Partner Visas & Employer-Sponsored Visas
Migration Agents and Immigration Lawyers Brisbane
Applying for a visa is one of the biggest decisions you'll make. We're here to take the hard parts off your plate - so you can focus on your future in Australia, not on government forms.
- 4.8/5 from 40+
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migration agents - Experienced
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Client success stories
Mitch & Mel
Partner Visa
(subclass 820)“Massive thanks to Matilda for making this entire process smooth, accessible and easy. We couldn't have done it without you."
James Wills
Employer
(482 Nomination)"We knew we wanted to hire overseas talent but didn't know where to start. Matilda saved us a lot of time and stress."
Meet your migration experts
When you work with Matilda, you're not handed off to whoever's free. We have dedicated specialists in partner visas and employer-sponsored visas, each with extensive experience across Brisbane and Queensland. Your case goes to the person who knows your pathway.
Nell is a qualified corporate lawyer who transitioned into strategy and operations. She spent the last two years at Eucalyptus, where she helped launch the business in international markets (Germany and Japan). She loves understanding and solving flaws in manual, demanding processes, and joined Matilda to help it become the breakthrough solution the visa industry needs.
Our Visa Services for Brisbane Clients
Partner Visas
Partner visas are what we're known for. Our immigration lawyers handle every Brisbane partner visa application - managing your evidence, drafting your relationship statement, and making sure the Department of Home Affairs gets a complete, well-structured application the first time around.
We specialise in:
- Subclass 820 / 801 – Onshore Partner Visa (temporary, then permanent)
- Subclass 309 / 100 – Offshore Partner Visa
- Subclass 300 – Prospective Marriage Visa
We help Brisbane couples with:
- De facto applications - including guidance on Queensland's civil partnership option (more on this below)
- Long-distance and international relationships - overseas partners can participate fully
- Complex evidence preparation - we reduce your workload from around 100 hours to 15–30
Employer-Sponsored Visas
Our registered migration agents handle employer-sponsored visa applications for Brisbane professionals and the businesses that want to hire them. We understand what's driving demand in Queensland - the Olympics build-up, healthcare shortages, and the resources sector - and how to structure an application that holds up to scrutiny.
We assist with:
- Subclass 482 – Skills in Demand visa (temporary employer-sponsored)
- Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme (permanent employer-sponsored)
- Business sponsorship applications - for Brisbane employers sponsoring for the first time
- Employer nomination - nominating a specific employee under an existing sponsorship approval
Supporting both:
- Skilled professionals seeking employer-sponsored pathways to permanent residency
- Brisbane-based employers navigating sponsorship obligations and documentation
Why Brisbane couples choose Matilda for partner visas
A partner visa is personal. Here's what's specific to this pathway.
No visa, no fee. If it isn't granted, you don't pay professional fees.
We do the heavy lifting. DIY takes ~100 hours. With Matilda, 15–30. We draft the relationship statement, build the evidence album, complete the forms.
Queensland-specific options. Including civil partnership registration through the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - which can waive the 12-month cohabitation requirement and reshape your timeline.
Long-distance support. Overseas partners participate fully. We structure international relationship evidence the way Home Affairs expects to see it.
Why Brisbane clients choose Matilda for employer-sponsored visas
Employer-sponsored visas have a lot of moving parts - get one wrong and it delays or sinks the application. Here's what's specific to this pathway.
Clarity through the complexity.
The 482 → 186 route to PR, in plain language.
Across Brisbane industries.
Construction and infrastructure, healthcare, mining and resources - we've worked the sectors Queensland actually runs on.
Both sides of the sponsorship.
The employee's visa options and the employer's nomination, obligations, and compliance.
Applications built to hold up.
Structured to meet Home Affairs requirements from the start - fewer RFIs, fewer delays.
Ongoing, not just a lodgement.
Progress updates, post-lodgement tasks, follow-up questions. We stay reachable.
How Matilda works
Visa applications are already a digital process. The question is whether your agent is set up to do it well.
Named specialist, not a queue
You get a specific agent with the right expertise for your pathway, and their direct email.
Fixed fees, quoted upfront
No hourly billing.
No surprise line items.
Lawyers and migration agents, together.
Registered MARA agents plus admitted Australian lawyers - the full depth of both disciplines on every case.
A case portal that works
Documents, deadlines, and status in one place. See where your application is without asking.
Fully online
No office visits. Video, email, secure uploads.
Registered and accountable
Every agent is MARA-registered or an admitted Australian lawyer. Online doesn't mean unregulated.
Partner visas in Brisbane & Queensland: what to know
Registering your relationship in Queensland
Registering Your Relationship in Queensland
If you're in a de facto relationship, the standard rule is that you need to demonstrate at least 12 months of living together before you can apply for a partner visa. Queensland gives you an alternative.
De facto couples can register their relationship as a civil partnership with the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. If your relationship is registered, the 12-month cohabitation requirement may be waived - which can significantly change when you're able to lodge, especially if your circumstances are time-sensitive.
A few things worth knowing about the process:
- Only one partner needs to live in Queensland - so this option is available even if your partner is interstate or overseas
- You must apply for an official civil partnership certificate as this is the only certificate that can be used to prove your relationship
- Both partners complete their application together, with identity verification and a statutory declaration required
- Queensland has a 10-day cooling-off period from when the Registry receives your compliant application - making it one of the faster state registration processes in Australia
- The registration fee is $164.50; an official civil partnership certificate (which you'll likely need for your partner visa application) costs an additional $56.20
- You can apply at qld.gov.au/family/marriage-and-civil-partnerships/civil-partnerships/register
This is the kind of detail that doesn't appear in plain English on the Home Affairs website. We look at whether it's the right move for your situation as part of your eligibility assessment - before you've spent months building the wrong case.
Proving you live together in Brisbane
Proving You Live Together in Brisbane
Rental arrangements in Brisbane don't always produce the clean joint-lease evidence the Department expects. Share houses, short-term leases, informal arrangements, couples where one partner owns the property - these are common situations that require a more considered approach to evidence.
We help you work out what evidence you actually have, structure it clearly, and fill the gaps using statutory declarations and supporting documents. A less-than-ideal living arrangement doesn't have to mean a weaker application.
Statutory Declarations
Statutory Declarations
Statutory declarations - formal written statements made in front of an authorised witness - are commonly used in partner visa applications to support relationship evidence. They're particularly useful where documentary evidence is limited: long-distance periods, early stages of a relationship, or gaps in financial co-mingling.
In Queensland, a Justice of the Peace (JP) can witness a statutory declaration - and Queensland has one of the largest networks of JPs in Australia, many of whom offer free services. We advise on when to use them, what they should cover, and how to get them witnessed correctly.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to visit a Brisbane office, or can Matilda's migration agents work with me remotely?
Entirely remote. Matilda is a fully remote migration agency - video consultations, secure document handling, and all communication happen without you ever visiting a physical office. The quality of your application doesn't depend on where you sit when you submit it.
Are remote migration agents legitimate?
Yes - what matters is MARA registration (for migration agents) or legal admission (for immigration lawyers), not a street address. You can verify any migration agent's registration on the MARA register. Our agents hold valid MARNs and our lawyers are admitted to practise in Australian jurisdictions.
How do I prove my relationship for a partner visa in Queensland?
The Department of Home Affairs looks at four categories of evidence: financial aspects of your relationship, your living arrangements, your social life as a couple, and your commitment to each other. Within each category, they want documentation - bank statements, joint leases, photos, communication records, statutory declarations from people who know you as a couple. We review what you have, identify the gaps, and help you fill them.
Can I register my de facto relationship in Queensland to speed up my partner visa?
Registering your civil partnership with the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages can waive the standard 12-month cohabitation requirement for a partner visa - which changes your application timeline. The registration takes just 10 days from when the Registry receives your compliant application, and costs $164.50 (plus $56.20 for an official certificate). Only one partner needs to live in Queensland. We assess whether it's the right option for your specific situation during your eligibility review.
What employer-sponsored visas are available to Brisbane workers and employers?
Brisbane sits in metropolitan Australia, so the employer-sponsored options here are the Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) and Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme). The Subclass 494 regional employer-sponsored visa isn't available in metropolitan Brisbane - that's worth knowing if you've read anything about regional QLD options. We confirm exactly which visas suit your situation during your eligibility assessment.
What industries does Matilda support for employer-sponsored visas in Brisbane?
Construction and infrastructure, healthcare and aged care, and mining and resources are the sectors we see most in Queensland. We also work with employers across hospitality, technology, and professional services. If you're not sure whether your role or industry qualifies for employer sponsorship, the eligibility assessment is the right starting point.
Ready to start your visa journey?
Brisbane clients don't need an office visit. They need a team that knows what they're doing - and actually cares whether the application works. That's what Matilda is.
