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MIGRATION

Employers

Whether you are a local business or a global conglomerate employing foreign talent, Nevett Ford can help you navigate complex Australian and US immigration law and visa processes, as well as various other challenges of managing an international workforce.

From visa applications to compliance training and relocation advice, our senior immigration lawyers and registered migration agents can support you every step of the way. We can also coordinate immigration law and visa services for other jurisdictions internationally through our network of trusted partners and service providers.

If you seek the services of an immigration lawyer for work visas, sponsorship or appeals, you are in safe hands with Nevett Ford.

OUR MIGRATION SERVICES

Employer Sponsored & Nominated Visa

Migration Support Services

Visa Appeals & Reviews

Nevett Ford supports and advises businesses on a range of relevant matters in relation to the sponsorship of workers, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Minimum pay rates for skilled workers
• Employment classification according to the national occupation codes (ANZSCO)
• Work rights
• Labour Market Testing requirements
• Visa conditions
• Employer responsibilities and sponsorship obligations
• Visa pathways for sponsored workers
• Risk assessments
• Compliance advice and strategies.

Benefits Of A Migration Lawyer

Nevett Ford helps businesses and corporations overcome immigration-related challenges associated with managing an international workforce, including:

1. Complexity: Australian and US migration law and visa requirements are strict and complex. We offer centralised management and streamlined processes for a simpler, smoother immigration experience.

2. Cost: We provide strategic visa advice to determine the most cost-effective visa solution and process for employee sponsorship – including assessing the best visa option for the employee to start work as soon as possible. 

3. Compliance: Businesses who sponsor employees on visas must comply with a range of strict migration regulations and obligations. We provide comprehensive advice to ensure that clients meet these compliance requirements.

4. Support: We help businesses simplify support for their employees by providing strategic migration law visa services. We can also assist with relocation coordination and advise on remuneration benchmarking and expatriate tax.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I hire a foreign employee as an Australian business?

You will need to provide or take over sponsorship for the person that you wish to employ, which enables them to quality for an employer sponsored and nominated visa. However, the sponsorship will only be considered if certain requirements are fulfilled, such as:

  • You are an approved sponsor and/or nominator
  • The occupation you want is on the eligible skilled occupations list
  • You have done Labour Market Testing and can show that you cannot find an Australian to fill the vacancy
  • The person being sponsored meets the eligibility criteria for your chosen visa
  • The proposed salary for the position must be a minimum of $70,000 per annum plus superannuation.

Contact our migration lawyers in Melbourne for the full process involved in hiring a foreign employee.

What costs must employers bear for employee visa sponsorship in Australia?

You will need to pay various application and compliance fees, including fees to become a Standard Business Sponsor (unless your business is party to a labour agreement), fees for the nomination and visa applications, and fees for applicant health examinations, police certificates and English language tests.

Why should I use a migration lawyer or agent for employer sponsored visas?

There are no refunds of Department fees if your sponsorship or visa application is refused, which makes it important to get the process right the first time.

An experienced migration lawyer can help you streamline your visa application process, make sure you have the correct documentation and information, and even provide compliance training and sponsorship advice, giving you the greatest chance of success.

I need an end-to-end relocation service for my employee. Can you provide that?

Yes, certainly. With support from our network of trusted partners and service providers, our migration lawyers can provide a one-stop solution from visa application support to accommodation arrangements and taxation advice.

Do you only provide immigration services for employees inbound to Australia?

While Australia is our primary area of expertise, we are also well-versed in managing professional migration to the US for businesses who need that service. Besides that, we work with experienced international partners to coordinate immigration law and visa services for other countries as required.

Why Choose Us

Decades of Experience

Our experienced lawyers and agents can handle everything from initial eligibility assessments and application lodgement to visa management and appeals.

 

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Personalised Service

We know that every migration case is unique, which is why we tailor our strategies to fit your individual needs and circumstances.

High Success Rate

Our migration lawyers help you prepare ‘decision-ready’ applications for the best chance of a successful migration application result.

Standard Of Care

We believe in more than just legal representation – we believe in building a partnership with our clients that results in a strong and meaningful bond.

 

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Fast Response

Our lawyers pride ourselves on being accessible and responsive to calls and emails.

Initial Fixed Cost Consultations

We provide transparent and affordable fees, so clients would know what the process will look like ahead of time.

 

WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

David Stratton

Managing Director

Ryan Curtis-Griffiths

Director

Heather Dzviti

Senior Lawyer

Helen Zheng

Special Counsel

Melissa Vincenty

Senior Lawyer

Rebecca Henzel

Senior Lawyer

Kiri Stefanidis

Lawyer

Lili Sibic

Lawyer

Chloe Wang

Legal Assistant

Shalini Kodikara

Paralegal

Professional Qualifications & Associations

CASE STUDIES

Following a major natural disaster event in Australia, an insurance company client urgently needed to bring in over 85 skilled employees from their overseas businesses to support with processing a high volume of insurance related claims.

Nevett Ford quickly initiated all the individual visa applications and worked collaboratively with the client in advising them on documentation for the Subclass 400 visas. We also contacted a senior Department of Home Affairs delegate to ensure that the visas were expeditiously processed for rapid employee mobilisation in Australia. As a result, all visas were granted which was beneficial to the client and to Australians impacted by the disaster.

A multinational logistics company client regularly needs to sponsor employees from overseas with niche skill sets to support the Australian operations if suitably skilled local employees are not available.

Due to the fast-paced operational needs of the Australian business, the applications are often urgent. However, the unique roles require careful legal analysis and consideration to properly classify them according to the available visa occupations for the best chance of success.

For over 15 years, Nevett Ford has successfully obtained visa approvals for all roles nominated by this client, delivering exceptional results and client service.

A client had applied to the Department for a S/C482 visa based on being an ‘in-house’ accountant for the nominating business. However, the Department refused the application because the business used outside accountants for taxation work and the Department’s view was that the duties associated with the applicant’s position were more bookkeeping-related instead of those typically associated with an accountant role.

Nevett Ford was able to demonstrate to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal that the large business derived much of its million-dollar sales revenues from overseas. This led to multiple issues to manage relating to exchange rates and frequent price adjustments on stock, which was the principal role of the internal accountant and was clearly distinguishable from the work performed by the external accountants. The review application was ultimately successful.

Topics We’ve Written About

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Family Violence provisions for Skilled visa applications

The Department of Affairs has extended family violence provisions to seven Skilled visa subclass, allowing secondary applicants to access family violence protections. These Skilled visas include: Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Regional Sponsored Migration...

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Australian Partner visa – Things you need to know

Australian Partner visa – Things you need to know

The Australian government thoroughly reviews all partner visa applications regarding your relationship to determine if it meets the relevant criteria. Australian Partner visas, which include the Partner Visa 309, Partner Visa 100, Partner Visa 820, and Partner Visa...

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New Visa Ballot System for Work and Holiday Visas

New Visa Ballot System for Work and Holiday Visas

The government recently announced a new visa pre-application, or ballot, process for individuals from certain partner countries who wish to apply for Work and Holiday visas. This system is aimed at ensuring a fair distribution of visas in cases where the number of...

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The Workplace Justice Visa

The Workplace Justice Visa

Employers beware! Have you heard about the new Workplace Justice Visa that protects overseas workers? As of the 1st of July 2024, the Australian Government has implemented the Workplace Justice Visa in the Migration Amendment Regulations 2024. This visa safeguards...

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Testimonials

Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

"Friendly, professional service. Subject matter promptly dealt with. Will recommend them."

Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

"Ryan Curtis-Griffiths and Jacqui Azouz provided excellent legal work.  I am a lawyer in the United States so I expect a lot.  And I got it from Ryan and Jacqui.  They are knowledgeable, efficient and very easy to work with. I will use them whenever I have an opportunity. "

Professionalism, Responsiveness, Value

"I cannot find any words to describe the professionalism of thos firm. Everyone from the reception to financial services and not to say Mae who helped out was absolutely amazing. I had Richard Hamilton who was definitely someone I will always have to represent me if I need any further help. Keep up the fantastic work ?  "

Reliable Lawyer and Good Expertise

"Richard Hamilton is a very genuine lawyer with very good expertise, good values and ethics of responsibility. He is not one of the lawyers in the market who would deceive you with false hopes. I found him very reliable which is something you need when you are going through a difficult family court case. Richard is also very good in returning to calls and emails. I definitely recommend him."

Excellent services and advice

"Ryan has been my migration lawyer of a number of years now and has been successful in obtaining PR and Australian Citizenship for me. His advice is clear, straight forward and tailored to an individual's needs. He puts in the effort and time and always cares for his clients. Overall, I received a first-class service from him, and I highly recommend him to anyone looking for migration advice."

The best immigration service provider in Mel

"In all respect to achieve your PR and the pathway for citizenship was done very professionally ! Special thanks to Rayan ( MD) who helped me in all the way throughout to achieve goal."

Best choice

"Ryan Curtis-Griffiths knowledge of immigration law, a skills in preparing all documents, excellent communication skills, rapid response to my inquiries, thoughtful and good listener."

Professional Service with Attention to Detail

"We engaged Nevett Ford Lawyers to prepare our 186 Business Nomination and Visa Application. Ryan provided outstanding service by assisting us with all his experience in the industry. It was the best decision to work with Ryan as he always listened to our instructions and assisted with timely advise. I would definitely recommend Ryan and his team to anyone looking for a Immigration lawyer."

Professional Service and Prompt Response

"Ryan and his team made sure the process of 186 Business Nomination and Visa application were as seamless as possible. We always received prompt response and correct advise regarding the matter. I would happily recommend Ryan and Nevett Ford to anyone who wants assistance with 186 visas."

Best Lawyers in the business

"Looked after me. Always made sure I knew what was going on and why, but also made sure my mental health was top priority."

Very professional team

"Great professional team, best communicating with the customer."

Legal expertise, Client focused service, Courtesy

"Nevett Ford Lawyers, including paralegals and administrative staff, displayed professional and reliable services. All staff with whom I interacted responded promptly to my queries and requests. Their polite and friendly manner was appreciated and reassuring."

Professional, Efficient & Supportive

"A Positive outcome of Permanent Residency from a Ministerial Intervention is what we achieved through Nevett Ford Lawyers. David Stratton and his Team have been highly efficient and professional along the entire journey through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and Ministerial Intervention. The Team managed our file with great care and patience while supporting us through the entire process during the past four years. We would highly recommend Nevett Ford Lawyers for their Professionalism and Task Accomplishments."

Ryan and Shalini worked extremely hard for us

"Ryan and Shalini's communication skills were what really stood out to us. They replied to emails most of the time within minutes and did a good job on helping us stay realistic about expectations as our case was extremely difficult and had a high chance of failure, they did a brilliant job of getting the visa through for my partner."

Service provided was professional & prompt

"Great communication, friendly interaction with all staff (including reception), prompt and did what they said they would do."

Navigating a tricky workplace case

"Generous with their time. Fair and pragmatic advice from which I was able to make an informed decision."

Mlam Camou (MlCam)
Mlam Camou (MlCam)
2023-08-31
I will recommend definitely this services to anyone who wants a clear and positive outcome for his immigration case. Professionalism and experience are also 2 very important points to consider when you decide Nevett ford to represent you. I am satisfy with their work to be honest.Thank you Nevett Ford Lawyers for your excellent work.
Lisa-Marie Hinton
Lisa-Marie Hinton
2023-08-31
My visa application was the most challenging time of my life. It was so much pressure, lots of tears and emotions. Ryan and the wonderful Team guided our family and secured my husband and children Citizenship and my PR. I think Ryan has a beautiful heart and is very kind. He listened to me when I was at my wits-end and could only cry on the phone. I would choose Ryan again. It has been a difficult journey but he never gave up on helping my family in the fight of staying together. Forever grateful. The Hintons xxx
Vivien Karabinas
Vivien Karabinas
2023-08-31
The expertise and service received by lawyer Sophie Stickland was efficient, caring and reasonably priced. I would highly recommend her. Thank you.
Jervin Paul Dhas
Jervin Paul Dhas
2023-08-30
Had the pleasure of working with Lili for my PR application and I had a very good experience. She was very responsive and guided me and provided updates in every step and the entire process was smooth and quick. Highly recommend their services and one of the best. Thanks again Team
Tom Simpson
Tom Simpson
2023-08-29
During the period between 2020 - 2023 i was applying for a permanent partner visa and hired Ryan to assist me.I had spoke to 7 other immigration lawyers prior to Ryan, and the general feedback i would get back was negative (installing doubt into my mind about the likelihood of obtaining a visa in my circumstance). Ryan was the only lawyer who had a positive attitude and was optimistic about my situation and gave me a lot of free advice about what i could do even before i hired him, this was a major green flag to me so i made the decision to hire him.I couldn't of asked for a better lawyer, i would highly recommended his services to anyone. Good communication, fast responses, never hesitant to answer any queries, pleasant to speak to and most importantly a good lawyer that gets the job done.I recently obtained my PR after a 3 year process and I cannot thank Ryan (and the team) enough for their service.
Hieronim Wiatrowski
Hieronim Wiatrowski
2023-08-23
Lili Sibic was ery professional and helpful. Highly recommended ????
Jessica Liu
Jessica Liu
2023-08-21
Awesome and extremely professional and patient. Highly recommended!!!
Antonia
Antonia
2023-08-17
Experienced, organised and friendly, Ryan is always helpful and reassuring during the entire visa application process. The entire duration has made him more than just a lawyer but a friend.
Hiro Kamisugi
Hiro Kamisugi
2023-08-16
Nathan and Jean as team helped me for my first home purchase. Even though I knew nothing of this matter, they made my whole journey nice and comfortable. Everyone around myself tells me that purchasing home is a very stressful journey, but I was totally fine with their help. Don’t think I can ever ask anyone else for my next home in the future!

    Contact us


    If you are overseas, please call our office on +61 3 9614 7111 between the hours of 9:00am to 5:30pm Australian Eastern Standard Time. Outside of these hours, please indicate your email address below and we will reply to you as soon as possible.