dejani Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 My situation is following: I'm in Australia on my tourist visa and I got a job offer and I have signed a contract with company A. Company A has their on immigration lawyers and they came back to me today with a quotation that 457 visa application fee for me ($4.500) my wife ($3.000) and for our 3 year old son ($3.000). So in total $10.500 for a 457 visa for us. On immigration website the price is $2.330 in total. So Now I'm in the situation that I got a job and want to start working. There is no other option as I can see then to go thru their immigration attorney. Does anyone know if this is a an acceptable price or if this is just way to much. Thanks for any answers in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebourvellec Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Personally I think that is far to much and you do not have to use the company your employer up uses, many RMA advise to get independent migration advice. The costs for partner and child to be added on are extortionate, and there is a rule fore 457 visas that Sponsors will be required to pay certain costs associated with becoming a sponsor and not pass these costs, in any form, onto a sponsored person. Which to me sounds like they are trying to do in a back handed way. I would get in touch with a different MARA registered agent for advice and costs for lodging the visa portion of your application, if the companies immigration lawyers are doing the sponsorship and nomination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozmaniac Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 (edited) That is a completely unacceptable price and is way too much. You are being ripped off and that augurs very badly indeed for the type of employer you have found. The actual Visa application charge for a 457 visa for you, your wife and child is $2330. DIBP spo0nsorship obligations FORBID the visa applicant to be charged for ANYTHING else other than the migration agent cost for the visa application ONLY (and that is a simple application that many 457 applicants do themselves - the sponsorship and nomination approval are the difficult and expensive part of the process). They are NOT allowed to make you pay either directly or indirectly for anything to do with your recruitment, sponsorship or nomination approval or any number of other things. See page 18 of the 457 booklet for full details of what the employer must pay for: https://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1154.pdf 4578 booklet If you don't feel confident of being able to handle the visa application yourself, get a quote from a good RMA like @wrussell or @Alan Collett or @Raul Senise - it won't be anything like the $8000+ your employer (illegally) wants you to pay over and above the unavoidable $2330. Edited December 2, 2014 by Ozmaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMay24 Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I agree that those fees are ridiculously expensive. As a reference, here's a link to the OMARA website's published range of fees charged by agents: https://www.mara.gov.au/using-an-agent/working-with-your-agent/agent-fees/ Unless it expressly states in your contract that it's contingent on you using their chosen migration agent, you can use whoever you'd like or do it yourself if you feel comfortable doing so. The agents that Ozmaniac has referred to are all well-respected and you'd be in good hands with any of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 That is a completely unacceptable price and is way too much. You are being ripped off and that augurs very badly indeed for the type of employer you have found. The actual Visa application charge for a 457 visa for you, your wife and child is $2330. DIBP spo0nsorship obligations FORBID the visa applicant to be charged for ANYTHING else other than the migration agent cost for the visa application ONLY (and that is a simple application that many 457 applicants do themselves - the sponsorship and nomination approval are the difficult and expensive part of the process). They are NOT allowed to make you pay either directly or indirectly for anything to do with your recruitment, sponsorship or nomination approval or any number of other things. See page 18 of the 457 booklet for full details of what the employer must pay for: https://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1154.pdf 4578 booklet If you don't feel confident of being able to handle the visa application yourself, get a quote from a good RMA like @wrussell or @Alan Collett or @Raul Senise - it won't be anything like the $8000+ your employer (illegally) wants you to pay over and above the unavoidable $2330. The visa applicant can be required to pay for health insurance (and as applicable) skills assessment, English language test, police clearance. You are quite correct that requiring the visa applicant/s to pay for costs relating to sponsorship or nomination is out of order. Some 'operators' get around this by having their overseas recruiters enter into a separate contract with visa applicants, involving salary deductions. If the sponsorship and nomination have been lodged, the visa application should be a relatively inexpensive procedure. From what has been posted, it looks as if the amounts quoted are technically legal - possibly a case of - if you do not like it you know what you can do. This is one case where I would most strongly advise the OP, before committing to a course of action, to consult a registered migration agent for independent advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dejani Posted December 3, 2014 Author Share Posted December 3, 2014 Okay thanks to good advices. My question now is if the employer can anyhow force me to use heir own immigration lawyer or if I can use my own? The visa applicant can be required to pay for health insurance (and as applicable) skills assessment, English language test, police clearance. You are quite correct that requiring the visa applicant/s to pay for costs relating to sponsorship or nomination is out of order. Some 'operators' get around this by having their overseas recruiters enter into a separate contract with visa applicants, involving salary deductions. If the sponsorship and nomination have been lodged, the visa application should be a relatively inexpensive procedure. From what has been posted, it looks as if the amounts quoted are technically legal - possibly a case of - if you do not like it you know what you can do. This is one case where I would most strongly advise the OP, before committing to a course of action, to consult a registered migration agent for independent advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Okay thanks to good advices. My question now is if the employer can anyhow force me to use heir own immigration lawyer or if I can use my own? No, you cannot be forced to use a particular immigration agent, but your prospective employer cannot be forced to sponsor you either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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