Finding out that your immigration lawyer or migration agent is no longer operating can be stressful and uncertain, particularly if you are managing an active immigration matter.
This may include a visa application, employer-sponsored matter, Labour Agreement, sponsorship application, partner visa, citizenship application, Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) review, visa refusal, visa cancellation, or another immigration issue.
For employers, the closure of an immigration practice can create additional concerns. You may be wondering what happens to your sponsored workers, sponsorship obligations, pending nominations, visa applications, or workforce planning initiatives.
It is important to understand that your immigration matter does not stop because your representative has ceased operating.
Deadlines continue to apply, the Department of Home Affairs may continue to issue correspondence, and in many cases urgent action may be required to protect your immigration position or meet employer sponsorship obligations.
At Absolute Immigration Group, we understand how stressful and disruptive this situation can be. For more than 25 years, we have supported individuals, families, HR teams, and businesses across Australia and New Zealand with strategic immigration advice and end-to-end immigration services, and businesses navigate complex immigration matters across Australia and New Zealand.
Your visa application is still active
If your application, sponsorship, nomination, Labour Agreement request, or review has already been lodged with the Department of Home Affairs, it generally remains active unless it has been withdrawn, finalised, or otherwise closed by the Department or the Administrative Review Tribunal.
What may change is who receives communications from the Department on your behalf.
If your former representative was listed as the authorised contact for your business or visa matter, requests for information, updates, sponsorship monitoring correspondence, or decisions may still be directed to them until representative details are updated.
For employers, this may result in delays responding to requests relating to sponsored employees, nominations, sponsorship compliance obligations, or ongoing recruitment programs.
This is why it is important to act promptly.
Why acting quickly matters
Immigration matters often involve strict deadlines. Missing a request for information, health assessment deadline, nomination requirement, sponsorship obligation, Labour Agreement request, or review deadline can have serious consequences for both visa applicants and employers.
If your previous immigration representative is no longer operating, we recommend:
- Confirming the status of all active visa applications and sponsorship matters
- Checking access to relevant ImmiAccount and sponsorship portals
- Reviewing recent correspondence from the Department of Home Affairs
- Updating authorised representative details
- Identifying any upcoming deadlines or compliance obligations
What information should you gather?
If you are seeking a new immigration representative, gathering as much information as possible can help ensure a smooth transition.
For individuals, this may include:
- ImmiAccount details
- Visa application reference numbers
- Copies of Department or ART correspondence
- Details of your current visa status
- Documents previously submitted as part of your application
For employers, this may include:
- Business ImmiAccount details
- Sponsorship, nomination, or visa application reference numbers
- Labour Agreements or sponsorship approvals
- Recent Department correspondence
- Details of sponsored workers and active immigration matters
Do not worry if you do not have everything available. Our team can help identify what information is needed and guide you through the process.
How Absolute Immigration Group can help
Absolute Immigration Group is one of Australia’s leading immigration advisory and legal practices, with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Auckland.
Our team includes Registered Migration Agents, Immigration Lawyers, and Migration Coordinators from more than 26 cultural backgrounds who understand both the technical and personal aspects of the immigration journey.
Whether you are an individual with an active visa application or an employer managing sponsored workers, we can review your matter, identify any urgent deadlines, update your representation, and help you move forward with confidence.
We provide strategic immigration advice and support across visa applications, employer-sponsored migration, workforce planning, sponsorship compliance, Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) reviews, visa refusals and cancellations, and other complex immigration matters.
For clients requiring legal representation, our specialist legal practice, Absolute Immigration Legal, provides advice and representation in complex immigration and administrative law matters.
Guided by our mantra ‘People. Not paper’, our approach goes beyond processing applications.
We work with individuals to achieve their migration goals and partner with businesses to develop workforce solutions that support long-term growth.
Complimentary initial consultation
If your previous immigration representative is no longer operating and you need support with an existing immigration matter, our team is available to review your circumstances and help you understand your options.
We are offering a complimentary initial consultation so you can:
- Understand the current status of your matter
- Identify any urgent deadlines
- Discuss available visa options
- Receive guidance on transferring representation
- Develop a clear pathway forward
Book our complimentary initial consultation here or contact one of our Immigration Strategists at admin@absoluteimmigrationlegal.com.