Character issues don’t start and end with s 501. Learn how criminal matters can impact visas across the Migration Act and gain clear, practical strategies for managing character decisions with confidence.
Friday, 5 June 2026
Chair:
Julian Hayden, Senior Lawyer, Hayden Lawyers
Description
Attend live and online and earn 1 CPD point in category B (OMARA SM851)
View the interactive recorded seminar and earn 1 CPD Point in category B (OMARA DN596)
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
12.00pm to 1.30pm Character Decisions
- Breaks down how criminal matters trigger visa consequences beyond s 501, where the real risks sit and how to respond with confidence
- Clear, practical guidance for immigration professionals dealing with character decisions, with one of Australia’s most experienced barristers in this area
Presented by Sergio Zanotti Staglioro, Barrister and Migration Law Lecturer, Castan Chambers
Presenters
Sergio Zanotti Stagliorio, Barrister and Migration Law Lecturer, Castan ChamberSergio 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, the Administrative Review Tribunal and the OMARA. 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); is a lecturer at UWS (GDAMLP and LLB); 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.
Julian Hayden, Senior Lawyer, Hayden Lawyer
Julian is a highly experienced immigration lawyer with over 13 years in the industry. Julian begun his career as a registered migration agent before transitioning into legal practice. He now operates his own practice in Melbourne. His qualifications are Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws, and a Graduate Certificate in Migration Law. Julian specialises in complex and high-risk migration matters, with extensive experience representing clients before the Administrative Review Tribunal and Federal Court. Julian has taught immigration law at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels at Deakin University, and administrative law at Macquarie University.
This seminar is part of a series
Immigration Law Series 2026: Avoiding Refusals, Revocations and Cancellations
Across character decisions, cancellation powers beyond s 501 and the ongoing complexities of employer-sponsored visas, you will gain practical guidance on when to act, how to intervene early and how to protect your client’s position from the very first interaction. Led by experienced migration barristers, this lunch series provides clear, structured insight you can apply immediately in practice. Migration agents can earn their Category B CPD points, legal practitioners receive 4.5 CPD points, gaining practical insights from Australia’s leading immigration experts to maintain a compliant and confident practice amid ongoing change.
Description
Attend all sessions. Migration agents can earn all their Category B CPD points, including ethics, while legal practitioners will receive 4.5 CPD points in Substantive Law. 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.
View series listing
