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Immigration is one of the most complex areas of law, and changes often. We devote enormous resources to keeping up to date, not only with legislative and policy changes, but analysing the thinking and debate behind the changes. We provide regular updates to our clients via our newsletter and webinars.

The 17 January 2018 Changes to Lists of Eligible Skilled Occupations

January 23, 2018

On 17 January 2018 the Australian Government released another set of important changes to the lists of eligible skilled occupations for Australia’s skilled visa programs.             The following changes have already taken effect: three occupations were added to the lists of eligible skilled occupations (Property Manager, Psychotherapist, Real Estate Representative);…

November 2017: Grandfathering Provisions for 457 Holders and Applicants

January 14, 2018

Good news for the 457 Visa Holders and Applicants! In November 2017, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection has announced in its official communication that 457 holders and applicants as of 18th  April 2017 will NOT need to meet all of the new requirements.  Namely, the transitional provisions still apply to so called “grandfathered” 457 holders,  which…

EMPLOYMENT LAW: PHILLIP SILVER WINS COURT OF APPEAL IN CASE AGAINST STATE TRANSIT AUTHORITY

November 6, 2017

PHILLIP SILVER REPRESENTS OUR CLIENT (AN EMPLOYEE) AND WINS IN THE COURT OF APPEAL SUPREME COURT NEW SOUTH WALES AGAINST STATE TRANSIT AUTHORITY (EMPLOYER) ON 24 OCTOBER 2017   Our client, Mr Jamal Marroun  worked for the State Transit Authority (“STA”) for some 38 years. On 19 May 2015, he was dismissed from his employment. Mr Marroun appealed against…

Congratulations! Your visa has been approved!

October 22, 2017

Last week was incredibly successful for our team of immigration lawyers and migration agents. The Department of immigration and Border Protection have approved Permanent Residency for several of our clients. Namely, we have received three PR visa approvals for the following types of visas: the subclass 186 employer sponsor approval the subclass 189 skilled migration…

457 Visa Updates: Are You Affected?

July 31, 2017

  As you may probably know, certain legislative changes to the 457-visa program have been introduced by the Australian Government in the last several months. We have summarised below the most important provisions affecting new applicants and current 457-visa holders. Changes affecting new 457-visa applicants    Occupations The Department of Immigration have reviewed the Occupations…

457 sponsor fined $180,000 for ‘exploitative’ cashback scheme

June 20, 2017

A Brisbane-based Australian Business sponsor was  investigated by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) for allegedly ordering an overseas worker on a 457 skilled worker visa to pay back $18,000 of his wages through an unlawful cash-back payment. The sponsor was ordered to pay more than $180 0000 in penalties. The worker’s contract stated he was to…

TIMELINE OF CHANGES TO AUSTRALIAN 457 VISA

June 20, 2017

By now, you would probably have heard about the recent changes to the 457-visa program introduced by the Turnbull Government and its eventual abolition which will come in March next year. Some of these changes have already taken effect while others are being incrementally introduced. By March 2018 the 457-visa program will cease and will…

Partner Visa Application Successfully Remitted by Administrative Appeals Tribunal

April 25, 2017

Another successful Partner Visa story:  Big Win for Phillip Silver and Associates at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal   Last week the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) remitted a Temporary (Subclass 309) Partner Visa application for one of our clients (Jacob) and his spouse (Maree) whose initial visa application was refused by the Department of Immigration (DIAC). Maree, a…

Australian Legislation News

April 25, 2017

Major changes to certain Australian Visas announced by the Australian Department of Immigration in April 2017 Author:  Phillip Silver, Principal Lawyer Benjamin Franklin apparently wrote in a 1789 letter that “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”.  If Benjamin Franklin were alive today, he would to his list of certainties “being…

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Hannes Jacobs profile picture
Hannes Jacobs
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly recommended! A massive thank you to Phillip, Cherie and the team at Phillip Silver & Associates for helping me get my Australian 482 DAMA visa approved on 7 October 2026! Navigating a complicated application from Namibia was incredibly stressful, but Phillip and Cherie handled my application and guided me through every step. Their communication via WhatsApp, email and phone was top-notch, and they were always available to answer my questions. This approval changes everything for my family and me. Phillip Silver & Associates will always be my go-to team for any visa or legal matters going forward, and I’ll recommend them over and over again! Phillip and Cherie, thank you both for your outstanding work, patience and personal support. My family and I are truly grateful!
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Eliane Otta
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We are extremely grateful to Cherie, Phillip and the whole team for their excellent work and support throughout our visa application. From the beginning, they were professional, knowledgeable, responsive and always willing to help us whenever we had questions or concerns. The visa process was a long and stressful journey for our family, but having such a supportive and professional team guiding us made a huge difference. They handled everything with great attention to detail and kept us informed throughout the process. Our 482 visa has now been approved, and we couldn’t be happier! 🇦🇺❤️ Thank you, Cherie, Phillip and the entire team, for your dedication, hard work and for helping our family achieve such an important milestone. We highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a professional and trustworthy immigration team. Thank you so much for everything!
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Cathy Wensley
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Phillip and his team have delivered exceptional service to us since 2020 when we were faced with an urgent situation. We had just lost my mom and needed to secure a parent visa in a hurry for my father who was in Australia on a holiday visa and couldn't go back to RSA. Hafizah met with us online and gave us reassurance that it was possible and started the ball rolling immediately. Super efficient and prompt replies to every challenge secured a parent (bridging) visa so Dad could stay with us in Aus. They kept us informed right the way through, advised and assisted with a different bridging visa when Dad had to travel back to RSA for his sister's funeral. Unfortunately, Dad passed away in 2024 before the visa had been granted. Even then, Phillip and his team advised that I could apply for a refund of the visa fee. That was a whole other battle and Phillip didn't back down, eventually security the fee refund for me. The entire team is so professional and the peace of mind they brought us during a very difficult time cannot be put into words. Highly recommend this team for fantastic service and excellent knowledge of Australian visas to give you the best advice and options that suit your budget.
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Nicholas Bibis
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We cannot recommend Philip and his team highly enough. Our journey to Australian permanent residency was far from straightforward. We applied for a Subclass 190 visa as a family and, along the way, encountered a significant and unexpected complication that put the outcome of our application into question. Philip guided us through an incredibly stressful and uncertain period with professionalism, knowledge and a very considered approach. He took the time to understand the complexities of our case, clearly explained our options and helped us navigate the additional information and evidence required by Home Affairs. Cherie, Mark and the wider team were also incredibly thorough and responsive throughout the process. There were many moments when we genuinely didn't know what the outcome would be, so receiving confirmation that our 190 visas had finally been granted was an enormous moment for our family. We are incredibly grateful to Philip and his team for their guidance, persistence and support throughout what became a very long journey. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them, particularly to anyone dealing with a more complex migration matter.
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Bronwyn Niemach
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I needed to apply for an orphan relative visa for my niece and nephew (who were already in Australia on international student visas). This is not a common visa type that people apply for but that did not intimidate Phillip and his team at all. Because my nephew was turning 18 in a short time frame and we needed to apply before his 18th birthday, they assisted extensively with the heaps of paperwork that was needed and the applications were submitted on time. It took nearly 3 years of back and forth with Home Affairs (in all fairness, Home Affairs actually only started working on it 2 years after it was submitted) but the visas were finally granted. At one point Phillip had to intervene and write to Home Affairs as some of their requests were beyond impossible to meet. I will forever be grateful to Cherie who went above and beyond to ensure all documents submitted met with the Home Affairs requirements and to Phillip who had no qualms about taking on this complex case. Thank you for all your help with this.
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Sumiyabileg Odbayasgalan
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Highly recommend Phillip Silver & Associates! My husband and I had an excellent experience working with Hafizah. She was incredibly helpful, efficient, and supportive throughout the entire process. She answered all of our questions promptly and made what could have been a very stressful experience feel so much easier. We're truly grateful to Hafizah and the entire team for their professionalism and dedication. Thank you for everything! Cheers, Sumi & Carlos
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Marris Vytiaco
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Hafizah and the team of Phillip Silver Associates has been part of our journey here in Australia from the very start. We are indeed grateful for all the help and support from applying on working visa up to achieving our permanent residency. Hafizah was very professional, answers and makes us feel secured during uncertain times. We highly recommend this company for a smooth and trusted service regarding visa application. All the best! Regards, Marris and Joseph