Partner Visas & Employer-Sponsored Visas
Migration Agents and Immigration Lawyers Sydney
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 Sydney and New South Wales. 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 Sydney Clients
Partner Visas
Partner visas are what we're known for. Our immigration lawyers handle every Sydney 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 Sydney couples with:
- De facto applications - including guidance on NSW's relationship 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 Sydney professionals and the businesses that want to hire them. We know the Sydney 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 Sydney 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
- Sydney-based employers navigating sponsorship obligations and documentation
Why Sydney 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 NSW-specific options. Including de facto relationship registration through the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - a step that can waive the standard 12-month cohabitation requirement and change your application timeline entirely.
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 Sydney 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 Sydney 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 Sydney industries. Technology, financial services, healthcare, professional services, construction - our migration agents have handled employer-sponsored cases across the industries Sydney businesses actually operate in.
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 Sydney & New South Wales: what to know
Registering your relationship in New South Wales
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. NSW gives you an alternative.
De facto couples can register their relationship with the NSW 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 NSW - so this option is available even if your partner is interstate or overseas
- Both partners complete their sections of the application online or via a Service NSW centre, including identity verification
- There is a 28-day cooling-off period after applying - the full registration process takes up to 7 weeks from when the Registry receives your documents
- The registration fee is $190; a standard relationship certificate (which you'll need for your partner visa application) costs an additional $68 including postage and handling
- You can apply online at the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - visit nsw.gov.au/family-and-relationships/relationship-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 Sydney
Rental arrangements in Sydney 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 in Sydney 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 records.
We advise on when to use them, what they should cover, and how to get them witnessed correctly under NSW law.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to visit an office, or can my Sydney 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 immigration lawyers and migration agents in Sydney 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 New South Wales.
How do I prove my relationship for a partner visa in NSW?
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, communications records, and witness statements. We build your evidence package across all four categories and advise on gaps before you lodge.
Can I register my de facto relationship in NSW to speed up my partner visa?
Registering your relationship with the NSW 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 process takes up to 7 weeks (including a 28-day cooling-off period) and costs $190 for registration plus $68 for the standard certificate (including postage). We assess whether this step is right for your situation as part of your eligibility review.
How long do partner visas take to process in Sydney?
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 Sydney workers and employers?
Sydney 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 Sydney - that's a distinction worth knowing if you're exploring all pathways.
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; employer-sponsored visas are handled by our registered migration agent. You get the right expertise for the right application type.
How much does a migration agent or immigration lawyer cost in Sydney?
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?
Sydney 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.
