Visa Solutions Australia has worked with thousands of clients over the last two decades.
Whether we’re working with individuals or businesses, they each have their own reasons for needing our assistance. There are times we help our clients achieve their immigration goals against all odds – creating memories for the Visa Solutions team for years to come.
There are countless stories we could share but here is a snapshot of some of our memorable clients.
Conroy Dean
Conway Dean was an extraordinary case. At 60 years of age, he achieved what seemed impossible by obtaining Australian permanent residence.
Conway Dean arrived in regional Western Australia from Wales with his wife and daughter in 2006.
A welder by trade, Conway was issued a Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457). In 2008 at the age of 49, Conway applied for permanent residence. Administrative delays in the Department of Home Affairs meant that Conway’s application didn’t find its way to the front of the processing queue until he was 50 years of age making him ineligible for permanent residence based on his age. He was advised that he could continue to apply for a subclass 457 visa which would allow him to stay in Australia temporarily on an ongoing basis.
Issues with his visa renewal in 2015 put him in Visa Solutions’ path and they were able to rectify matters for him. By this stage, Conway had resigned himself to the fact that he may not get permanent residence in Australia until he retired and could potentially apply through a retirement stream
In 2020 when Covid-19 threw the world into chaos, it offered Conway a lifeline. After the 2022 federal election, the Labor Government declared that anyone who worked throughout the pandemic on a subclass 457 visa would be able to apply for permanent residence with all restrictions lifted, including age which had prevented Conway from obtaining permanent residence in the first place. Prompted by VSA to take this once in a lifetime opportunity, he set about applying for his permanent residence with assistance from Visa Solutions.
In 2023 at the age of 60, Conway got the call from Visa Solutions stating that his permanent residence had been approved. A moment that changed Conway and his family’s life.
Dan Engles of Visa Solutions says, ‘Conway’s story is amazing and one we’re not likely to forget. There are not many people who can get permanent residency at 60 years old.’
Craig Stickling
Craig Stickling and his family began their journey to Australian citizenship in 2017. After visiting family and friends in Australia in 2016, Craig and his wife Geraldine decided that Australia provided many opportunities not available to them and their children in their native homeland of South Africa.
As a golfer, Craig had many acquaintances in Australia and eventually got a job at Yarrawonga Golf Club in 2018.
In 2019, Craig and his family were granted permanent residence. Craig continued working in the golf industry while working on his family’s Australian citizenship application.
The road to citizenship wasn’t easy. One of the biggest challenges was being in a foreign country without family and friends. While the family had a great network of friends here, it wasn’t the same as the bonds they shared with people back home.
There was also the financial strain – visas, permanent resident applications, citizenship applications, medical exams, English testing etc all cost money and added on top of everyday living expenses became a burden.
In 2023, the Stickling family was granted Australian citizenship – a dream come true for them. While they acknowledge it was a tough journey and there were times they felt like giving up, it was all worth it. Australian citizenship will enable them to have a better life and give their children a future that may not have been possible in South Africa.
Travel Exemption Success for Popular Food Manufacturer
2020 was a tough time for businesses. With immigration and international travel at a standstill, a bulk of Visa Solutions work was assisting businesses and individuals with travel exemptions.
One popular food manufacturer enlisted the services of Visa Solutions Australia to assist with obtaining travel exemptions for technicians required to help install a piece of manufacturing equipment that was purchased prior to the pandemic.
It’s quite common for Australian companies to purchase equipment from European manufacturers and employ their specialised staff on a short-term basis to assist with the installation and set-up of such equipment.
Ordinarily, the country of origin of these technicians is responsible for arranging their visas but a hold on visa waivers and closed Australian borders made entering Australia a challenge. When the overseas company responsible for sending these specialised technicians wasn’t having any success gaining travel exemptions and visas to complete this project, Visa Solutions was approached to help with the process. Visa Solutions was able to effectively and efficiently obtain the relevant travel exemptions and visas required.
These are just a few of very many success stories Visa Solutions Australia has to tell. Visa Solutions has played a vital role in ensuring visa success for individuals and businesses over the last 20 years. The Visa Solutions team looks forward to helping many more people in the years to come.
To learn more about any aspect of immigration, contact the experienced team of registered migration agents at Visa Solutions Australia. Book a consultation through our website.
