Immigration lawyer and migration agent fees in Australia

Migration agent or lawyer?

Registered migration agents can give visa help. Since 22 March 2021, Australian lawyers with a practising certificate can also give immigration assistance without registering as migration agents. A lawyer can be worth it where there's a refusal, a cancellation or a court appeal.

How fees usually work

Visa applications are often charged as a fixed fee per application. Reviews and appeals are more often charged in stages or by the hour. The Department of Home Affairs' visa application charges are separate from your agent's or lawyer's fee.

If your visa is refused

Most visa decisions are reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal, which replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 14 October 2024. Time limits are strict and often can't be extended, so get advice as soon as you receive a decision. Most reviews have an application fee, which can be reduced in some cases of financial hardship.

Your right to know the costs, state by state

Every Australian state and territory requires lawyers to tell clients about their costs, including an estimate, and gives clients a way to dispute a bill. The rules and the body that handles complaints depend on where your lawyer practises:

• New South Wales: Legal Profession Uniform Law. Complaints: Office of the Legal Services Commissioner. Legal aid: Legal Aid NSW.
• Victoria: Legal Profession Uniform Law. Complaints: Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner. Legal aid: Victoria Legal Aid.
• Western Australia: Legal Profession Uniform Law (since 1 July 2022). Complaints: Legal Practice Board of Western Australia. Legal aid: Legal Aid WA.
• Queensland: Legal Profession Act 2007 (Qld). Complaints: Legal Services Commission. Legal aid: Legal Aid Queensland.
• South Australia: Legal Practitioners Act 1981 (SA). Complaints: Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner. Legal aid: Legal Services Commission of South Australia.
• Tasmania: Legal Profession Act 2007 (Tas). Complaints: Legal Profession Board of Tasmania. Legal aid: Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania.
• Australian Capital Territory: Legal Profession Act 2006 (ACT). Complaints: ACT Law Society. Legal aid: Legal Aid ACT.
• Northern Territory: Legal Profession Act 2006 (NT). Complaints: Law Society Northern Territory. Legal aid: Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission.

Questions to ask first

• Is this a fixed fee or hourly? If hourly, what is the rate and roughly how many hours do you expect?
• What is included, and what would cost extra?
• Which costs are disbursements or official fees, and roughly how much are they?
• How often will I be billed, and can I get an update on costs as we go?

Free and low-cost help anywhere in Australia

• Each state and territory has a legal aid commission, listed above, which gives free legal information and advice, and legal aid if you're eligible.
• Community legal centres give free legal help across Australia.

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