We spoke briefly to one of our Immigration Lawyers about their experience with expediting visa applications.

Can you provide a brief introduction on a recent visa application?

We recently acted on behalf of an employee for a large multinational to apply for a Subclass 482Temporary Skill Shortage visa. We lodged the application in late December 2021, just prior to the Christmas holidays. While the nomination was approved relatively quickly by the Department of Home Affairs, the actual visa was not approved as quickly as we would have hoped. The visa application was sitting in processing (Department of Home Affairs) for a few weeks.

Were there any challenges particular to this visa application?

The client was located in a country where they needed to make travel plans quickly. They also needed to coordinate their travel plans with their beloved dog, which was relocating with them. The dog needed to be transported to Australia before they arrived, so that the dog could meet Australia's quarantine requirements, however the client was concerned that the dog should not be left for too long before they could arrive.

How did we help?

We maintained proactive communications with the department, including clear explanations about the applicant's situation and the urgency of their role to their employer.

We were conscious that the holiday period might slow the department's processing times, so we continued to follow up with the department in a timely fashion and presented a business case so that the department were fully aware of the urgency of our clients case.

What was the outcome with this application?

After proactively providing the department with timely updates and the busines case, the visa was approved within a few days.

Any reflections on this particular case?

It was important to communicate with the department in a way that would influence a favourable outcome rather than pushing too hard for a decision and potentially having an unfavourable outcome.