Immigration Lawyer Brisbane
If you are looking for an immigration lawyer in Brisbane, you usually have something concrete on your plate. A role to fill, a partner overseas, a points score to weigh up, or a refusal letter with a deadline.
Our offices are in Sydney and Melbourne, not Brisbane. We act for Brisbane clients by video call, or in person if you are ever in Sydney or Melbourne, and our fees are fixed so you know the cost up front.
- Fixed fees, agreed up front
- Offices in Sydney and Melbourne
- Video consultations Australia-wide
- Led by Principal Lawyer Tina Nematian
How we help Brisbane clients
Employer sponsorship
For Brisbane businesses that need to bring in or keep overseas staff. We work through sponsor approval, the nomination for the role and the worker's own visa application, then the obligations that continue after the grant.
Learn moreSkilled and state nominated visas
For skilled workers weighing the Subclass 189 and 190. We help with points, skills assessments and Expressions of Interest, and with Queensland nomination where it applies. If another state or an employer-sponsored route looks stronger for you, we will say so.
Learn morePartner visas
For couples applying onshore from Brisbane or from overseas. The work is mostly about clear relationship evidence across the categories the Department assesses, and a complete application at lodgement.
Learn moreParent and family visas
For parents, children and other relatives joining family in Brisbane. Each family pathway has its own sponsor rules, costs and queue, so we help you compare them before you commit to one.
Learn moreStudent visas and next steps
For students at Brisbane providers who want to study, change course or plan what comes after graduation. The rules for applying for a further Student visa onshore changed on 2 October 2026, so it is worth checking your position before you lodge anything.
Learn moreRefusals and ART reviews
For anyone in Brisbane with a refused or cancelled visa. We read the decision with you, confirm the review deadline and discuss whether a Tribunal review, or a different option, is worth pursuing. Most onshore refusal deadlines run for 28 days and cannot be extended.
Learn moreLabour agreements
For Brisbane employers whose roles do not fit the standard sponsorship settings. No DAMA covers Brisbane, so a labour agreement negotiated with the Department may be the route. We help put the business case together before anything is lodged.
Learn moreMinisterial intervention
For people who have exhausted their review options or never had one. Asking the Minister to intervene is a last resort with strict rules about who can ask and when. We will tell you honestly whether a request is realistic in your circumstances.
Learn more
Brisbane is not a designated regional area: why that matters
Brisbane is classed as a major city, so most Brisbane postcodes are not designated regional areas. That single fact changes which visas are on the table for you or your workers.
Three visas are tied to designated regional areas:
- Subclass 491, a five-year provisional visa for people nominated by a state or territory, or sponsored by an eligible relative, to live and work in a designated regional area.
- Subclass 494, for employers in designated regional areas sponsoring workers.
- Subclass 191, the permanent visa that can follow time on a 491 or 494.
There is one exception worth checking. Some outer postcodes in the greater Brisbane region are listed as Category 2 regional areas, so if you live or run your business outside the city itself, check your exact postcode against the Home Affairs designated regional area list before ruling anything out.
For most Brisbane readers, the realistic pathways are the Subclass 189 and 190 with Queensland nomination, employer sponsorship through the Subclass 482 and 186, and partner and family visas. Our guides to the 491, 494 and 191 explain the regional system in detail.
Queensland nomination in plain terms
Queensland runs its own skilled nomination program through Business and Skilled Migration Queensland. Nomination supports a Subclass 190, or a 491 for regional Queensland, but it is not a visa. Home Affairs still decides your application, and you still need to meet the health, character and other criteria.
You normally need an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect first. Programs open and close during the year and criteria change, so we have not repeated occupation lists or settings here. Check the current position on the Business and Skilled Migration Queensland website.
Where we help is the decision underneath: whether your occupation and points make a Queensland nomination realistic, or whether another state or an employer-sponsored route is a better use of your time. Our guide to state nomination in 2026 compares the states, and our skilled visas page covers the pathways.
Working with us from Brisbane
Most of our Brisbane clients never leave Brisbane. Consultations happen by video call, documents are shared electronically, and you deal with the same lawyer throughout. If you would rather meet face to face, our offices are in Surry Hills, Sydney and on St Kilda Road, Melbourne.
You can book with Tina Nematian, our Principal Lawyer, who has more than 15 years of experience in Australian immigration law, or with Ivana Djoneski, our Immigration Practice Leader. The wider team includes Joseph Sukkar, Simon Jeans and Eva Chen, so your matter is looked after day to day.
Our fees are fixed and explained before you decide whether to go ahead, and government charges are separate. Before we meet, it helps to have your passport details, any visa grant or refusal letters and a short timeline of what has happened so far. Our guide to choosing an immigration lawyer in Brisbane sets out the questions worth asking any firm, including us.
Talk to a lawyer about your situation
Book a ConsultationAwards and Affiliations
We believe in the power of migration.
Simplifying Immigration, Connecting Humanity.
Our Team Members
Tina Nematian
Founder & Principal Lawyer
Ivana Djoneski
Immigration Practice Leader
Joseph Sukkar
Immigration Lawyer
Simon Jeans
Special Counsel
Eva Chen
Senior Registered Migration Agent
Maria Reglos
Finance Lead
Talk to a migration lawyer about your Brisbane matter
Tell us what is happening and we will tell you where we think you stand and what the sensible next step looks like. Consultations are by video, or in person in Sydney or Melbourne. Book through our consultation page.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have an office in Brisbane?
No. Our offices are in Sydney, at Axis House, 81-83 Campbell Street, Surry Hills, and in Melbourne, on the Ground Floor at 470 St Kilda Road. We act for Brisbane clients by video consultation, or in person if you are in Sydney or Melbourne. Anything a local firm can do on your file, we can do by video.
Is Brisbane a designated regional area?
Mostly no. Brisbane is a major city, so its postcodes are not designated regional areas. The exception is some outer postcodes in the greater Brisbane region, which are Category 2. Check your postcode on the Home Affairs regional postcode list, because it decides whether visas like the 491 and 494 are even available to you.
How much does an immigration lawyer cost for a Brisbane matter?
It depends on the visa and how complex your situation is, not on where you live. Our fees are fixed, so once we understand your matter you know the cost up front, and we explain what the fee covers before you commit. Government visa charges and any skills assessment fees are separate.
What is the difference between a migration lawyer and a migration agent?
Both can give immigration assistance if they are properly authorised. A lawyer is an Australian legal practitioner holding a practising certificate, and what you tell a lawyer is generally protected by legal professional privilege. Whoever you choose, check their authorisation first. Home Affairs publishes a consumer guide for legal practitioners. That check applies to us too.
Can a Brisbane employer use a DAMA to sponsor workers?
No DAMA covers Brisbane. Queensland's DAMAs are Far North Queensland and Townsville. A Brisbane employer can still sponsor through the standard Subclass 482 and 186 programs, or negotiate a labour agreement with the Department where the standard settings do not fit the role. Our DAMA page explains how the agreements work.
Does Queensland nomination mean I will get a visa?
No. Nomination is one requirement for the Subclass 190 and 491. Home Affairs still decides the visa application, and you must still meet the health, character and other criteria. Places are limited and a nomination may never come, so treat it as one step in a longer process, not an outcome.
My visa was refused. How long do I have to apply for review?
For most onshore refusals the Administrative Review Tribunal time limit is generally 28 days from being notified of the decision, shorter if you are in immigration detention, and the Tribunal cannot extend it. Your decision letter states the deadline that applies to you, so read it carefully and contact a lawyer as soon as you receive it. Tribunal hearings may be held by video.
Can I lodge a partner visa application while living in Brisbane?
You may be able to apply onshore if you meet the criteria, depending on your relationship, your current visa and your visa history. Applying onshore or offshore changes which partner visa applies and how the Department prioritises it. Our partner visa lawyer page explains the pathways, and a consultation can map your position before you lodge.