Employer-Sponsored Visas
SID (482), ENS (186), Regional 494 nominations, Labour Agreements, and DAMA streams for Australian employers and overseas workers.
Australia-wide migration law
Migration Lawyers Australia
Visa Plan Lawyers acts for individuals, families, and businesses across every Australian capital and territory in employer-sponsored visas, skilled migration, partner and family visas, ART appeals, and judicial review. We work in migration law only, and instructing a lawyer brings legal professional privilege and court rights an agent cannot offer.
Practice areas
We handle the full spectrum of Australian migration law. Each practice area is run by lawyers who specialise in it.
Skilled Migration
State-nominated PR, Independent PR, Regional skilled visas, skill assessment strategy, and points-tested pathways.
Partner & Family Visas
Partner, prospective marriage, parent, child, and dependent visas, including evidence-heavy de facto and same-sex matters.
Visa Appeals & Judicial Review
Refusal and cancellation reviews at the Administrative Review Tribunal, judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court, and ministerial intervention requests.
National Innovation Visa
Subclass 858 visa pathway for individuals of internationally recognised talent, achievement, or experience in priority sectors of national interest.
Citizenship
Citizenship by conferral and descent, character and identity issues, evidence applications, and renunciation.
15+
Years specialising in Australian migration law
8
Capital cities served nationally
60+
Visa subclasses handled
6
Languages supported in client matters
How we work
Every matter follows the same five stages, scaled to complexity. The lawyer instructed at stage one stays on the matter through to court if it gets there.
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01
Initial legal assessment
A migration lawyer reviews your circumstances, identifies viable visa pathways, flags risk factors (character, health, prior refusals), and provides written advice. This is legal advice covered by legal professional privilege from the first instruction.
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02
Strategy and pathway selection
We design the application strategy: which visa subclass, sponsorship structure, evidence plan, and timing. Where multiple pathways exist (skilled vs employer-sponsored vs business vs partner), we map the trade-offs and select on legal merit rather than convenience.
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03
Application preparation
Statutory declarations, supporting submissions referencing the Migration Act 1958 and Migration Regulations 1994, evidentiary bundles, and forms are prepared to court-grade standard. Every claim is supported. Every adverse fact is addressed in writing before lodgement.
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04
Lodgement and Department engagement
We lodge with the Department of Home Affairs, manage requests for further information, prepare clients for any interview, and respond to natural justice letters. Where a section 56 request signals concern, we file written legal submissions before the Department decides.
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05
Post-decision: review and court
If the application is refused, we review the decision record, advise on prospects at the Administrative Review Tribunal, and represent clients at hearing. Where jurisdictional error exists, we proceed to judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
Why instruct Visa Plan
Legal professional privilege from day one
Every communication with a Visa Plan lawyer is protected by legal professional privilege. Your statements, evidence drafts, and strategy discussions cannot be compelled by the Department or any tribunal. Migration agents do not hold this privilege.
Court advocacy where it counts
Refusals and cancellations often turn on judicial review for jurisdictional error in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Only admitted lawyers can file proceedings and appear. We run review and court matters as one continuous strategy, not handed off mid-stream.
Strategic specialisation
We work in migration law exclusively. Complex employer sponsorship structures, points-tested skilled pathways, partner evidence cases, and Section 501 character matters each require specialist depth. General-practice firms and unspecialised agents do not match this.
Speak to a migration lawyer
Initial consultations are conducted by Visa Plan lawyers, not paralegals. We assess viability, identify the strongest pathway, and quote in writing.
Request a consultationMigration lawyers by capital city
We act for clients in every Australian capital from our Melbourne office. Each city page sets out local context, the relevant ART registry, state nomination programs, and any DAMA pathways operating in that state or territory.
Frequently asked questions
Does Visa Plan Lawyers charge fixed fees?
Yes. Visa Plan Lawyers operates on a fixed-fee basis. The fee for your matter is agreed in writing at the start of the engagement, with the scope of work clearly defined. There are no hourly billing surprises as the matter progresses.
Do you handle visa appeals at the Administrative Review Tribunal?
Yes. The Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) replaced the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 14 October 2024 and now conducts merits review of Department of Home Affairs visa decisions through its Migration and Refugee Jurisdictional Area (and the Protection and Immigration Jurisdictional Area for protection visa decisions). We prepare written submissions, brief expert evidence where required, and appear at hearings. Where the ART affirms the original refusal, we advise on judicial review prospects in the Federal Circuit and Family Court.
Do you provide judicial review services?
Yes. Visa Plan Lawyers represents clients in judicial review proceedings before the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia for jurisdictional error in Administrative Review Tribunal decisions.
Can Visa Plan act for clients outside Victoria, or outside Australia?
Yes. We represent clients in every Australian capital and regional centre, and from overseas. Initial consultations and most ongoing work are conducted by video conference. ART hearings are held nationally and we appear at the relevant registry. Court matters in the Federal Circuit and Family Court are filed at the appropriate registry and we appear in person where required. Our Melbourne office remains the single physical location; we do not maintain branch offices.
How long does a migration matter typically take?
Application timeframes are set by the Department of Home Affairs and vary significantly by visa subclass. Published processing times are available at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. ART review typically takes between 12 and 36 months from application lodgement to hearing. Judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court generally takes 12 to 24 months. Visa Plan Lawyers keeps each matter as efficient as possible by preparing applications correctly the first time, responding promptly to Department requests, and managing milestones actively. Indicative timeframes for your specific matter are discussed at the initial consultation.
What happens at the initial consultation?
Visa Plan Lawyers' initial consultation is a paid appointment with a lawyer. You receive a written analysis of your circumstances, a recommended pathway, and a fixed-fee quote for the matter. Consultations are conducted in person at our Melbourne office or by video conference for clients elsewhere in Australia and overseas.
Information current as of 13 May 2026. Australian migration law changes frequently. Visa Plan Lawyers reviews this page regularly; for the most current legislation, refer to the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994.