Services Offering

Employer Sponsored

Full-Spectrum Employer
Sponsorship Practice

The Skills in Demand (SID) visa is an employer-sponsored temporary work visa that enables overseas skilled workers to work for their sponsoring employer in Australia. It replaced the TSS visa on 7 December 2024, is generally valid for up to 4 years regardless of stream, and is eligible for renewal. There are three steps: Business Sponsorship → Nomination → Visa application.

  • Smand Visa (Subclass 482) — all streams
  • Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186)
  • Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Subclass 494)
  • Temporary Work Short Stay Specialist (Subclass 400)
  • Labour Agreements — company, industry & GTE
  • Standard & Accredited Business Sponsorship
  • Sponsorship Compliance Audits & Obligations Management
  • Automated work-right checks via vSure
Talk to Our Employer Team Explore Visa Options

Why HR Teams Choose Us

In-House Style Support

We embed with your HR team to run your program as if we’re internal — dedicated managers, proactive updates, zero surprises.

Accreditation Advantage

We help you achieve Accredited Sponsor status — unlocking priority processing and reduced application burden.

Compliance Audit Ready

Home Affairs audits are increasing. Our annual audit service and statutory notification management protects your sponsorship licence.

Tech-Enabled Reporting

vSure integration provides real-time work-right verification across your entire sponsored workforce.

Employer Sponsored

Workplace & Employment Law
at the Intersection of Immigration

The Skills in Demand (SID) visa is an employer-sponsored temporary work visa that enables overseas skilled workers to work for their sponsoring employer in Australia. It replaced the TSS visa on 7 December 2024, is generally valid for up to 4 years regardless of stream, and is eligible for renewal. There are three steps: Business Sponsorship → Nomination → Visa application.

About the Firm

Integrated Advice, One Team

Employment law and immigration don’t operate in silos — especially for sponsoring employers. Our Special Counsel Sean Melbourne works directly within our practice to deliver combined expertise through a single, integrated service. No third parties. No referrals. Just joined-up legal advice from people who understand both sides of the picture.

Trusted by HR & Global Mobility Leaders, Multinational Employers, Scaling Australian Businesses, and Professional Services Firms.

Explore Employment Law

Employment Law Advice, Documents & Policies

Comprehensive employment law advice and document drafting — contracts, policies, and workplace agreements that account for immigration obligations from day one.

Enterprise Bargaining

Enterprise agreement negotiations and drafting, including compliance with sponsored worker minimum standards and modern award obligations.

HR & ER Services

Investigations, performance management, termination and redundancy — managed alongside your immigration obligations to protect your sponsorship licence.

Workplace Laws & Compliance

Fair Work compliance, workplace health and safety obligations, and sponsored worker pay equity — all managed in sync with your immigration program.

Global Services

Move Your People
Anywhere. Seamlessly

Licensed New Zealand immigration advisers with trusted co-counsel in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom. One relationship, every jurisdiction — consistent quality standards across every market.

  • NZ — Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
  • NZ — Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
  • NZ — Active Investor Plus Visa
  • NZ — Specific Purpose & Business Visitor Visas
  • USA — H-1B, L-1, O-1, EB pathways (co-counsel)
  • Canada — LMIA, Express Entry (co-counsel)
  • UK — Skilled Worker, Global Talent (co-counsel)
  • Global mobility program design & governance
Explore Global Map Discuss Global Strategy

Our Global Edge

Licensed NZ Adviser

Troy Andres holds NZ Licensed Immigration Adviser credential #201900522. Direct NZ advice — not just referrals.

One Contact, All Markets

We coordinate across AU, NZ, US, CA and UK through a single client relationship. No coordination headaches for your team.

Consistent Quality Standards

Your people get the same level of care and expertise in every market.

National Innovation & HNWI

Distinguished Talent,
Investors & High Achieves

The National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858) offers direct permanent residency for individuals with internationally recognised achievement — and is also the pathway for elite investors and high-net-worth individuals seeking permanent residence. We work directly with State and Territory governments and have established R&D relationships with select Australian universities to strengthen NIV nominations. No points test. No job offer required.

  • National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858) — all streams
  • Distinguished Talent eligibility & evidentiary strategy
  • Endorsement letters & nomination strategy
  • Direct engagement with State and Territory nomination programs
  • R&D program partnerships with select Australian universities
  • Investor & HNWI permanent residency pathways via NIV
  • NZ Active Investor Plus Visa — Tier 1 & Tier 2
  • Family & dependant visa strategies for HNWI principals
  • Citizenship by conferral planning
  • Multi-jurisdiction residency planning — AU, NZ, US, UK, CA
Assess My Eligibility NIV Visa Guide

Who This Practice Serves

Science, Technology & Research

AI researchers, senior engineers, and academics with internationally recognised publications, citations, and demonstrable impact in their field. We leverage our university R&D partnerships to strengthen nominations.

Business Leaders & Investors

Founders, C-suite executives, and high-net-worth individuals with internationally recognised commercial achievement — and those seeking investor permanent residency via the NIV or NZ Active Investor Plus pathway.

Arts, Culture & Sport

Internationally acclaimed artists, performers, athletes and coaches. We work with peak bodies and State/Territory authorities to build compelling NIV nominations backed by the right endorsements.

HNWI — Discreet, Partner-Led

For ultra-high-net-worth individuals, all matters are handled at partner level with absolute discretion. We coordinate with your wealth managers, tax advisers and estate planners for a seamless multi-jurisdiction strategy.

Sports & Entertainment

Official Immigration
Partner of Sydney FC

Official Immigration Partner of Sydney FC for the 2025–26 A-Leagues season. Having served the UFC, Yamaha, No Limit Boxing — Gilton Valeo is Australia’s leading specialist for athletes, performers, coaches and entertainment professionals. See also: sportsvisalawyers.com.au.

  • Temporary Activity Visa (Subclass 408) — Sport & Entertainment streams
  • Temporary Work Specialist (Subclass 400)
  • Skills in Demand (482) for permanent sporting roles
  • National Innovation Visa for elite athletes & performers
  • Squad & team bulk visa management for sporting events
  • Touring artists, production crews & entertainment promoters

Who We Serve

Sporting Clubs & Franchises

vSure integration provides real-time work-right verification across your entire sponsored workforce.

Individual Athletes & Coaches

Elite athletes and international coaching staff — including permanent residency pathways via the NIV.

Entertainment & Events

Tour managers, promoters, production companies — tight deadlines are our normal.

Complex Matters

When Others Say No,
We Find a Way

Visa refusals, character issues, tribunal appeals, ministerial intervention — when legal quality matters most. We have a track record of achieving outcomes others said were impossible. We’ll always be honest with you about your prospects.

  • Merits Review — Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT)
  • Judicial Review — Federal Court & Federal Circuit Court
  • Character Waiver — Section 501 matters
  • Ministerial Intervention requests
  • Visa refusal responses & reconsideration
  • Sponsor sanction & bar removal
  • Bridging visa management during appeal periods
  • Urgent stay orders to prevent deportation
Discuss Your Matter

What Sets Us Apart

Partner-Led Representation

Troy and Fiona personally oversee all complex matters from day one — not delegated to junior staff on the most important cases.

20+ Years of Case Experience

We know where discretion exists in the Migration Act and how to make compelling cases that others miss.

Honest From the Start

We’ll tell you straight if a case is weak. We’d rather give you a realistic assessment than take fees we can’t earn.

Employment Law & Special Counsel

Immigration & Employment,
Better Together

Employment law and corporate immigration are two sides of the same coin. When you’re sponsoring overseas workers, navigating workforce change, or building a global team — you need both. Our Special Counsel, Sean Melbourne, operates in close collaboration with our immigration team to deliver integrated advice that reduces risk and keeps your people strategy moving.

  • Employment law advice, documents and policies
  • Enterprise bargaining and Agreement drafting
  • Workplace laws — compliance, obligations and risk
  • HR and ER services — investigations, performance, termination
  • Fair Work claims — unfair dismissal, general protections, bullying
  • Sponsored worker obligations — pay equity, condition compliance
  • Workplace investigations and disciplinary processes
  • Special Counsel advisory on complex intersecting matters
  • Training for HR teams on immigration compliance obligations
  • Employment law due diligence for M&A and business sales
Talk to Our Employment Team Speak to Sean Melbourne

Why HR Teams Choose Us

Why HR Teams Choose Us

Sean Melbourne

Sean is a specialist employment and workplace relations lawyer with deep expertise in enterprise bargaining, HR and ER advisory, and complex workplace matters. He works alongside our immigration partners to ensure employment and immigration risks are managed as one integrated program — not in silos.

Sponsored Worker Risk

Employer-sponsored visa holders sit at the intersection of immigration and employment law. When employment conditions change, so do your immigration obligations. Sean and our immigration team manage both.

Termination of Sponsored Employees

Ending employment for a visa holder requires careful coordination — immigration notification obligations, bridging visa status, Fair Work compliance. Get this wrong and your sponsorship licence is at risk.

Enterprise Bargaining & Workplace Laws

Sean advises on enterprise agreement negotiations, modern award obligations, and workplace law compliance — including where sponsored worker conditions must meet or exceed Australian standards.