Frequently asked questions
Take a break from the forums, we have all of your answers right here.
How it works
Matilda is a modern migration agency that takes away the stress of your visa application. You get a dedicated migration agent to work with you, every step of the way. Our team will do the heavy lifting for you so you’ll spend 70% less time building your application than a traditional migration agent.
Unlike other agents, we’ll never surprise you with hidden fees. We are proudly transparent for individual visa applications featuring our pricing on our website. For Businesses our prices vary depending on how many applications the business is processing.
Our team is able to support clients with two visa categories, Partner Visas and Employer Sponsored Visas:
Partner visas
820 | Partner visa (temporary)
801 | Partner visa (permanent)
309 | Partner (Provisional) visa
100 | Partner (Migrant) visa
300 | Prospective Marriage visa
461 | New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa
Employer sponsored visas
186 | Employer Nomination Scheme visa
187 | Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa
494 | Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
407 | Training visa
We’re also able to assist with applications for Australian Citizenship.
If you need support with any other visas not listed, contact us.
Yes. Complete the Find Your Visa Match quiz to find the right visa for you. Then we’ll set up a free 30 minute, obligation-free consult between you and one of our qualified migration agents. Find your Visa Match here.
Pricing
A unique feature of Matilda is that we charge one flat fee for each type of visa application. We are offering 30% off our prices for launch.
Partner Visa
- Partner visa (Onshore) application: $4,500 AUD
- Partner visa (Offshore) application: $4,500 AUD
- Prospective marriage visa application: $4,500 AUD
Employer sponsored
- Employer Sponsored - Temporary Skilled Sponsor Visa (TSS)
- Applicant Visa application (for employees): $2,950 AUD
- Employer Nomination application (for employers): $2,640 AUD
- Standard Business Sponsor application (for employers): $1,980 AUD
- Employer Sponsored - Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (ENS)
- Applicant Visa application (for employees): $3,950
- Employer Nomination application (for employers): $2,970
Citizenship
- Citizenship application: $1,980 AUD
If you’re a Business and you plan to do multiple visa and nomination applications chat to us about our bundled pricing options.
All prices quoted are inclusive of GST.
Partner visas
To be eligible for a partner visa, you must be in one of the following relationship types with an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen:
- A marriage
- A de facto relationship
- A civil registered relationship
- An engagement (with marriage plans already in place)
Each partner visa subclass has its own unique eligibility requirements. However, most partner visas require that the applicant:
- Is over 18 years of age
- Is in a genuine relationship of mutual commitment to the exclusion of all others
- Has an eligible sponsor (usually your partner)
- Meets certain health and character requirements
- Doesn’t own any money to the Australian Government
- Holds a substantive visa
- Isn’t currently married to someone else, other than the partner you’re applying with
As of 1 July 2024, a partner visa application costs:
- Onshore partner visas (820/801 subclasses): AUD $9,095.00 for the main most applicant
- Offshore partner visas (309/100 subclasses): AUD $9,095.00 for the main applicant
- Prospective marriage visa (300 subclass): AUD $9,095.00 for the main applicant
Remember that this cost is not refundable, even if your application is rejected.
Application processing times vary significantly between different types of visas.
The current processing times for different partner visa subclasses include:
- Onshore partner visas: As of May 2024, 50% of applications for temporary onshore partner visas are processed within 13 months, while 90% are processed within 45 months.
- Offshore partner visas: Processing times vary greatly for offshore partner visas. Depending on which country and office you apply through, you can expect to wait anywhere from a few months to over a year.
- Prospective marriage visas: As of May 2024, 50% of applications for a 300 visa are processed within 14 months with 90% of applications processed within 37 months.
Processing times are managed by the Australian Department of Home Affairs and can change frequently.
Keep in mind that the visa processing times listed on the Home Affairs website can be incredibly misleading for offshore partner visas. Each offshore office has its own average processing times, which can skew the accuracy of these average figures. For example, offices in Dubai have processing times of years, while offices in London and Berlin can offer processing within six to nine months.
For temporary partner visa holders, you can live, work and study in Australia until your permanent partner visa is processed.
With a permanent partner visa, you automatically become a permanent resident with full working rights and the ability to apply to become an Australian citizen after a certain period of time (usually four years after living in Australia and at least one year after receiving PR).
Learn more in our ultimate guide to applying for a partner visa in Australia.
Employer sponsored visas
Yes, an Australian employer can sponsor and employ an overseas worker. To do so, the employer will need to prove that they can’t find a suitable Australian citizen or permanent resident to fill the job vacancy and will need to become an approved sponsor.
In most cases, employers can only sponsor skilled workers who are qualified in an eligible occupation listed on the Skilled Occupation List. Employer-sponsored visas can be granted on either a temporary or permanent basis, too.
There are a range of employer-sponsored visa options available, each with its own eligibility criteria.
In general terms, to qualify for an employer-sponsored visa, a skilled worker:
- Must be qualified for a job listed on the Skilled Occupations List (unless exempt)
- Must have at least two years’ work experience in this occupation
- May need to complete a skills assessment related to this occupation
- May need to provide evidence of relevant registration or licensing
Head to the Department of Home Affairs website
to explore the specific skills and qualification requirements for each employer-sponsored visa subclass.
Application processing times vary significantly between different types of visas. Processing times are managed by the Australian Department of Home Affairs and can change frequently.
As of May 2024, the average processing time for sponsorship under the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482) is 50% of applicants processed within eight days and 90% processed within four months.
Visit the Home Affairs website to check the current visa processing times for your visa subclass.
As of 1 July 2024, the costs for employee-sponsored visas include:
- Permanent employer-sponsored visa under the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186): AUD$4,770
- Short-term stay under the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482): AUD$1,495
Plus, employers will need to pay a range of application costs, including:
- Becoming an approved sponsored (under the TSS 482 visa program): AUD$420
- Nominating a visa application for the TSS 482 visa: AUD$330
- Paying the Skilling Australians Fund levy: this is a tiered pricing system based on your business turnover and the proposed time your employee is going to stay in Australia.
To check the current fees and charges for your specific permanent visa subclass, head to the Department of Home Affairs website.
Remember that this is only the Government fees and these costs are not refundable, even if your application is rejected. If you decide to work with a migration agent, you’ll also pay their agent fees. It’s up to the employer and the applicant to agree on who will cover these costs.
To find out more about sponsoring an applicant as an employer, visit our For Businesses page.
To sponsor an employee in Australia you will need to cover a number of costs including:
- If you aren’t one already, becoming an approved sponsor under the TSS 482 visa program : $420 AUD
- Nominating a visa applicant: $330 AUD for a Temporary Skills Shortage Visa (subclass 482) or $540 AUD (subject to stream and location) for the Employee Nomination Scheme Visa (subclass 186).
- Paying the Skilling Australians Fund levy. The payment amount depends on the business turnover, and in some subclasses, the proposed period of stay of the employee. Levy payments are tax deductible.
Please note that you must pay for all costs associated with becoming a sponsor and nominating and sponsoring an applicant. You can't transfer these costs to the visa holder or their family members.
Remember that these costs are not refundable, even if the application is rejected.
Not necessarily. While an Employer Sponsored visa could be a good option for your employee, it’s not the only one. In fact, there are over 40 visa options for working in Australia and dozens more visa types that also grant the holder working rights in Australia.
It all depends on your employee’s individual circumstances. Our team can help your employee select the right visa for them while also accounting for factors that may impact your business e.g. visa processing time.