Adam Welch
I am an Australian Immigration Lawyer, and the principal of Welch Law. I graduated with a Bachelor of Laws at the Queensland University of Technology in 1993 and was a Registered Migration Agent from 1994 until lawyers were exempted in 2021. I co-authored the Deakin University course titled “Immigration Law for Migration Agents” and the Migration Institute of Australia course titled “Entry Level Migration Law”. I served 5 years as a member of the Migration Institute of Australia state executive. I have academic qualifications and awards from the University of Queensland, Deakin University, the Queensland University of Technology and Griffith University. His Legal Practitioner Number is 5511661.
I have been advising clients about immigration law since 1994.
Welch Law practices exclusively in the area of Australian immigration law.
My firm represents individuals and families needing visas and organisations sponsoring non-Australian workers. We have a diverse client base consisting of individuals, SMEs, NGOs, Australian large businesses with annual revenues over AUD100m and some multinationals.
My practice is across all areas of immigration law except humanitarian cases. As principal, I established the practice and am responsible for it’s leadership, the training and mentoring of staff, the building of our legal knowledge base and the creation and maintenance of our precedent database. I personally attend to the legal needs of the firm’s major clients and to complex matters. I oversee all other matters and mentor the staff handling those.
Examples of Matters Handled
Individuals
- Won a case for a man claiming family violence was perpetrated against him by his ex-wife in circumstances where no injury was evident and no witnesses came forward.
- Arranged urgent return travel rights in 3 hours for a businessman who left Australia with no right of return.
- Obtained Ministerial Intervention for a woman in Australia whose state of health prevented her from leaving Australia, and also prevented her from meeting the health criteria for visa grant.
- Successfully argued against the cancellation of the permanent resident status of a woman who robbed a grandmother at knifepoint for money to buy drugs. While I found the crime very distasteful I took this case on because it was in the best interests of the perpetrator’s minor child to keep her mother in Australia.
Corporate
- Facilitated a multinational company moving it’s head office to Australia. The matter involved timely relocation of a number of C-level staff and key professionals, followed by the establishment of a local subsidiary and transfer of staff to the new entity. Seamless transitions were essential to the operation of this very large business.
- Acted for a large NGO going through a restructure and needing to secure temporary and permanent residence solutions for it’s non-Australian staff. Changes to immigration laws required this matter to be re-strategized twice during the process.
- Represented an Australian SME since 2004, gaining temporary and permanent resident visas for over 50 key staff, facilitating business growth from an annual revenue of $15m to over $60m.
Complex Matters
- Successfully had a legal but grossly unreasonable decision of the Immigration Department overturned by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. The matter involved the department changing it’s policy on what a particular law meant, why it existed and what evidence they were willing to accept met the legal requirements. This policy shift occurred six months after my client had lodged his residence application in reliance on their previous policy.
- Took over a matter for a large business told by other lawyers there was no way to proceed without exposing the company to serious risks including 6-figure fines, departmental blacklisting and the potential loss of all staff sponsored on temporary visas. The situation was further complicated by a substantial quantity of information already on record. I identified a legal solution and a practical way to achieve it without placing the client at risk. The matter was successfully resolved 5 business days prior to deadline. There were no negative consequences for the company.
- Securing the urgent approval of a staff transfer in 5 business days. This was achieved in the aftermath of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s announcement that the 457 visa would be abolished. During this period approvals were taking between 6-12 months. Obtaining the immediate attention of the department at this time was a significant challenge.
- I have been called by the Federal Court as an expert witness in matters of Immigration Law.
Referees
Available on my LinkedIn page (written recommendations by clients): www.linkedin.com/in/Adam-Welch-Australian-Immigration-Lawyer
Please also refer to the Google Reviews for my firm.
Qualifications & Achievements:
Co-authored and tutored
- Deakin University course Immigration Law for Migration Agents
- Migration Institute of Australia course Entry Level Migration Law.
Professional standing
- Migration Institute of Australia membership since 1994, including 5 years on the State Executive
- Migration Agents Registration Authority registration 1994 – 2021 (lawyers are now exempt)
- Queensland Law Society Practicing Certificate since 1995
- High Court of Australia admission on 15 December 1995
- Queensland Supreme Court admission on 18 September 1995
Education
- Queensland University of Technology Bachelor of Laws 1988 to 1992
- Griffith University Bachelor Arts (Modern Asian Studies) 1988 to 1991
- University of Queensland Practice Management Certificate 1999
- Deakin University Immigration Law for Migration Agents 1996
- Brisbane Grammar School 1983 to 1987