More than 140 businesses have already been sanctioned by the Australian Border Force this year for breaches of sponsorship obligations. Penalties include fines of up to $79,200, visa cancellations, and bans on future sponsorships. Sponsoring a worker is not a “set and forget” responsibility - it requires ongoing compliance. Ensuring all obligations are met and required notifications to the Department are made is critical to avoiding serious legal and financial consequences. At the same time, the intersection between criminal and immigration law has become increasingly complex. More clients are facing migration consequences from old or minor matters resurfacing during police checks. Adding to the pressure, ongoing processing delays are causing significant anxiety, making it more important than ever for practitioners to have effective, up-to-date strategies in place. To support you in navigating these challenges, we’ve launched a 5-part series:
Casual Fridays for Busy Immigration Practitioners – Latest Updates, Timely Insights, Practical Strategies & Real Conversations.
This series delivers timely, practical content tailored to the realities of immigration practice, including Ministerial interventions, presented by Dr Jason Donnelly, one of Australia’s leading experts in immigration and public law, and the ethical use of AI in migration cases, with experienced barrister Sergio Zanotti Stagliorio. Equip yourself with the insights and strategies needed to navigate the most pressing challenges in today’s immigration landscape
Attend all sessions to receive a significant discount. Migration agents can earn all their Category B CPD points, including ethics, while legal practitioners will receive 7.5 CPD points, including 1 point in ethics. Gain practical insights from Australia’s leading immigration experts to maintain a compliant and confident practice amid ongoing change.
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
If you register for the full series as a live online product after the date of an individual session, you will be sent the recording for the sessions that have passed. Alternatively, you can register for individual sessions by following the links below.
Immigration Law: Skills In Demand in Focus
A new data-sharing program between the Department of Home Affairs and the ATO marks a sharp escalation in compliance enforcement for employer-sponsored visas. Payroll data is now being actively cross-checked against visa conditions to detect breaches - including underpayment, incorrect sponsorship arrangements and unauthorised work. At the same time 482 visa applicants are facing greater scrutiny around occupation suitability and the Genuine Position requirement with refusals becoming more common. Unpack the legal and practical consequences of these developments and the critical steps employers — and their advisers — must take to remain compliant. Drawing on the Employer Guide to SID visas and the Genuine Position test, the session provides clear, up-to-date guidance on navigating obligations, risk areas, and emerging skilled migration pathways.
Attend and earn 1.5 CPD points in Substantive Law for Legal Professionals
Attend and earn 1 CPD point in Category B Seminar (SM) for Migration Agents
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
MARA APPROVAL NUMBERS
SESSION 1: SM815
Kathryn Viegas, Director and Principal Solicitor, Nomos Pty Ltd; Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law; Best Lawyers 2024, Immigration Law; Leading Immigration Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2024
- Employer obligations and the compliance framework
- Sponsor, nomination and visa application checklists that must be done and when
- Choosing the right occupation: issues of suitability and classification
- New and emerging visa pathways: what’s changing, and how to prepare
Presented by Tina Masrour, Principal Lawyer, One Planet Migration Law
Presenters
Kathryn Viegas, Director and Principal Solicitor, Nomos Pty LtdKathryn Viegas is a Director and Principal Solicitor of Nomos Legal, a boutique immigration law firm in Sydney. Kathryn holds degrees in Psychology and Law from the University of New South Wales and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University. In 2006, she was awarded a Master of Laws degree from the University of Sydney. She has practised immigration law since 2003 and is an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law. Since 2018, she has been included annually on the ‘Best Lawyers’ list for Australia as published in the Australian Financial Review. Kathryn commenced her career at the HIV/AIDS Legal Centre and established her own practice in 2005, which she ran for eight years. In 2016, she co-founded Nomos. Since 2007, she has presented continuing education programmes for lawyers and other professionals through the College of Law, the Law Society of NSW and other professional associations. She currently teaches the Graduate Diploma in Migration Law program at Victoria University. Kathryn is the current President of the Management Committee of the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre, a specialist community legal centre that provides free legal advice and assistance to vulnerable migrants and refugees. She is also the co-founder of The TLR Foundation and a Director of the Centre for Women’s Economic Safety. She sits on the Specialist Accreditation Immigration Law Advisory Committee in NSW and is a member of the UNSW Law & Justice Advisory Council.
Tina Masrour, Principal Lawyer, One Planet Migration Law
Tina Masrour is the Principal Lawyer at One Planet Migration Law and a highly respected voice in Australian immigration law, with over 15 years of experience advising businesses and individuals on complex migration matters. She has a strong track record of assisting employers—from SMEs to multinational corporations—navigate sponsorship obligations, compliance frameworks, and the strategic selection of visa pathways to secure global talent. Tina’s deep personal connection to migration is central to her practice. Born in Australia to refugee parents, she brings lived insight into the migrant experience, which informs her empathetic and solutions-focused approach. Over her career, she has helped thousands of clients—from skilled workers to humanitarian applicants—achieve their migration goals, including those facing refusals, cancellations, or complicated regulatory barriers. Admitted as a solicitor in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Tina combines technical legal expertise with a passion for social justice. She is a dedicated pro bono advocate and has contributed to the work of Aboriginal Legal Services and Anti-Slavery Australia. In recognition of her contributions, she was named a finalist in the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards for her pro bono achievements. Tina regularly shares her expertise through legal training and thought leadership, with a focus on emerging visa pathways, employer compliance, and regulatory reform. Now based in Melbourne, she continues to champion inclusive migration policies that help shape a more diverse and dynamic Australia.
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Immigration Law: Strategies for Overcoming Delays or Using Delays to Your Advantage
Are you struggling with longer visa processing times and unsure how to protect your clients as delays keep growing? The debate continues: unprecedented delays in processing, especially with the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) visa, are creating real challenges for immigration lawyers and agents. But what practical steps can you take now to support your clients and streamline your workflow?
Attend and earn 1.5 CPD Points in Substantive Law for Legal Professionals
Attend and earn 1 CPD point in Category B Seminar (SM) for Migration Agents
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
MARA APPROVAL NUMBERS
SESSION 2: SM816
Kathryn Viegas, Director and Principal Solicitor, Nomos Pty Ltd; Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law; Best Lawyers 2024, Immigration Law; Leading Immigration Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2024
- Gain practical steps from Simon Jeans to manage delays effectively
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Gain clear, workable strategies to help you stay one step ahead — and keep your clients protected
Presented by Simon Jeans, Principal, Jeans Lawyers; Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law; Best Lawyers 2025, Immigration Law
Presenters
Simon Jeans, Principal, Jeans LawyersSimon Jeans has been practising law since 1989. He is an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law and listed by Best Lawyers for Australia in Immigration Law. He has worked as an advocate for refugees and migrants with the Jesuit Refugee Service, RACS, Legal Aid (NSW), UNHCR and in his law firm. He was appointed as a member of the Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal from 2010-2015. He was engaged by the College of Law in 2019-2020 as an assessor and external moderator for the Capstone Migration Agents Assessment.
Kathryn Viegas, Director and Principal Solicitor, Nomos Pty Ltd
Kathryn Viegas is a Director and Principal Solicitor of Nomos Legal, a boutique immigration law firm in Sydney. Kathryn holds degrees in Psychology and Law from the University of New South Wales and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University. In 2006, she was awarded a Master of Laws degree from the University of Sydney. She has practised immigration law since 2003 and is an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law. Since 2018, she has been included annually on the ‘Best Lawyers’ list for Australia as published in the Australian Financial Review. Kathryn commenced her career at the HIV/AIDS Legal Centre and established her own practice in 2005, which she ran for eight years. In 2016, she co-founded Nomos. Since 2007, she has presented continuing education programmes for lawyers and other professionals through the College of Law, the Law Society of NSW and other professional associations. She currently teaches the Graduate Diploma in Migration Law program at Victoria University. Kathryn is the current President of the Management Committee of the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre, a specialist community legal centre that provides free legal advice and assistance to vulnerable migrants and refugees. She is also the co-founder of The TLR Foundation and a Director of the Centre for Women’s Economic Safety. She sits on the Specialist Accreditation Immigration Law Advisory Committee in NSW and is a member of the UNSW Law & Justice Advisory Council.
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Immigration Law: Criminal Charges, Character Concerns & Visa Cancellations: What Every Immigration Practitioner Needs to Know
When a client says, “I’ve been charged” or “There’s an AVO against me,” do you know what to do next? In this practical session, an experienced crimmigration lawyer will guide you through key documents—including police paperwork and AVOs - and explain how these matters move through the criminal justice system, from charge to fully defended hearing. You’ll learn how criminal and AVO issues affect visa status and applications, what to say (and what to avoid), when to refer, and how to effectively support your client. This session provides essential, practical guidance that every immigration professional needs when faced with these challenging situations.
Attend and earn 1.5 CPD points in Substantive Law for Legal Professionals
Attend and earn 1 CPD point in Category B Seminar (SM) for Migration Agents
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
MARA APPROVAL NUMBERS
SESSION 3: SM817
Nicholas Poynder, Barrister, Rosny Chambers
- Police came to my house looking for me
- Police rang me and asked me to come to the police station for a ‘chat’
- I’ve been charged by the police
- I got bail; or I’m in jail
- What happens now?
- What happens to my visa? (or visa application)
- I’m stressed and I need your help
Presented by Kim Hunter, Criminal Defence & Immigration Lawyer, Hunter Flood Lawyers; Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law
Presenters
Kim Hunter, Criminal Defence & Immigration Lawyer, Hunter Flood LawyersMs Kim Hunter is a criminal defence and immigration lawyer as well as an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law from Hunter Flood Lawyers in Sydney. Kim has a law degree, 3 first places in law exams (Criminal law, evidence & succession), second place in Constitutional Law and 2 Butterworths Law prizes. Kim Has always had her own private law practice and since becoming an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law now only practices in criminal defence and complex immigration matters. Kim has formerly lectured in post graduate law at Australian National University and regularly lectures for the Law Society of NSW, Legal Aid and various other professional bodies and organisations including the MIA and Law Council of Australia. Kim is on an expert panel for a research project led by Prof Alison Gerard and funded by the Australian Research Council, being undertaken by leading Professors from Charles Sturt, Flinders and Monash universities in Australia and Oxford University in the UK on the topic of ‘Crimmigration’ – the intersection of criminal and immigration laws in Australia.
Nicholas Poynder, Barrister, Rosny Chambers
Consistently recognised in the Immigration Category of the Australian Financial Review Best Lawyers in Australia from 2012 to 2017, Nick maintains a solid migration law practice. He also practises in the areas of anti-discrimination law and family law. Nick has appeared as junior counsel in notable decisions in the High Court of Australia and provides high quality advice and representation as sole counsel in other courts and tribunals, including the Federal Circuit Court, Federal Court of Australia, and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (General Division and Migration & Refugee Division). The nature of these matters ranges from legal issues which might arise during the processing or cancellation of visas, to applications for the review of decisions to refuse or cancel a visa. Prior to being called the Bar, Nick practised as a legal adviser to asylum-seekers in Port Hedland (Western Australia), locum practitioner with the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service in Alice Springs (Northern Territory) and later co-ordinator of the Refugee Advice and Casework Service in Sydney. He was also a Senior Legal Officer with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in Sydney. Nick is the current author of the Judicial Review commentary in the LexisNexis Australian Immigration Law Service. Admitted to the Bar in both Victoria and New South Wales (and maintaining a practice in both jurisdictions), Nick holds a Master of Laws from the University of New South Wales, a Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tasmania. He was one of the first migration agents to be registered in Australia.
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Immigration Law: Appeals to the Minister: What Makes a Good Case and How to Win
A must-attend for practitioners seeking to strengthen submissions. Gain an authoritative understanding of Ministerial Interventions with Dr Jason Donnelly - one of Australia’s foremost expert on immigration and public law – and together examine the legal, strategic and doctrinal dimensions of Ministerial intervention under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth).
Attend and earn 1.5 CPD points in Substantive Law for Legal Professionals
Attend and earn 1 CPD point in Category B Seminar (SM) for Migration Agents
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
MARA APPROVAL NUMBERS
SESSION 4: SM818
Kathryn Viegas, Director and Principal Solicitor, Nomos Pty Ltd; Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law; Best Lawyers 2024, Immigration Law; Leading Immigration Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2024
- Explore the evolving boundaries of Ministerial discretion
- Understand the impact of Direction 110
- Navigate the tension between domestic executive power and Australia’s international legal obligations
Presented by Associate Professor Dr Jason Donnelly, Barrister, Latham Chambers and Associate Professor
Presenters
Kathryn Viegas, Director and Principal Solicitor, Nomos Pty LtdKathryn Viegas is a Director and Principal Solicitor of Nomos Legal, a boutique immigration law firm in Sydney. Kathryn holds degrees in Psychology and Law from the University of New South Wales and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University. In 2006, she was awarded a Master of Laws degree from the University of Sydney. She has practised immigration law since 2003 and is an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law. Since 2018, she has been included annually on the ‘Best Lawyers’ list for Australia as published in the Australian Financial Review. Kathryn commenced her career at the HIV/AIDS Legal Centre and established her own practice in 2005, which she ran for eight years. In 2016, she co-founded Nomos. Since 2007, she has presented continuing education programmes for lawyers and other professionals through the College of Law, the Law Society of NSW and other professional associations. She currently teaches the Graduate Diploma in Migration Law program at Victoria University. Kathryn is the current President of the Management Committee of the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre, a specialist community legal centre that provides free legal advice and assistance to vulnerable migrants and refugees. She is also the co-founder of The TLR Foundation and a Director of the Centre for Women’s Economic Safety. She sits on the Specialist Accreditation Immigration Law Advisory Committee in NSW and is a member of the UNSW Law & Justice Advisory Council.
Associate Professor Dr Jason Donnelly, Barrister, Latham Chambers and Associate Professor
Associate Professor Dr. Jason Donnelly is a leading academic and barrister with a strong focus on immigration and public law in Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws with Honours (First Class & University Medal), a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Dr. Donnelly completed his studies at the University of New South Wales, Macquarie University, and the University of Western Sydney. He began his academic career as a law lecturer at the age of 23 and was called to the bar at 25. Before joining the bar, Dr. Donnelly had the privilege of working for Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG (former Justice of the High Court of Australia) and Justice Peter McClellan AM KC (former Chief Judge at Common Law, Supreme Court of NSW). As a barrister, Dr. Donnelly has been involved in over 287 published cases across Australia, with significant experience in the High Court, the Federal Court, and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. His practice has seen success in 76 Tribunal trials and 66 judicial review applications. He has also acted in 26 matters before the High Court. In addition to his legal practice, Dr. Donnelly has contributed to numerous legal journals and co-authored several legal publications. He has participated in various Commonwealth statutory inquiries and presented papers at conferences across Australia. Dr. Donnelly has had the opportunity to represent a diverse range of clients, including internationally recognised musicians (i.e. Skepta, Chris Brown, Trey Songz, J Hus, Layzie Bone and Jason Bradley DeFord (Jelly Roll)), politicians, law enforcement officers, sports professionals (i.e. Allen Iverson and Alexander Devyatov), and others from various fields. Currently, Dr. Donnelly serves as an Associate Professor (Level D) in the School of Law at Western Sydney University and practices at Latham Chambers with a national focus.
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Ethical AI in Immigration Cases
The growing use of artificial intelligence in immigration practice raises important ethical and practical questions. This session explores how migration professionals can ethically integrate AI while maintaining professional responsibility and compliance with immigration law standards.
Chris Honnery, Barrister, Tenth Floor St James Hall Chambers
Attend and earn 1.5 CPD points in Ethics and Professional Conduct for Legal Professionals
Attend and earn 1 CPD point in Ethics or the Code of Conduct for Migration Agents
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
MARA APPROVAL NUMBERS
SESSION 5: M1B10060
The growing use of artificial intelligence in immigration practice raises important ethical and practical questions. This session explores how migration professionals can ethically integrate AI while maintaining professional responsibility and compliance with immigration law standards. Key topics explored included:
- How to enhance productivity and remain ethical
- Domestic and international case law on AI & Ethics for legal practitioners
- The extent to which current rules protect against unethical use of AI
Presented by Sergio Zanotti Stagliorio, Barrister and Migration Law Lecturer
Presenters
Chris Honnery, Barrister, Tenth Floor St James Hall ChambersChris Honnery is a barrister who is experienced representing applicants in administrative law and judicial review proceedings. He passed the England and Wales Bar Transfer Test prior to being called to the NSW Bar, and has worked in a number of jurisdictions. Before becoming a barrister, Chris was a solicitor for almost a decade, working at Victoria Legal Aid, the Federal Court of Australia, and representing asylum seekers detained on Nauru. Based in Sydney, Chris also appears interstate, and has particular expertise in migration matters and challenging visa-related decisions. Website https://www.chrishonnery.com.au/
Sergio Zanotti Stagliorio, Barrister and Migration Law Lecturer
Sergio practises in Migration and Citizenship Law. Before becoming a barrister, Sergio worked as an immigration solicitor for a number of years and was an RMA prior to this. This past experience places him well to appreciate all facets of migration and citizenship law matters. As an advocate, Sergio has appeared and represented clients on matters before the High Court of Australia, Federal Court of Australia (including Full Court), Federal Circuit Court of Australia, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, Migration Review Tribunal, Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Immigration Assessment Authority and the Administrative Review Tribunal. Also Sergio: has authored over 1,300 court decision summaries on migration and citizenship law, most of which for his newsletter (https://migrationlawupdates.com.au), and some for LexisNexis (Administrative Law Decisions); has authored over 1,000 articles and updates on migration and citizenship law, some of which for LexisNexis; is a former assessor at UTS (Graduate Diploma of Australian Migration Law and Practice - GDAMLP); is a former unit coordinator and lecturer at UWS (GDAMLP); has been a migration law CPD lecturer since 2019; is often consulted by barristers, solicitors and RMAs on complex matters; holds a bachelor's degree in engineering.
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