Find Lawyers in Australia for Immigration Law
Practice Area Overview
Australian immigration law is a dynamic area of practice. The immigration landscape frequently shifts based on the political, economic, and social conditions in Australia, as well as in key migrant source countries. As the Migration Act provides a legal framework for changes in law and policy to be more rapidly made by regulations and legislative instruments, there can be a high level of legislative and policy change. As a result, practitioners typically focus on immigration law as a singular and specialized practice area, including merits and judicial review of migration decisions.
The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs are responsible for the immigration, citizenship, and customs border portfolios in Australia, which are administered through the Department of Home Affairs (the Department). The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (or another Minister appointed to administer the Migration Act) has a broad number of personal and ‘non-compellable’ powers under the Act.
Australia’s permanent migration program is tightly controlled by the government, with strict visa planning levels set each financial year. Conversely, the temporary visa program is largely demand driven and fluctuates based on Australia’s economic conditions and immigration policies as well as conditions in source countries.
In general, the permanent migration program is comprised of the:
- Skilled migration program
- Family migration program
- Special eligibility program
- Humanitarian program for asylum seekers and refugees
- Most temporary residents in Australia are either:
- Visitors for tourism or business purposes
- New Zealand citizens, who can freely travel to and remain temporarily in Australia under a long-standing reciprocal Trans-Tasman travel arrangement
- Students
- Working holiday makers
- Sponsored Temporary Work (subclass 457) visa holders, or more recently, Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa holders
Australian immigration law has a strong compliance focus. All non-Australian citizens require an appropriate visa to enter and remain in Australia, and are subject to detention and removal from Australia should they overstay or have their visa cancelled. Specific immigration bars also may be imposed in these circumstances, including a permanent ban for visas cancelled on ‘character’ grounds.
Australian employers are subject to strict civil and in some cases, criminal, penalties if found to employ a non-citizen without a visa or in breach of visa conditions. Employers sponsoring foreign workers under temporary work programs are also subject to additional sponsorship obligations which, if breached, can lead to significant financial penalties for both individuals and the sponsoring business.
Information sharing is common between the Department and other government agencies such as the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Australian Tax Office, the Australian Securities and Investments Commissions, and the Australian Federal Police. This requires visa holders and sponsoring employers to have robust processes in place to ensure that they remain compliant with Australia’s immigration laws.
Select a location from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
Cities
Recognised as an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law by the Law Society of New South Wales, Lillian has been practising law since 1997. Lillian is admitted as a solicitor in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the High Court of Australia. Lillian’s experience in the field of immigration is extensive – from employer-sponsored work visas, entertainment and distinguished talent visas, partner and family migration, through to tribunal appeals, representations to the Australi...
Karyn Anderson is the Managing Partner of Clothier Anderson Immigration Lawyers, a medium-sized boutique practice located in Carlton, Victoria, Australia that was established in 2003. She was admitted to legal practice in 1993 and has practised solely in the areas of Australian immigration and refugee law for over twenty five years. Karyn graduated from the University of Melbourne in Arts and Law and holds a Master of Laws (cum laude) in Public International Law from the University of Leiden,...
Karwan is a litigator and government law specialist, with extensive experience acting for various government clients in a wide range of practice areas, including constitutional, administrative, regulatory and commercial law. In 2017, Karwan was named Partner of the Year at the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards. He is also listed in the AFR's Best Lawyers in Australia list for Immigration Law in 2019. What he does Karwan represents government clients in litigation and advises on matters suc...
Catherine completed her Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications, Italian) and a Diploma in Modern Languages (French) at the University of Melbourne in 2008. In 2011, she completed a Juris Doctor, also from the University of Melbourne. While at university, Catherine worked as a law clerk at the Melbourne University Legal Service, volunteered at the Public Interest Law Clearing House and at Victoria Legal Aid, undertook internships at the Coroner’s Court of Victoria and the Australian ...
Dr. Rodger Fernandez is a Senior Lawyer at FCG Legal Pty Ltd and is a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia. He is also admitted to practice as a solicitor in New South Wales and is accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as a Specialist Solicitor in Immigration Law. He has been in legal practice for over 30 years. He is the current Chairperson of the Advisory Committee to the Specialisation Board of the Law Institute of Victoria in immig...
Carina is the Managing Partner of a large immigration law practice in Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria. She is an Accredited Immigration Law Specialist, New Zealand Licenced Immigration Adviser and was the winner of the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) Paul Baker Award in 2017. She was awarded Best Lawyers in Immigration 2022 and 2024, Melbourne and Lawyers Weekly, “Partner of the Year’ -Immigration for 2022. She is a regular presenter of CPD topics in immigration law for a range of ...
Rick joined Carina Ford Lawyers in 2005 having previously worked as a commercial litigation lawyer at Middletons Lawyers, Melbourne (now K&L Gates). He is a practicing lawyer, and also an LIV Accredited Immigration Law Specialist. Rick has extensive experience with all areas of migration law, including skilled migration, business migration (in particular TSS, ENS and RSMS applications), complex appeals and family migration.He is a regular presenter of migration law Continuing Professional...
Mary Hanna is the Principal Lawyer of Mary Hanna Lawyers, a boutique immigration law firm in Victoria established in May 2013. Mary is a passionate and committed immigration lawyer who has practiced exclusively in the area of immigration law since 2002. Prior to starting her own firm Mary had worked in private practice in both small specialist immigration law firms and mid-tier corporate firms, the settlement services sector and not for profit organisations, all in the field of immigration la...
Dr Etienne Hugo who holds a Doctor of Law degree and is the founder and Legal Practitioner Director of Teleo Immigration Lawyers. He is one of only 50 Accredited Specialists in Immigration Law (Law Society of New South Wales) and is also admitted as a solicitor of the High Court of Australia and an advocate of the High Court of South Africa. He has over 23 years of experience in the field and is often consulted by other practitioners and organizations on complex immigration matters. Dr Hugo i...
Greg specialises in public and administrative law. Greg regularly appears (both led and unled) in the Federal Court of Australia, High Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit and Family Court (Division 2), as well as in the Supreme Court of NSW, District Court of NSW, NSW Coroner’s Court and in various Federal and State Tribunals, including the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). His extensive client base includes Commonwealth Governm...
Joanne Kinslor is a specialist immigration lawyer who has extensive experience and exceptional knowledge of immigration law. Her clients appreciate her dedication to solving complex immigration problems and winning difficult cases. Joanne has been accredited as an immigration specialist by the Law Society of New South Wales since 2006. There are fewer than 40 accredited immigration solicitors in New South Wales. Joanne is Course Convenor and Principal Lecturer of “Australian Immigration...
Sasko is a Partner in Fragomen’s Sydney office. He has practiced in immigration law for over eighteen years, and has provided Australian immigration advice and assistance to Australian and international businesses across a wide range of industry sectors. His clients include world leaders in sectors such as ICT, FMCG, pharmaceutical, and management consulting. Sasko has also advised many start-up organizations with visa and immigration requirements. In addition, he has extensive experien...
Peter Papadopoulos is an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law. Since 2011, Peter has been included on the annual Best Lawyers list for Australia having been annually voted by his peers as one of Australia's best immigration and civil rights lawyers. Peter was admitted to practise law in 1996 after graduating with Honours in Law and Commerce at The University of Melbourne and completing his articles of clerkship at Arnold Bloch Leibler. Between 1997 and 2000, he worked as a solicitor at Ki...
Valerie Da Gama Pereira is Principal Lawyer of Da Gama Pereira & Associates P/L. She is an Accredited Immigration Law Specialist Profile Chair - June 2021 to June 2023 - Law Council of Australia – Immigration Section Head of the firm Da Gama Pereira & Associates P/L· Accredited Specialist in Australian Immigration Law (LIV)· Ex Deputy Chair of Administrative Law and Human Rights Committee, Law Institute of Victoria Ex Chair of the Migration Law Committee, Law Insti...
Since 1995 David Prince has practiced extensively in all areas of visa applications, merits review and judicial review, and has established a reputation for successfully solving difficult immigration cases. He is regularly consulted by barristers, solicitors and migration agents on complex issues of immigration law. David has been accredited as an immigration specialist by the Law Society of New South Wales since 2000. There are fewer than 40 accredited immigration solicitors in New South Wal...
Bernadette is a litigator and advocate with more than 25 years' experience providing legal advice to the Commonwealth Government. She advises on merits review, judicial review and statutory interpretation, and represents clients before Royal Commissions and inquiries. What she does Bernadette regularly appears as an advocate in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), Federal Circuit Court and Federal Court. She has extensive knowledge of the Commonwealth's operating environment, including ...
Chris is a Partner of the Australian Practice of Fragomen and has responsibility for the Melbourne office, in addition to leading the firm’s Advisory, Compliance and Government Relations Group and the Professional Practices Group. He is also heavily involved in the management and development of operations across all Australian offices. Chris is currently the Chair of the Migration Law Committee of the Law Institute of Victoria in addition to being an Accredited Immigration Law Specialis...
Jackson is Managing Partner at Roam Migration Law and has worked in immigration since 2008, primarily on employer sponsored visa matters. His experience ranges from Fortune 500 and ASX companies to start-ups and boutique SMEs. His current practice is focused on employer sponsored visa matters, corporate compliance, the Global Talent program and advocating for policy reform. Jackson is particularly interested in the confluence of immigration and employment law and how government policy shapes ...
Admitted to legal practice in 2002, Farid is an Accredited Specialist inImmigration Law , included in the Best Lawyers in Australia list for Immigration Law since 2013; included in the Best Lawyers in Australia list for Human Rights Law since 2014, and included on the Doyle’s Guide’s 2021 inaugural list of Leading Immigration Lawyers in NSW. Farid has advised and assisted with applications for a very wide range of visas and other approvals under the Australian immigration law, inc...
Kathryn Viegas is a Director of Nomos Legal, a law firm specialising in the provision of Australian immigration law advice. She has practised immigration law since 2003. She represents a wide range of clients, including not-for-profit organisations, businesses and individuals. She regularly provides specialist advice to applicants with complex immigration needs, including applicants who have medical conditions or have allegedly committed fraud, those seeking review of a decision or Ministeria...
As an experienced commercial lawyer, Robert has significant experience in providing immigration and other legal advice and visa services to Australian and multinational companies in sectors such as financial services, mining and resources (including off-shore oil and gas), information technology and telecommunications, retail, science and engineering, and health. Robert served as the firm’s Regional Managing Partner for Asia Pacific from 2011 to 2016 and Managing Partner of the Australi...
Cherie is an Accredited Immigration Law Specialist and has focused on immigration exclusively since 2000. She has extensive experience in corporate migration across a range of industry sectors as well as private client matters, including complex health and character issues. Cherie provides immigration guidance on a wide range of scenarios. This includes advising start-ups, small and medium enterprises, government agencies and international and major corporations regarding appropriate visa man...
Phillip is the principal solicitor and director of Phillip Yip & Associates Pty Ltd. He and his team practise solely in Australian immigration law and specialise in representing overseas and local employers for work permits and permanent residence for employees to work and live in Australia. His clients range from Fortune 500 companies to boutique niche businesses and startups that operate across all major and emerging industries. Phillip also specialises in family sponsored, independent ...
Marial Lewis is one of Australia's top immigration lawyers. She is an accredited specialist in Immigration Law by the Law Society of NSW as well as two times winner of the prestigious Lawyers Weekly 30 under 30 in 2021 and 2022 and the 2020 John Gibson Award - Young Migration Lawyer of the year by the Law Council of Australia. She was also named as a finalist in various national awards including, rising star of the year for the Australasian Law Awards and Women in Law, regional/suburban lawye...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
In Brief
The Upcycle Conundrum
by Karen Kreider Gaunt
Laudable or litigious? What you need to know about potential copyright and trademark infringement when repurposing products.
Wage and Overtime Laws for Truck Drivers
by Greg Mansell
For truck drivers nationwide, underpayment and overtime violations are just the beginning of a long list of problems. Below we explore the wages you are entitled to but may not be receiving.
My Husband Didn’t Want to Stay Married…But He Didn’t Want a Divorce
by Jennifer Billock
Patience—and the law—prevails when an uncooperative partner avoids divorce proceedings.
Enhancing Consumer Safety Through Winning Jury Trials and Substantial Settlements
by Justin Smulison
Firm founder and lead trial lawyer James P. Frantz discusses how landmark victories in litigation and trial protect consumers.
