FAQs
1. Who needs a visa to come to Australia?
All foreign nationals require a visa or electronic travel authority (ETA) before travel to Australia for any purpose (with the exception of New Zealand passport holders who are normally granted a Special Category Visa on arrival).
2. What type of visa is required for long-stay temporary employment in Australia?
There are several Australian visas that permit long-stay (more than three months) temporary employment in Australia. The primary class of visa for this purpose is the Long-stay Temporary Business Visa, commonly known as the 457 visa. This visa requires the sponsoring company to first be approved as a Business Sponsor. The company may then nominate a position to be filled, and finally the employee applies for the 457 visa.
3. Why does Hamilton Watts specialise in corporate visa services?
Hamilton Watts was established in 1990, to assist a number of core corporate clients that are still with the company today. Since then, we have built a strong business reputation for assisting Australian and international companies with the entry of executives and other skilled business and industrial professionals for temporary and permanent residence. We are not a recruitment organisation. Hamilton Watts normally becomes involved only when an employer identifies a need and a person to fill a position.
4. What corporate visa services does Hamilton Watts provide and in what industry sectors?
We provide services to corporate and institutional clients mainly in the areas of Skilled and Professional Migration and Long-stay Temporary Residence Visas for employment in Australia. Our clients come from all industry sectors, from telecommunications to mining, and include Government authorities, educational and other business institutions.
5. What information needs to be provided with company sponsored applications?
A range of company documentation is required for the various applications necessary to obtain business sponsor approval and for the process of nominating positions to be filled by non-residents. We normally discuss exactly what documentation is required at the start of the process. Ultimately, our job is to ensure that the information about our clients presented to Australian Government decision-making authorities is of the highest quality and that it properly represents and projects the company’s corporate profile. Company documentation is of course handled with the utmost confidentiality.
6. Can Hamilton Watts assist with obtaining permanent residence or citizenship in Australia?
There are a number of visa classes available for skilled employees to become permanent residents in Australia. In particular the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) allows Australian employers to sponsor employees who are foreign nationals for a permanent residence visa to work in Australia. Hamilton Watts has considerable experience in this area. We are also able to assist with citizenship and return resident visa applications.
7. How can I be sure about business confidentiality and professional conduct?
Hamilton Watts Migration Services employs Consultants who are Registered Migration Agents with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA). Registration is required annually and in order to re-register, Consultants must undertake continuing professional development including attendance at courses approved by the MARA and the Department of Immigration in accordance with Australian Migration Law.
Migration Agents are bound by a Code of Conduct which must be displayed in our place of work and which is available online at the MARA website at: https://www.mara.gov.au/Code-of-Conduct/Code-of-Conduct/default.aspx.
Hamilton Watts represents clients across broad industry sectors. Indeed, many of our clients are competitors domestically and internationally. We maintain strict confidentiality with all our clients and their business planning to the extent that only information necessary for the visa application process is provided to Australian Government authorities. We have no other purpose or obligation to disclose corporate client or employee information.
8. Under what circumstances would Hamilton Watts provide a refund?
Hamilton Watts operates on a fee for service basis (not on fee for result terms). This means that our invoice covers professional fees for work done on various immigration services. There may be some circumstances where the refund of a fee might be necessary, for example if work has not substantially started and the case does not proceed. This can be discussed with your HWIMS Consultant.
