Chua Tan Associate Lawyers
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Apply for an Australian VISA with an Accredited Immigration Specialist Lawyer ​

Since 1990, we have helped thousands of clients from many countries successfully obtain Australian Visas and Australian Permanent residency. We promise you will get the best chance of success to get Australian PR with our Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law*.

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years of experience

Founded in 1990 specializing in Australian immigration law, we are one of the first immigration law firms in Australia.

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Accredited Immigration Law Specialists

There are less than 100 lawyers in Australia who have obtained this accreditation.

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Clients

Every year, we help hundreds of clients get their Australian Visa. Many of our clients come to us by word of mouth.

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Languages

Our Immigration lawyers speak English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, and Malay.

Australian Residency Pathways

Australian General Skilled Migration (GSM) Visas

GSM is Australia’s premier visa program for skilled workers. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a recent graduate, GSM assesses your skills, qualifications, and work experience, providing a pathway to live and work in this beautiful country. And the ultimate goal? Achieving Australian PR – permanent residency.

Here's How the Australian skilled migration Works:

GSM is Australia’s premier visa program for skilled workers. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a recent graduate, GSM assesses your skills, qualifications, and work experience, providing a pathway to live and work in this beautiful country. And the ultimate goal? Achieving Australian PR – permanent residency.

  1. Skills Assessment: Your experience and qualifications are compared against Australia’s stringent standards. If you are skilled in an occupation on the coveted Skilled Occupation List, you are off to a great start!
  2. SkillSelect System: Once assessed, you can enter the SkillSelect system, where you express interest and await an invitation to apply for your Australian visa.

Types of General Skilled Migration Visa:

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

This visa is designed for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, a state or territory, or a family member. To qualify, one must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and be invited by the Department of Home Affairs.

Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)

For this visa, applicants must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government. It allows skilled workers and their families to live, work, and study in Australia as permanent residents. Like the 189 visa, applicants need to submit an EOI but must also obtain a nomination from a state or territory.

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 494)

This visa allows skilled workers to work in regional Australia for an employer who has been unable to source an Australian citizen or permanent resident for the role. It is a pathway that requires sponsorship from an eligible employer.

Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (Subclass 191)

Starting from November 2022, this visa is for individuals who hold a Subclass 491 or 494 visa and have lived, worked, or studied in regional Australia for at least three years, with a minimum taxable income threshold.

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491)

Applicants can be nominated by an Australian state or territory or be sponsored by an eligible family member residing in regional Australia. After living and working in a regional area for a specified period, visa holders may be eligible to apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (Subclass 191).

Australian Employer Sponsored Visas:

To bridge the gap between local talent shortages and business needs, the Australian visa framework introduces the Employer Sponsored Visas. This pathway is an attractive option for those aiming for Australian PR or permanent residency.

How It Works: The Employer Sponsored Visas

  1. Employer Requirement & Nomination
    Employers must demonstrate genuine need for a foreign worker and prove that no Australian worker is available for the position. Upon approval, they can nominate a skilled worker.
  2. Visa Application
    Once nominated, the skilled worker can apply for the Australian visa. This entails meeting specific age, skill, and language requirements and having an occupation listed on Australia’s Skilled Occupation List.
  3. Visa Approval & Conditions
    After a successful application, the visa is granted. Depending on the visa subclass, there may be conditions, such as living and working in a specific region or with a particular employer.

General Requirements for Employer Sponsored Visas:

  • Occupation on Relevant Lists: Your profession must typically be listed on one of Australia’s occupation lists.
  • Employer Nomination: An approved Australian employer needs to nominate you for a specific position in their business.
  • Skill Assessments: Most visas need skills assessment.
  • English Proficiency: Demonstrable English language proficiency, often through tests like IELTS or PTE, is mandatory.
  • Age Limit: Depending on the visa subclass, there may be an age limit.

Types of Employer Sponsored Visas:

Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482, formerly TSS)

To qualify, applicants generally need an occupation eligible for the relevant stream (for the Core Skills stream, the Core Skills Occupation List), get a nomination from an approved Australian employer, undergo the required skill assessments, and meet English language proficiency standards.

Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa (Subclass 186)

Candidates must be nominated by an Australian employer, fit within one of the three available streams (Direct Entry, Agreement, or Transition), and satisfy age, skill, and language requirements.

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 494)

Prospective applicants need to have an occupation on the relevant regional occupation list, acquire sponsorship from an approved regional employer, possess a positive skills assessment, and demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency.

The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Visa (Subclass 187)

This visa allows certain 457/482 visa holders to be sponsored by qualified employer to work in a regional area. To qualify, applicants must fulfill specific age, skill, and language criteria.

Australian Family Sponsored Visas:

Australia’s commitment to keeping families together is evident in its comprehensive Australian visa system tailored for family reunions. These visas provide opportunities for family members of Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens to live, study, and work in Australia.

General Requirements for Family Sponsored Visas:

  • Relationship Verification: Evidence showcasing genuine relationships (marriage certificates, birth certificates, communication history, etc.)
  • Sponsor Eligibility: The sponsor typically should be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
  • Health & Character: Most visas require health checks and character assessments (police clearance).
  • English Proficiency: Good news! There is no English requirement for family sponsored visa. 

Types of Family Sponsored Visas:

Partner & Spouse Visas

If you are in a relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen, you can apply for a Partner visa. These visas not only allow you to live in Australia with your partner but also work and study freely.

Parent Visas

Parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens can apply for Australia Visa through. The primary requirement often involves a 'balance-of-family' test, which test the number of your children living in Australia.

Child Visas

Designed for dependent children, orphan relatives, or adopted children of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens.

Remaining Relative & Carer Visas

If you have a relative in Australia willing to sponsor you or if you intend to provide substantial care to an Australian relative with a long-term medical condition, you can apply under this category.

Australian Investment Visas

The Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Visa, Subclass 888, is an integral part of the Australian visa system, designed to acknowledge and encourage significant investors and entrepreneurs who have actively contributed to Australia’s economy. This visa acts as a gateway to Australian PR for those individuals who have previously held the Subclass 188 Visa.

General Requirements for Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Visa:

  • Initial Step: Applicants should first hold the Subclass 188 Visa.
  • Nomination: Before applying, one needs to be nominated by an Australian state or territory.
  • Demonstrate Commitment: Illustrate a sincere commitment to business or investment in Australia.
  • Application: Once requirements are met, apply for the Subclass 888 visa.
  • Granting of Visa: Upon approval, the applicant secures Australian permanent resident status.

Types of Business Investment Visas:

Subclass 188 - Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (closed to new applications since July 2024)

Prerequisites include substantial personal and business assets, meeting the age criteria (usually below 55, with potential exceptions), and achieving a satisfactory score on the Innovation Points test.

Subclass 888 - Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Visa

The applicant should hold a188 visa, with added requirements such as managing an Australian business for specific durations (Business Innovation stream) or maintaining designated Australian investments for a set period (Investor stream).

Common Reasons for Australian Visa Refusal

There are several reasons a visa might be refused. Mistakes or gaps in the application, health concerns, or not showing clear intentions for visiting Australia can lead to refusals. Sometimes, the Department might not be convinced about an applicant’s financial stability, or they may feel some documents are missing or unverified.

How to Appeal:

If a visa application is refused, it is not the end of the road. There are avenues to appeal the decision. This typically involves applying for review by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART, which replaced the AAT in October 2024) and, where there is a legal error, judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court.

An Australian Immigration lawyer can help you:

Our team of accredited specialist immigration lawyers have experience at all levels of the Immigration Review and Appeal process. We also represent clients seeking judicial review of ART decisions.
In addition, we represent clients in ministerial intervention after ART review.

Employer nomination visa refusal

Such refusals often stem from the employer not meeting sponsorship obligations, the position not aligning with nominated roles, or the applicant failing to meet the skills, qualifications, or English language requirements.

Partner visa refusal

This can occur if the relationship is not convincingly genuine or if required documents, such as evidence of a continuing relationship, are missing or insufficient. Inconsistencies in statements during interviews can also be problematic.

Working visa refusal

Reasons can include doubts about the genuine need for the applicant's role in the business, insufficient evidence of relevant skills, or discrepancies in the employment contract.

Student visa refusal

Common reasons include doubts about genuine intention to study, failure to meet financial requirements, discrepancies in educational documents, or not meeting the health or character criteria.

Family sponsorship visa refusal

These refusals often arise from insufficient evidence proving a genuine relationship with the sponsor, concerns about the sponsor's capacity to support the applicant, or health and character checks.

Loss of permanent resident status

This can happen if a permanent resident stays out of Australia longer than their visa allows, engages in activities that breach their visa conditions, or if they are found to provide misleading information during the original application process.

Kin Wee Chua has been focusing on immigration law since 1989, shaping policies and fighting for the rights of Chinese students in Australia in the 90s, influencing residency rights for thousands of students. In 1995, Kin Wee Chua successfully handled countless refugee cases. Recognized for his proficiency and endorsed by three lawyers, he became an Accredited Specialist of Immigration Law appointed by the Law Institute of Victoria. In September 2001, he became the last notary public in Victoria to be certified by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
KIN WEE CHUA
Director | Accredited Immigration Specialist
Chit Chua has degrees in both Law and Science from The University of Melbourne. He has been working as a lawyer since 1989 and became an Accredited Immigration Law Specialist in 2016. Known for his skill in tackling complex immigration issues, Chit is committed to providing personalized and effective legal guidance to his clients.
CHIT CHUA
Accredited Immigration Specialist
Client Review
Sheryn LohGoogle review from client
Was recommended to this firm by a family friend for their immigration services. was skeptical at first due to a few bad experiences with lawyers and migration agencies, but after the initial consultation with Chit over the phone, all doubts were cleared and I was delightfully surprised by his professionalism, in-depth knowledge and experience in dealing with migration affairs. Even after engaging with Chua Tan Associates, the standard of their service did not disappoint - they were fast and efficient, provided consistent updates with my application, and promptly answered my many queries and doubts. In addition, the cost of their services were very clear and reasonable - I liked the fact that they charged me in stages rather than one whole amount lumpsum like they do in most migration agencies, as I liked to know what I was paying for and also with this way, I knew that they were still following up on my application (no such doubts now!). In the end, I was notified of the end result of my application within 2 months, rather than the initial minimum duration of 3 months. Big shoutout to Chit and Daphne for their excellent service. If possible, I would give 10/5 stars. Will strongly recommend their services to family and friends in the future.
Howard DiepGoogle review from client
I've had a very positive experience with Chua Tan Associates, they've been absolutely professional and prompt in dealing with my case. I'd like to thank Mr Kin Chua, Mr Justin Chua and Chua Tan associates for their assistance in ensuring the best outcome and providing consistent updates.
Goh sing siangGoogle review from client
Having CTA assisted on my visa application is like taking a first class flight: sit back, relax and enjoy the journey (speed and service). I was prudently guided throughout the whole process. All my queries were cleared by CTA. My documents were reviewed and checked by CTA before submission, which created my strong sense of trust in CTA.
Octavia OngGoogle review from client
Mr. Chit Chua and his team, have been amazing, a miracle maker, in saying that, my family and I came to him with a very short time frame with a very complicated matter and had to act promptly as it is time sensitive with all immigration matter, despite the time pressure that we have placed them in, they respond with kindness, dedication, sincerity, diligently looking at all the documents that we have basically given to them and return with the utmost professionalism and advise us on all our legal obligations and risks involved, all the cost detailing with our legal matter is upfront and clear, no hidden fees, and to take the necessary steps into achieving the ideal results that we wanted. No case is too complicated for them. I would strongly recommend them. My family and I will gladly take up on their service again in the near future.
Reza AbbassiGoogle review from client
I had a very positive experience with Chua Tan & Associates. Good service and reasonable price. They helped me through my immigration journey so that it was absolutely effortless for me. I knew my fate was in good hands. I highly recommend Chua Tan & Associates.
Christine LuGoogle review from client
Kin Wee, Chit, Cynthia and their team at Chua Tan Associates were prompt, focused and diligent in helping me obtain my Australian PR. They understood the sense of urgency I had in applying for status. The team was fantastic and easy to work with, even in a remote setting. They answered all my questions thoroughly and took the stress of corresponding with government entities out of my hands. I'd highly recommend them to anyone pursuing visa / migration / legal needs in Australia - 10/10, I would work with them every time.
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We have two Immigration Law Specialists

Start your Australian Immigration Journey with guides from an immigration expert

In Australia, fewer than 100 lawyers attained special immigration accreditation. 

We will review your situation and guide you on the right path to obtain your Australian PR.

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