Partner Visa

Visa Services for Migration to Australia

We offer to our client's access to the best legal minds and resources available to achieve the best possible outcome.
We provide specialised services in all areas of immigration law, including:

* Business visas
* Employment visas
* Skilled visas
* Student visas
* Spouse, fiancé
* Family stream visas

Once you have completed our Free Online Visa Assessment, we will review your circumstances and provide you with a preliminary advice on:

1. The visa category which would be most appropriate for you;
2. Your likely chances of success under that particular visa;
3. Information regarding the application process and processing time frames;
4. Any other options you may have.

Michael Migration Agents will manage the whole application process for you, from obtaining a Skills assessment from the relevant assessment body to liaising with the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC).
BUSINESS VISAS

Australia's Business Skills Program is designed to attract business people to settle in Australia and use their exceptional business skills to develop business activity in Australia.

Business Skills migrants enter Australia initially on a provisional (temporary) visa for four years and, after satisfactory evidence of operating a business or investment activity, may apply for permanent residence.

Business Skills Visa Categories:

1. Business Talent (Migrant) (subclass 132) is for high calibre business people who are owners or part owners of an overseas business and have an overall successful business, participate as a principal in the management of a new or existing business. This category must be sponsored by a State/Territory Government.

2. Business Skills (Provisional) visa is valid for four years.

1.
* Business Owner (Provisional) (subclass 160/163) is for people who have a successful business career, in senior management and can demonstrate a high level of management skills, have significant business assets, a genuine and realistic commitment to participate as a principal in the management of a new or existing business in Australia. Applicants in this category may be sponsored by a State/Territory Government.

* Senior Executive (Provisional) (subclass 161/164) is for senior executive employees of major overseas businesses who have net assets and a genuine and realistic commitment to participate in the management of a new or existing business. Applicants for these visas must be less than 45 years of age and have vocational English. Applicants in this category may be sponsored State/Territory Government and be less than 55 years of age.

* Investor (Provisional) (subclass 162/165) is for investors/business people who have a successful business or investment career, are willing to invest funds in a designated investment in Australia for four years and have a genuine commitment to maintain business and investment activity in Australia. Applicants in this category may be sponsored by a State/Territory Government.
2. Business Skills (Residence) Visas (subclasses 845,846,890 and 892) are visas for people who have established the required level of business in Australia while holding a provisional visa or who have kept their designated investment in place while meeting residential requirements. A direct permanent residence visa is also available for high-calibre business people.

For further information on business visas please visit www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/27business.htm

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EMPLOYMENT VISAS

Employment visas are for businesses who are seeking to recruit skilled staff from overseas for either temporary or permanent entry to Australia . Businesses may also sponsor secondary applicants to accompany overseas staff to Australia.
Types of visas available are:

Temporary Sponsorship by Australian or Overseas Businesses (subclass 457)
Australian or overseas businesses that have been unable to meet their skill needs form the Australian labour market or through their staff training can sponsor on a temporary basis for up to 4 years, overseas employees to fill skilled positions in Australia. Under this program, positions must be full-time, meet minimum skill, English language proficiency and salary levels.

Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) (subclass 856)
This scheme allows Australian employers to recruit highly skilled people and nominate them for a permanent visa where the employer has been unable to fill the position from within the Australian labour market or through training their Australian staff.

Invest Australia supported skills (IASS) agreements
Agreements are designed to attract international businesses to choose Australia as a location for foreign direct investment. It allows companies that make a significant investment in Australia to bring out key expatriate managerial and specialist employees from within the company group who are essential to establish operations in Australia.

Agreements are for 3 years, although individual visas, once granted, may extend beyond the period of the agreement.
For further information on employment visas please visit www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/24overview_skilled.htm

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SKILLED VISAS

Australia's Skilled Migration program is intended to attract young, highly skilled people, with a high level of English language ability and who have skills in particular occupations that are required in Australia. These occupations are listed on the Australia's Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and are available on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.
Types of visas available are:

Skilled- Independent visas are for people who do not have an Australian sponsor. Applicants must be outside Australia for their visa to be granted.

Skilled- Independent Overseas Student for holders of an eligible student visa in Australia who have recently completed an Australian qualification.

Skilled- Regional Sponsored for people who are sponsored by a State or Territory Government Agency and who are willing to live for 2 years and work for 1 year in regional Australia. Applicants can be sponsored by an Australian relative.

Skilled- Sponored for those who are sponsored by an Australian relative.

Graduate- Skilled for overseas students who have completed at least two years study in Australia and do not meet the requirements for a permanent GSM visa. This visa is not subject to any conditions restricting work or study for 18 months.
People applying for these visas will need to:

* Be 44 years of age at the time of application;
* Have an occupation listed on the SOL;
* Have their skills assessed as being suitable for this occupation by the relevant Assessing Authority;
* Have a high level of English;
* Have specific skilled work experience or have recently completed an Australian qualification as the result of two years full-time study in Australia (required if applicant is applying from within Australia);
* Meet the relevant passmark when assessed against the GSM points test.

Points Test
All applicants applying for a Skilled Migration visa must pass a points test.
Applicants are awarded points for:

* Skill (nominated skilled occupation- SOL)
* Age
* English language ability
* Specific work experience
* Australian work experience
* Have an occupation listed as an Occupation in demand (MODL) (can include a job offer)
* Australian qualifications
* Study in regional Australia
* Partner skills
* Designated Area sponsorship by Australian relative
* State/Territory Nomination
* Designated Language

The pass mark changes from time to time. For further information on skilled visas please visit www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/25skilled_categories.htm

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STUDENT VISAS

Before applying for a student visa, students must have been accepted for full-time study in a registered course in Australia.

A registered course is one that is in an education or training course offered by an Australian education provider that is registered to offer courses to overseas students and are on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
Students must apply for a visa in the area they wish to study:

* Independent English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS)
* School
* Vocational Education and Training
* Higher Education
* Postgraduate Research
* Non-award
* AusAID and Defence

All overseas students should apply for their first student visa outside Australia, with the exception of Assessment level 1countries.

For further information please visit www.immi.gov.au/students/index.htm

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FAMILY VISAS- SPOUSE, FIANCE, PARENT, CHILDREN

Family stream migrants are selected on the basis of their family relationship with their sponsor in Australia. There is no test for skills or language ability as for skilled stream migrants.
The visas in this stream are:
Partner visas

* Spouse: the husband, wife or de facto partner of the Australian sponsor
* Prospective Marriage: a fiancé(e) overseas who plans to marry their Australian sponsor after travelling to Australia
* Interdependency: a person in an interdependent relationship with an Australian partner involving a mutual commitment to a shared life together

Child visas

* Dependent child: the natural, adopted or stepchild of the Australian sponsor
* Adopted child: a child adopted overseas; and
* Orphan relative: an unmarried child under 18 years at the time of application who cannot be cared for by either parent.

Parent visas
There are 2 visas:

* The parent category and
* The contributory parent category

To apply for these visas you must be the natural parent, step-parent or parent by adoption (before the child turns 18) of a settled Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or eligible New Zealand Citizen. Be sponsored, usually by their child, meet the 'balance of family' test and meet the health, character and public interest requirements.

To apply for either visa, an applicant must be the parent of a child who is settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Sponsorship
All family stream migrants, whether they apply within or outside Australia, must be sponsored by a close family relative, partner or fiancé(e).

The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible:

* New Zealand citizen and would usually be 18 years of age or older;
* Partner applicants must be sponsored by their partner (or a parent or guardian of their partner if their partner is under 18);
* Child applicants must be sponsored by a parent or relative, or that person's cohabiting spouse;
* Parent applicants must be sponsored, generally by their child (natural, adopted or stepchild), and
* Other family applicants must be sponsored by a relative