to each other. There's no single document that proves it on its own. It's the combination of evidence across all four that matters.

No. De facto couples can apply too, and the assessment criteria are essentially the same. Most cases require at least 12 months in a genuine de facto relationship before applying.

Not necessarily, but it does mean you need to explain it clearly and back that explanation up with evidence that the relationship continued despite the distance. Long-distance periods aren't disqualifying, but they do need more documentation to fill the gap that living together would otherwise cover.

Insufficient or unconvincing evidence, not a weak relationship. We help guide you through the documents you need to submit that gives you the best chance of demonstrating what the Department is looking for.

We review your evidence against all four pillars before anything gets lodged, so gaps get addressed upfront rather than after a request for more information slows things down. Onshore or offshore, married or de facto, the approach is the same: build the case properly the first time.

No. Only agents registered with OMARA (the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority) can lawfully give migration advice for a fee in Australia. Always check an agent's MARN (Migration Agent Registration Number) on the official OMARA register yourself, rather than taking a website's word for it.

Not on its own. An agent who mostly handles student visas isn't necessarily the strongest choice for a complex employer-sponsored matter, and vice versa. Ask about their experience with your specific visa type.

A few things worth covering: their relevant experience with your visa type, a written quote that separates their professional fee from the government's visa application charge, who exactly will handle your file day to day (especially at larger firms), and what happens if your circumstances are complicated. Any agent promising a guaranteed outcome is a red flag. No one can guarantee a decision from the Department.

Fees vary by visa type and complexity, and it's reasonable to ask for a clear, written breakdown before you commit.

We ensure that your case is handled by a qualified RMA with genuine experience in your visa category. This personal experience is backed up by over 80 RMAs within our Group, allowing us to draw on the collective experience of the entire group to ensure you get the right advice for your situation.