FAQs
Short answers to common questions.
Frequently asked questions
How do your fees work, and what costs should I expect beyond your professional fees?
Our professional fees depend on the complexity of the matter and the level of support required.
In addition to our fees, clients should usually expect separate third-party or government costs such as visa application charges, skills assessment fees, English testing fees, medicals, police clearances, or document-related expenses where relevant.
Home Affairs provides a Visa Pricing Estimator and explains that it gives a basic estimate only. MARA’s Code of Conduct also requires registered migration agents to set reasonable fees and give clients an estimate of charges before starting work.
Where we are engaged, we set out the scope of work and fees clearly so you understand what is included and what is not before proceeding. A consultation can help clarify likely professional fees and third-party costs for your specific situation.
What does your process look like from the first consultation to lodgement?
It usually begins with an initial consultation or eligibility review.
From there, the process often includes:
- assessing your profile and objectives
- identifying the most suitable pathway or pathways
- explaining risks, timing, and key requirements
- preparing a document strategy
- assisting with skills assessments, nominations, admissions, or supporting steps where relevant
- preparing and lodging the visa application, if instructed to do so
For migration matters, registered migration agents must work within a professional and ethical framework. The Code of Conduct sets the rules for a registered migration agent’s conduct, and it also explains that your contract must include a list of the fees the agent will charge.
We can assist at each stage, depending on the level of support you need. Booking a consultation is the first step in understanding how the process would apply to your case.
I’m an employer — how do sponsorship and nomination work?
Employer-sponsored migration usually involves more than just choosing a visa subclass.
In many cases, there are separate but connected steps, including becoming or acting as an approved sponsor where required, preparing a nomination for the position, and then supporting the visa application itself. Depending on the pathway, employers may need to address matters such as the role, salary level, occupation eligibility, and compliance obligations. Home Affairs maintains the current employer-sponsored visa framework, including pathways such as the Subclass 482, 186 and 494.
For small businesses in particular, this can feel like a lot to manage while also running day-to-day operations. We help employers understand the structure, prepare the required steps properly, and align sponsorship decisions with broader workforce needs. A consultation is often the best place to assess whether sponsorship is the right option and what the process would involve.
I’m in Australia and want to bring my ageing parents here — what should I know?
This is one of the most personal questions families ask.
Often, it is not just a visa question. It is about wanting to be closer to your parents as they get older, wanting them near children or grandchildren, or feeling the growing pressure of distance when health, care, or family responsibilities are becoming more real.
Australia does have parent and aged parent pathways, but they can be complex, expensive in some streams, and subject to very long queue-based processing in others.
That means the key question is usually not just, “Is there a visa for my parents?” It is, “Which pathway is realistic for my family, and what are the trade-offs in timing, cost, age, and long-term planning?”
We help families think through those questions carefully and realistically. A consultation is often the best first step when the goal is not just getting information, but working out how to bring your parents closer with a clear and practical plan.
Can my partner, child, or parent be included in my plans to move to Australia?
Often, yes, but the answer depends heavily on the pathway.
Some visas allow eligible family members to be included or added. In other situations, family migration may require its own separate application strategy. Australia’s visa framework includes pathways for partners, children, parents, and certain other relatives, but the eligibility rules vary significantly depending on the relationship, the visa type, and the client’s status in Australia.
We help clients think about family planning early, because the main issue is not just whether a family member can come, but how to structure the process properly. A consultation can help map out the most realistic family pathway.
How do I choose the right course or institution for my child — and who can I trust to advise us?
For many families, this is one of the biggest education decisions they will ever make.
Choosing a course or institution in Australia is not just about rankings, brochures, or whichever provider markets itself best. It is about your child’s future — their academic development, career direction, financial investment, wellbeing, and, in some cases, their longer-term options in Australia.
That is why independence matters.
Many education advisers work on commission arrangements with institutions. That is common in the market. Our approach is different. We provide independent advice focused on what is best for the student and their career.
That perspective is strengthened by my own background. I have lived and worked across multiple countries, hold three postgraduate qualifications, and have held senior leadership roles with organisations such as Macquarie, Amazon, Telstra, Visa and BNY Mellon. I bring that broader international, academic, and executive perspective to education decisions that can shape a young person’s life for years to come.
For parents already planning to spend a substantial amount on overseas education, investing a small additional amount in independent advice at the beginning can help avoid much larger mistakes later.
Once we decide what is genuinely best for you or your child, I can also help with the admissions process or connect you with trusted support for the application paperwork and administration.
A consultation is the best place to assess the right education pathway before any major commitments are made.
Can studying in Australia help with long-term migration?
It can, but it should be approached strategically.
Studying in Australia may create later opportunities through post-study work rights and, in some cases, skilled migration or employer-sponsored pathways. The Student visa and Temporary Graduate framework remain central to that conversation. Home Affairs confirms the Subclass 500 Student visa and the Temporary Graduate visa sit within the current visa framework.
That said, not every course, institution, or education plan will support the same long-term outcomes. Course selection, English, occupation alignment, regional study, and the type of qualification can all affect what comes next.
We help students and families assess education decisions with long-term career and migration outcomes in mind. A consultation can help determine whether study is the right pathway and how it should be structured.
Do I need a skills assessment, and when should I do it?
For many skilled migration pathways, yes.
A skills assessment is often one of the earliest and most important parts of a skilled migration strategy because it helps confirm whether your qualifications and work experience meet the standards of the relevant assessing authority. The complexity of the skills assessment process varies significantly by occupation and depends partially on the country in which you’ve studied/obtained your qualifications and experience.
It is usually better to think about skills assessments early, not late. In practice, occupation choice, the correct assessing authority, required evidence, and timing can all affect the rest of the migration plan.
We can help identify the right occupation, explain the likely assessment requirements, and guide you through that step as part of a broader strategy. If you are unsure where to begin, booking a consultation is usually the best first step.
What is the difference between skilled migration, employer sponsorship, and regional pathways?
These pathways serve different purposes.
Skilled migration generally refers to points-tested pathways such as the Subclass 189 and 190, where eligibility is assessed based on factors such as age, qualifications, English ability and work experience. The Subclass 190 is a permanent visa for skilled workers nominated by a state or territory government in Australia.
Employer sponsorship involves an Australian employer sponsoring a worker for a role, usually under pathways such as the Subclass 482, 186 or 494. Home Affairs includes these within the current skilled and employer-sponsored visa framework.
Regional pathways usually involve either regional nomination or living and working in designated regional areas, such as under the Subclass 491, which Home Affairs describes as a temporary visa for skilled workers who want to live and work in regional Australia.These can lead to permanent residence pathways, usually after three years of regional stay, allowing you to then move any part of Australia.
We help clients compare these options and understand which structure is strongest for their circumstances. A consultation can help clarify the best direction early.
Can I qualify for skilled migration if I do not yet have a very high points score?
Sometimes, yes.
Points matter for visas such as the Subclass 189, 190 and 491, but they are not the whole picture. Occupation eligibility, skills assessment outcomes, English results, partner factors, and state nomination settings can all influence whether a pathway is realistic.
A lower points position does not always mean there is no viable pathway. It may mean the strategy needs to be adjusted through state nomination, regional options, English improvement, partner points, or an alternative pathway such as employer sponsorship.
We can help assess your profile in full rather than relying on points alone. A consultation is often the best way to understand whether you have a viable strategy.
How do I know which migration pathway is right for me?
The right pathway depends on a combination of factors including your goals, qualifications, work experience, family circumstances, English ability, and timing.
For some people, the strongest option may be skilled migration. For others, employer sponsorship, regional pathways, study, partner or family migration, or a staged strategy may be more appropriate. Australia's visa system is broad, and Home Affairs provides both a visa list and a visa finder for people who are unsure where they fit.
We help clients assess not only what may be possible, but what makes sense strategically over the longer term. A consultation is the best place to identify the pathway that best fits your situation.
What is the National Innovation Visa (NIV), and how can New Horizons Migration help high-achieving applicants?
The Subclass 858 National Innovation Visa is a permanent visa pathway for people with internationally recognised achievements in areas such as research, technology and innovation, entrepreneurship, the arts, or sport. It is not a points-tested visa. A strong application needs more than an impressive CV: it needs a clear assessment of whether your achievements meet the visa criteria and persuasive evidence that presents your track record in the right way. Aviram brings three postgraduate qualifications, international executive leadership experience across organisations including Macquarie Group, Amazon, Telstra, Visa, and BNY Mellon, together with Registered Migration Agent and Qualified Education Agent Counsellor credentials. This combination can help high-achieving applicants assess their position strategically and present a coherent case. Eligibility and visa outcomes always depend on the individual facts and the applicable criteria.

