Partner Visas & Employer-Sponsored Visas
Migration Agents and Immigration Lawyers Canberra
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.
- 5 stars from 100+
Google Reviews - Registered
migration agents - Experienced
immigration lawyers
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 and employer-sponsored visas, each with extensive experience across Canberra and the ACT. Your case goes to the person who knows your pathway.
Alice brings over 15 years of expertise to the table, with a background spanning international education, migration law, policy advisory and operation. She’s guided countless clients through employer-sponsored, skilled, family, partner, and student visas with smart, compliant strategies that actually work. With her knack for blending deep policy knowledge with a genuinely client-focused approach, Alice makes the visa journey feel less daunting and stressful. Outside of client work, she’s also the Vice President of the Migration Institute of Australia’s Victoria branch, shaping the future of the profession.
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Our Visa Services for Canberra Clients
Partner Visas
Partner visas are what we're known for. Our immigration lawyers handle every Canberra 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 Canberra couples with:
- De facto applications - including guidance on the ACT's civil partnership registration option (more on this below)
- Long-distance and international relationships - overseas partners can participate fully online
- 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 Canberra professionals and the businesses that want to hire them. We know the Canberra market - from technology and cyber security to higher education, health, and professional services - 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 Canberra 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
- Canberra-based employers navigating sponsorship obligations and documentation
Why Canberra Couples Choose Matilda for Partner Visas
A partner visa application is personal. You're sharing your relationship with a government body and trusting someone to represent it properly. Here's what working with Matilda actually looks like.
No visa, no fee. If your visa isn't granted, you don't pay our professional fees. We think that's how it should work - and it means we're invested in your outcome, not just your lodgement.
We do the heavy lifting. The average DIY partner visa takes around 100 hours of work. With Matilda, your time commitment drops to 15–30 hours. We draft your relationship statement, build your evidence album, and complete the legal forms. You provide the information; we do the rest.
Guidance on ACT-specific options. Including civil partnership registration through Access Canberra - a step that can support your de facto relationship evidence and, in some circumstances, help meet the living-together requirement sooner than the standard 12 months.
Long-distance relationship support. Your overseas partner can participate fully online. Shared finances, communication records, statutory declarations - we help you structure international relationship evidence clearly and compellingly.
Fully online. No office visits. No rearranging your life around a CBD appointment. Everything is handled remotely, on a timeline that suits you.
Legal and migration expertise working together. Partner visas at Matilda are handled by immigration lawyers and registered migration agents. You get both - not one or the other.
Why Canberra Clients Choose Matilda for Employer-Sponsored Visas
Employer-sponsored visas have a lot of moving parts - the employer's obligations, the occupation list, the salary thresholds, the nomination process. Getting any of it wrong can delay or sink an application. Here's what we bring to it.
Clarity through the complexity. We explain the Canberra employer-sponsored pathway - including the 482 → 186 route to permanent residency - in plain language, so you know what you're working towards and why each step matters.
Experience across Canberra industries. Technology and cyber security, higher education and research, health and aged care, and professional and consulting services - our migration agents have handled employer-sponsored cases across the industries that actually drive hiring in the ACT.
Support for employers and employees. We work with both sides of a sponsorship: the employee navigating their visa options, and the employer managing sponsorship obligations, nomination requirements, and compliance.
Applications built to hold up. Every application we lodge is structured to meet Home Affairs requirements from the start - reducing the risk of requests for further information and the delays they cause.
Ongoing support, not just a lodgement. We stay with you after your application goes in. Progress updates, post-lodgement tasks, questions that come up along the way - we're 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 Canberra & Australian Capital Territory: what to know
Registering your relationship in Australian Capital Territory
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. The ACT gives you an alternative.
De facto couples can register their relationship as a civil partnership with Access Canberra, under the ACT's Domestic Relationships Act 1994. Registering doesn't change the relationship itself, but it creates a formal legal record that can support your case - and in some circumstances can help you meet the living-together requirement earlier than you otherwise would.
A few things worth knowing about the process:
- At least one partner needs to have lived in the ACT for three months or more to register
- Both partners need to provide proof of identity and evidence that any previous marriage, civil union or civil partnership has ended
- Registration itself is free; a standard relationship certificate - which you'll need for your partner visa application - costs $53
- Access Canberra processes complete applications within 15 business days of receiving all required documents
- You can apply online, by email, in person at an Access Canberra Service Centre, or by mail - visit accesscanberra.act.gov.au for current forms
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 Canberra
Canberra's rental market doesn't always produce the clean joint-lease evidence the Department expects. Share houses, group houses common among public servants and students, couples where one partner owns the property - these are common Canberra living arrangements that need 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 - 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 records.
We advise on when to use them, what they should cover, and how to get them witnessed correctly under ACT law.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to visit an office, or can my Canberra migration agent and immigration lawyer work with me online?
Entirely online. 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 online migration agents and immigration lawyers in Canberra 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 qualified Australian legal practitioners.
How do I prove my relationship for a partner visa in the ACT?
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, and statutory declarations from people who know you as a couple. We build your evidence package across all four categories and advise on gaps before you lodge.
Can I register my domestic relationship in the ACT to speed up my partner visa?
Registering your relationship as a civil partnership with Access Canberra can support your de facto relationship evidence and, in some circumstances, help you meet the living-together requirement for a partner visa sooner than the standard 12 months. Registration is free; a standard relationship certificate (which you'll need for your application) costs $53. Access Canberra processes complete applications within 15 business days, and at least one partner needs to have lived in the ACT for three months or more to register. We assess whether this is the right step for your situation as part of your eligibility review.
How long do partner visas take to process in Canberra?
Partner visa processing times are set by the Department of Home Affairs and change regularly. The published timelines apply to decision-ready applications - meaning applications that are complete, well-evidenced, and correctly lodged from day one. That's what we focus on. We'll give you realistic current estimates as part of your initial consultation.
What employer-sponsored visas are available to Canberra workers and employers?
Our support for Canberra employer sponsorship covers the Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) and Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) - the same national programs we work with across Australia. If you're weighing up other pathways, including any state or territory-nominated options, it's worth getting written advice on eligibility before committing to a strategy. We're happy to point you in the right direction as part of an initial consultation, even where it's outside what we directly handle.
What's the difference between a migration agent and an immigration lawyer?
Both can lodge Australian visa applications and advise on eligibility. Immigration lawyers have additional legal qualifications and can provide formal legal advice - which matters most in complex cases involving prior refusals, health waivers, or character issues. At Matilda, partner visas are handled by immigration lawyers and registered migration agents; employer-sponsored visas are handled by our MARA-registered migration agents.
How much does a migration agent or immigration lawyer cost in Canberra?
Matilda charges flat fees for partner visa applications - there's no hourly billing and no hidden costs. The "no visa, no fee" model means our professional fees are only payable if your visa is granted. Exact fees depend on your visa type and the complexity of your case. We'll give you a clear cost breakdown in your initial consultation, before you commit to anything.
Ready to Start Your Visa Journey?
Canberra clients don't need an office. They need a team that knows what they're doing - and actually cares whether the application works. That's what Matilda is.
