Managing applications for approvals in skilled and employer sponsored, and family and returning resident immigration streams.

Philip Holmes

Registered Migration Agent since 1999

Philip Holmes has been an Australian registered migration agent since 1999. He has broad-based experience with expertise in Business, Skilled and Family Migration, and also in Merits Review processes. Philip adheres to principles that observe the highest professional standards. He will only accept an appointment if satisfied that the client has a sound immigration case with a very good chance of success. He will ensure the client has a broad understanding of the assessment process before agreeing to provide a service. Subject to appointment, Holmes Migration Services can be trusted with your immigration needs.

Services

Holmes Migration Services [MARN #9900303] is licensed to provide immigration advice and visa application services in following programs:

General Skilled Migration

This includes 

Global Talent

, 

Independent

, 

Employer Sponsored

, 

Regional

 and 

Temporary Skilled

 migration streams.

Skilled Migration to Australia is largely driven by industry demand.  Occupations on medium-long term and regional occupations lists can be nominated for independent points tested immigration, or be sponsored in the Employer Nomination Scheme [ENS]. Short-term strategically listed occupations are only available with employer sponsorship for Temporary Skills Shortage [TSS] entry. Transition to permanency may be an option after a minimum period of sponsored employment under TSS program.

Family Migration Program

This includes 

Partner

, 

Child

, 

Parent

, 

Temporary Parent

 and 

Other Family

 migration streams.

The immigration to Australia of a family member, is more likely by a partner, a child, or parents. Other family, such as remaining or aged dependent relatives may also have an option to migrate under the sponsorship of an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Subject to referral from a past or present client, or from a trusted professional or business forum Holmes Migration Services can appraise your prospects for a successful migration to Australia, from overseas or from within.

We can offer an application service to prepare, formulate and support a candidate’s submissions to Australia’s immigration authority.

Initial Contact

Please use this Expression of Interest form to initiate contact with Holmes Migration Services. We will endeavour to respond within 7 days.

Expression of Interest

GENERAL DETAILS
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
MARITAL STATUS
VISA APPLICATION
VISA TYPE YOU WISH TO APPLY FOR
TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Other family migration

Other family such as remaining or aged dependent relatives may also have an option to migrate under the sponsorship of an Australian citizen or permanent resident. A resident seeking to sponsor a ‘last remaining’ or an ‘aged dependent’ close relative  who may be a sibling, nephew or niece, uncle or aunt or a person related by marriage or adoption, must demonstrate compelling and compassionate circumstances to sponsor that relative’s immigration. The relative must have no other close or near family association in their home country, and if dependency on an Australian resident provides for the basic means of survival, these are the grounds that must be demonstrated.

Lastly, sponsoring an overseas relative to provide care to an Australian resident must demonstrate that no other family within or local community services in Australia can deliver the level of care required by the resident.

There is limited allocation of places in these visa streams, and other family who qualify to migrate will be queued according to the availability of places in the overall program.

Appeals

If a visa for Australia or an associated approval is refused or cancelled, applicants or affected subjects may have the option of merits review of that refusal or cancellation. Eligibility to appeal these actions is determined by  Part 5 of the Migration Act 1958  

Holmes Migration Services as a Registered Migration Agent practice can act for the subject of a refused immigration application subject to eligibility of the grounds for appeal.

Temporary Parent Visa

Australia offers a 3 – 5 year temporary residence visa for parents to stay in Australia, subject to approved sponsorship by their family. There is limited allocation of places in this visa stream, and there is no option for parent to migrate permanently to Australia while holding the relevant Subclass 870 visa.

Citizenship

Permanent Australian residents may also be eligible to apply for Australian citizenship by conferral. This can be achieved with an accumulation of qualifying time in residence and with a demonstration of one’s understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Australia affords dual citizenship to subjects whose countries of origin permit duality.

Resident Return Visa

Australian residents with an expiring permanent visa, need to renew their right of re-entry if they are going overseas with an intention to return, by applying for a Resident Return Visa. Permanent visa holders can renew their entry status for a further 5 years, or for 1-year, depending upon their accumulation of time in residence in the 5 years immediately before current visa expiry.

Parent Visa

Australia’s parent immigration stream offers a limited allocation of places in a program year. Parent visa options are determined by age categories, location of the applicants, and qualification to migrate based on the balance of a family, in Australia and overseas. A parent who is over the age of retirement as defined, can apply to migrate while on-shore in  Australia and include their partner. Parents who are under that threshold can only apply as off-shore subjects, and will be queued for entry as migrants until places become available. The relatively small allocation to parent immigration determines that queues are very long at present, realising that permanent migration of parent is long-term project that may not achieve the outcome.

Child Migration

Children of Australian citizens or permanent residents can be sponsored to migrate with the authorised permission of another parent or legal guardian. Sponsors must be approved on the grounds of their ability to provide a safe and secure home in which a child can be raised in Australia. Child migrants may be overseas born dependents of an Australian, or they may be the dependents of one’s migrating spouse or partner.

Partner Migration

An Australian citizen or permanent resident can exercise a right to sponsor their spouse or life-partner’s immigration either overseas or in Australia, by demonstrating the genuine formation of the relationship on which an application would be based. This is generally a two-step process towards full migration, with the approval of a provisional residence stage to begin with before transition to permanency after a qualifying period.

Couples that are betrothed with a traditional engagement can apply for a first stage Prospective Marriage visa to marry in Australia, before proceeding to a second stage provisional and third stage on a path  to permanent migration.

Regional 

Designated areas within Australia are encouraged to attract skilled regional immigration, and may offer incentives for employer sponsored nominations. State and territory authorities can also allocate points to candidates in independent regional visa streams. Regional placement is a priority of Australia’s immigration program as many of the country’s advanced technology industries are being developed in designated areas. There is also a need for migrants who can deliver specialised services to the communities of regional Australia.

Temporary Skilled

Australian businesses and service providers can sponsor workers to meet short-term needs for skills.  The Temporary Skilled Shortage [TSS] visa stream includes visas of up to 4 years for nominated employment in listed occupations. The duration of a sponsorship will depend upon the occupational listing for short-term or medium-term employment. TSS visa holders may be able to transition to permanent residence,  subject to a further nomination by the sponsoring employer.

Employer Sponsored

Australia’s skilled migration program is broadly driven by industry needs and identified skills shortages. There are three main streams of employer sponsored immigration, offering temporary residence for 2 – 4 years, provisional residence with a transition to permanency after 3 of 5 years in a regional location, and a permanent residence visa under the ‘direct-entry’ employer nomination scheme [ENS]. Qualification and relevant employment experience is essential for an employer sponsored immigration, and for the provisional regional and permanent ENS streams, a candidate’s occupational skills require assessment for equivalent standing by a designated authority under Australia’s qualifications framework.  Sponsoring Australian businesses must advertise a position to the local labour market before nominating for a candidate from abroad. Sponsored temporary visa holders can generally transition to permanency in the 3rd year of a TSS visa, subject to re- nomination by employer.

A candidate for independent skilled migration to Australia will submit an ‘expression of interest’ to the Australian Govt’s SkillSelect database, accruing points for age, English language ability, occupational skills and employment history. Additional points may be available by having a skill in demand, or with close family links in Australia, or with the nomination of a regional authority. By achieving a score above the nominated pass-mark, a candidate may be invited by SkillSelect to apply to migrate.

Global Talent

Australia needs highly skilled professionals to work in the fields of defence and advanced manufacturing, health industries, energy, agri-tech and sustainable resources, to be proposed in the Global Talent Visa  [GTV] program. The recommendation of a prominent Australian organisation in any of the listed areas of excellence can prioritise an application to migrate.