Immigration lawyers and migration agents deal with the same thing – immigration. But there’s a difference between both. Immigration lawyers have an edge. They are qualified to represent their clients in legal matters, especially in complex cases and applications. So, let’s delve into some aspects concerning the support immigration lawyers can provide during the application process.
Who is an Australian Immigration Lawyer?
Lawyers are also termed Australian legal practitioners. They would have completed an Australian law degree equivalent or a Legal Practitioners Admission Board’s program in their state or territory. Then, they would have been admitted as a solicitor or legal practitioner in their respective state or territory.
An immigration lawyer, termed a migration lawyer or immigration attorney, also has a practising certificate from the local law society. They are regulated by relevant law societies and the Legal Services Commissioner or an equivalent authority. An immigration lawyer registered with an Australian migration agent will also be regulated by Migration Agents Registration Authority.
What Support Immigration Lawyers Provide for Immigration Applications?
Immigration lawyers provide advice on judicial and merit reviews of immigration applications. Migration agents cannot touch the legal aspect, as they aren’t qualified or licensed to do so. But what is a judicial and merit review? A judicial review involves finding errors in the decision-making process, and the latter assesses facts that meet the criteria required for the application’s approval.
When you apply for an Australian visa, you usually have only one chance to apply for a visa at the Department of Home Affairs. If you do not succeed at it, you might be allowed to conduct a merit review of the decision made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. In limited cases, you might also be allowed to do a merit review of the Immigration Assessing Authority’s (IAA) decision.
Migration agents can represent you in dealings with the Department of Home Affairs and those with the AAT and IAA. But they cannot do so concerning legal advice, including judicial review applications. Here, you will require an immigration lawyer to support these aspects of your application process.
Benefits of Hiring an Immigration Lawyer, Sydney
In addition to comprehensive application assistance, immigration lawyers prove to be helpful in the following areas.
- Immigration processes and procedures could appear complex at times. Working with an immigration lawyer helps. They explain the immigration process to help you understand the process for seamless completion.
- Migration law is another intricate area to deal with. But immigration lawyers can help you understand it in a simplified way.
- Immigration lawyers are qualified to interpret legislation and apply its understanding during visa applications. This understanding proves to be helpful during writing submissions.
- Immigration lawyers can examine your case and offer various choices to simplify the immigration process. For example, if you cannot obtain employer sponsorship, the lawyer can offer other feasible options.
TCI is a team of immigration lawyers in Sydney who can help you with various aspects of the Australian immigration process. Call us at (02) 9222 1545 to speak to our lawyers and learn how we can help you with the immigration process.
