Immigration law is in a constant state of flux and is a complex field of administrative law.
Visa subclasses are often repealed, or criteria varied or new visas introduced. Many business, skilled and family visas have a temporary stage proceeded by a permanent stage. A failure to meet the criteria for the first stage can have serious consequence for permanent residence and could result in refusals. Becoming unlawful in Australia has serious consequences with restrictions on re-entry with few options for gaining onshore permanent residency.
At the very least, before you invest in significant legal and visa costs, you should consider your most cost effective visa options through an initial consultation and any necessary planning.
In fact, according to MARA, Quarterly Report, July – September 2015, 81% of visa applicants for the employer sponsored visas used an agent, 63% used an agent for business skills and 74% for the subclass 457 Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa. Such dependency on migration agency representation acknowledges the complexity of the Regulations resulting in possible refusal and a protracted review process at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Migration and Refugee Division.