Partner Visas & Employer-Sponsored Visas
Migration Agents and Immigration Lawyers Melbourne
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.
- No visas,
no fees - 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 visas and employer-sponsored visas, each with extensive experience across Melbourne and Victoria. Your case goes to the person who knows your pathway.
Here's one of them — Alice Guan, Vice President of the Migration Institute of Australia (Victoria).
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 Melbourne Clients
Partner Visas
Partner visas are what we're known for. Our immigration lawyers handle every Melbourne 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 Melbourne couples with:
- De facto applications - including guidance on Victoria's relationship registration shortcut (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 Melbourne professionals and the businesses that want to hire them. We know the Melbourne market - which industries are sponsoring, which occupation lists apply, 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 Melbourne 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
- Melbourne-based employers navigating sponsorship obligations and documentation
Why Melbourne 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.
Victoria-specific options.
Including de facto registration through BDM Victoria - can waive the 12-month cohabitation requirement and reshape your timeline.
Long-distance support.
Overseas partners participate fully online. We structure international relationship evidence the way Home Affairs expects to see it.
Why Melbourne 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 Melbourne industries.
Tech, healthcare, financial services, hospitality - we've worked the industries Melbourne 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.
Overseas partners participate fully online. We structure international relationship evidence the way Home Affairs expects to see it.
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 Melbourne & Victoria: what to know
Registering your relationship in Victoria
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. Victoria gives you an alternative.
De facto couples can register their domestic relationship with Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria. 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 Victoria - so this option is available even if your partner is interstate or overseas
- Both partners complete their sections of the application online, including identity verification and a statutory declaration
- The law requires a 28-day cooling-off period after applying - the full registration typically takes up to 35 days (5 weeks) from when BDM Victoria receives all your documents
- The registration fee is $258.90; a legal certificate (which you'll need for your partner visa application) costs an additional $57.50 plus express postage
- You can apply at bdm.vic.gov.au/register-domestic-relationship
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 Melbourne
Rental arrangements in Melbourne don't always produce the clean joint-lease evidence the Department expects. Share houses, 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 - 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.
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 an office, or can my Melbourne migration agent 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 in Melbourne 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 Victoria and New South Wales.
How do I prove my relationship for a partner visa in Victoria?
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 Victoria to speed up my partner visa?
Registering your domestic relationship with Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria can waive the standard 12-month cohabitation requirement for a partner visa - which changes your application timeline. The registration process takes up to 35 days and costs $258.90 (plus $57.50 for a legal certificate). Only one partner needs to live in Victoria. We assess whether it's the right option for your specific situation during your eligibility review.
How long do partner visas take to process in Melbourne?
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 expectations when we assess your case, rather than a number that may not reflect today's processing environment.
What employer-sponsored visas are available to Melbourne workers and employers?
Melbourne sits in metropolitan Australia, so 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 Melbourne - that's a distinction worth knowing if you've read conflicting information online. We confirm exactly which visas suit your situation during your eligibility assessment.
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.
Ready to start your visa journey?
Melbourne 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.
