Maria Jockel | Partner | Melbourne

Leader of National Immigration Law Group
Australian Registered Migration Agent Registration No: 9802742.
New Zealand Registered Migration Agent Registration No: 201100929.

Maria is the partner and leader of the firm’s Immigration Law Group.  She is an accredited Immigration Law Specialist and a registered Migration Agent.

Acknowledged as one of Australia’s leading Immigration Law Specialists, Maria brings a unique depth and breadth of immigration law experience from her years in private and government service. 

Regarded as an authority on immigration law, Maria is listed in “The International Who’s Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers” (2010 and 2011) and is nominated in the Peer Review “Best Lawyers” (2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011).

She is a sought after speaker and lecturer and a prolific author on all aspects of immigration and citizenship law including employer-based immigration, business skills, health and character issues, monitoring and enforcement.  Her recent works include 457 Visa Law: Addressing Australia’s Skilled Labour Shortage, Thomson Reuters 2008 and Immigration Law Client Strategies in the Asia-Pacific, Aspatore 2009. You can read Maria’s most recent publication “Getting the Deal Through – Corporate Immigration 2012” here.

Maria acts for international and Australian corporations, bringing skilled personnel to Australia to meet labour force needs.  She also advises international education providers on the requirements for the National Code and regulatory compliance relevant to education of overseas students.  She represents business, skilled and family migrants advising in all aspects of temporary and permanent residency and migration related matters including complex health and character cases.  
Maria heads our team of lawyers dedicated to providing strategic, expert and practical advice and business solutions in all aspects of visa and migration related requirements. 

Maria is the convenor of the Immigration Lawyers Association of Australasia (Law Council of Australia), a member of the executive committee of the International Law section (Law Council of Australia) and a member of the Migration Law Committee (Law Institute of Victoria).

In her current and former roles, Maria has contributed to shaping the future of immigration law in Australia having advised on government policy and legal matters at State and Federal levels. 

Area of Practice
Maria’s practice includes all aspects of Immigration Law, including:

• Employer Nomination Temporary/Permanent Residency Applications
• Business Skills Migration
• Complex matters involving health and character issues
• Federal Court Applications
• Skilled Migration
• Review Applications
• Citizenship
• Ministerial Submissions
• International Education
• Educational Services of Overseas Students Act & National Code

Qualifications
Bachelor of Law (Honours), Bachelor of Arts (Honours), University of Melbourne
Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law (Law Institute of Victoria)
Solicitor – Supreme Court of Victoria and High Court of Australia

Memberships
Member of Executive Committee, International Law Section, Law Council of Australia
Convenor, Immigration Lawyers Association of Australasia, Law Council of Australia
Accredited Specialisation Education Advisory Committee, Law Institute of Victoria
Migration Law Committee, Law Institute of Victoria
Member of Law Institute of Victoria
Member of Citizenship and Nationality Section, International Bar Association
Member of LawAsia
Member of AsiaLink
Member of Australian China Chamber of Commerce
Member of Australian Business in Europe
Member of Asia Society
Member of Australian Human Resource Institute
Migration Institute of Australia

Former Memberships / Roles
Immigration Law Specialisation, Advisory Committee, Law Institute of Victoria
National Immigration Specialisation Committee for Immigration Law
Nationality and Population Council
Family Law Council of Australia
Advisory Council to the Office of Multicultural Affairs
Deputy Chairperson, Victorian Ethnic Affairs Commission
Consultant to the Law Reform Commission
Consultant to the Australian Council of Education and Research
Accredited Specialist in Family Law, Law Institute Victoria

Holding Redlich registered Migration Agents act in accordance with the Code of Conduct.  Please refer to Migration Agent Registration Authority’s website for a copy of the code: https://www.mara.gov.au/default.aspx?ArticleID=630.