Billing a Sponsor for work performed for a Migrant

This article covers how your should render invocies and receipt funds for matters where the Sponsor or a third party is required to be billed and pay for the work i.e. as is required for a Subclass 457 Nomination.

1. Set the Default Billable Person as the Sponsor

First go to the Accounts tab of the Migrant Matter and on the Accounts Overview tab, select the Sponsor from the Default Billable Person dropdown. Note that the Sponsor will only appear in this list if you have previously linked the Migrant and Sponsor Matter together (see How to link a Migrant and Business Sponsor together)

2. Record the Fee on the Migrant Matter

All work performed on a Nomination or a Visa application should be recorded as a Fee in the Migrant Matter. For instructions on how to record a Fee in the Fees & Disbursements tab, see: Record the Work - Record a Fee

3. Generate the Invoice

Now, on the Migrant Matter, click the New Invoice button. Note that the person/entity being invoiced is the Sponsor. Make sure that the work you want to invoice the Sponsor for are the only fees listed on this invoice (use the Remove button to take an item off the invoice which is not relevant) For instructions on how to generate invoices see: Generate an Invoice for Work Completed

4. Transfer money from the Client Account

Money held on the Client Account for either the Sponsor or the Migrant matter, can now be used to pay this invoice via a Client to Office Transfer. The choice of which matter you hold the deposit on is up to you.

4.1. Money held on the Migrant matter

In situations where funds have been paid by the Sponsor and they are to receipted to the Migrant/Nomination matter, you should generate a Client/Trust Account receipt in the Migrant Matter making sure that at the time of receipting that you record that the person the money received from was the Sponsor. For instructions on how to receipt money in to a Client Account, see: Receipt a Deposit

When it comes time to move the money between the Client/Trust Account and the Operating Account, click the Client to Office transfer button in the Migrant Matter. Note that when the New Client to Office Transfer window appears, it will have an entry which shows:

  1. The Work Done was for the Migrant/Nominee matter;
  2. The Work was Billed to the Sponsor; and
  3. The money is currently held in the Client/Trust Account for the Migrant/Nominee matter and that is where it will be transferred from.

Next insert details of how much money you are moving between your Client/Trust Account and the Operating Account and then click Save & Close.

The Invoice (as listed in the Office tab) in the Migrant Matter will now show that it has been paid.

4.2. Money held on the Sponsor Matter

If the money being received from the Sponsor is to be held in the Sponsor's name on the Sponsor's matter, at the time it is received it should be receipted in to the Sponsor's Client/Trust Account. For instructions on how to receipt funds in to the Client Account see: Receipt a Deposit

Tip: At the time you receive the money you should provide sufficient detail in the Reason section of the receipt so that you can identify in the future what these funds were for as it is not possible within a matter to quarantine specific funds for specific uses.

When it comes time to move the money between the Client/Trust Account and the Operating Account, click the Client to Office transfer button in the Sponsor Matter. Note that when the New Client to Office Transfer window appears, it will have an entry which shows:

  1. The Work Done was for the Migrant/Nominee matter;
  2. The Work was Billed to the Sponsor; and
  3. The money is currently held in the Client/Trust Account for the Sponsor matter and that is where it will be transferred from.

Next insert details of how much money you are moving between your Client/Trust Account and the Operating Account and then click Save & Close.

The Invoice (as listed in the Office tab) in the Migrant Matter will now show that it has been paid.