As a young engineer from New Delhi studying for a Master of Management (2012) and then an MBA from Macquarie Business School (2013), Adesh Singh Kandhari always intended on returning to India after graduation. But, as his world and career opportunities opened up, a new journey began. Now, combining his expertise as an immigration lawyer with his personal experience, he helps others navigate the challenges of permanent residency and build a life in Australia. For Mr Kandhari, it’s all about giving without expectation …

For most people, going to university opens up a world of opportunities. But for Adesh Singh Kandhari, his decision to move to Sydney thanks to a part financial scholarship to Macquarie University opened up the world, quite literally. ‘When I arrived at Macquarie for my double masters, meeting people from countries all over the world, it was just one of the most beautiful experiences,’ he remembers.

"In my own country, I can only meet people from India. Only very rarely will you get the opportunity to meet people from the UK or the US, and there’s no way I would have met people from Latin America, France or Ukraine."

"But that’s the thing about studying at Macquarie – everyone converges here, and no matter which country you’re from, you have that common experience, and you get to know each other. Eventually, it turns into a kind of family, where you support each other – these are still the relationships I can rely on."

Of course, many leave Australia when their studies are over, but that’s when this trusted network really comes into its own. "Even though lots of people in my cohort have gone back to their respective countries, it doesn’t matter – the bond we’ve developed is now lifelong."

Indeed, from Sydney to Singapore and France, Mr Kandhari has remained in touch and even visited these friends since graduation. But the connection goes even deeper. "My first breakthrough in the corporate world was actually thanks to a good contact of mine at Macquarie," he says.

"We were working on an assignment together, and I was discussing my difficulties in finding a job – it was a hard time. She’s Polish, so understood my struggles and knew exactly what it was like for me as an immigrant."

"To my surprise, the next day, she said she’d spoken to her husband, who was head of the business analysis department at the Commonwealth Bank. “You’ve got an interview on Monday,” she said. So, it was because of that Macquarie network, those relationships, that I got my first breakthrough at CBA."

The difficulty of finding work in Australia, no matter how qualified you are, is a common challenge for international students. "It’s a vicious cycle," says Mr Kandhari. "I can say that from experience. I’ve been through it, and now I keep hearing the same thing from others who come here as immigrants – when you come as a student and you apply for these jobs, the first thing they ask in an interview is, “Do you have permanent residency (PR)?"

"Most of them won’t, of course, because they’re on student visas. Then, if they’ve overcome the PR problem, employers want you to have local experience. So the issue becomes, how do you gain local experience if no-one gives you local experience? That’s the challenge, even for those with really strong resumes and experience at top-notch companies overseas."

"To be honest, my answer is, it doesn’t matter if you get a thousand rejections or hear the word no a thousand times. I’ve had it myself. You just need one person to say yes. And that will make all the difference."

"You just have to keep focusing on applying, improving constantly, learning from the feedback you’re getting, and understand why they’re refusing you. There will be those who make strange remarks, but just take it positively and focus on that one yes because that’s what matters, not the thousand nos."

And it’s this willingness to so openly share his experiences with others that made Mr Kandhari such a valuable participant at a recent event for alumni in Melbourne. "I’d been actively involved with MGSM activities during my studies – I was one of the founding members of the Speaking and Debating Club and was also the vice president for the Networking Club – and while I’d continued my involvement after graduation, once I moved to Melbourne, I’d lost touch a little, so was keen to reconnect with other alumni."

"It was great!" he says. "Everyone was so welcoming, and I enjoyed meeting people who’d studied other degrees. Of course, I really enjoyed connecting with others who had also migrated from different parts of the world to do the MBA and then moved from Sydney to Melbourne for different opportunities."

"I was asked to share my experiences in small groups, which was really rewarding, and made friends with a recent MGSM graduate from India. She told me how difficult it had been to study during lockdown, and how she couldn’t build the type of networks that have been so important to me."

"Her husband moved here with her, and he couldn’t find a job – they were struggling with the same things I had, and have heard so many times from others as well. We connected immediately, and because her husband is in banking and so is my wife, I invited them home for dinner."

"It’s because of our shared experiences of coming to Australia to study at MGSM that we were able to build these relationships so quickly outside the alumni event. As I’ve said, it just takes one yes – and just connecting with one person at an event like this makes it worthwhile."

Of course, firmly established in Melbourne as a solicitor, Mr Kandhari’s professional journey was of great interest to other alumni. As he explained, after working in the corporate world with the Commonwealth Bank for about a year, he worked with Coca-Cola and LG for a while before being offered a senior position at Cognizant, a Fortune 500 IT company based in Melbourne.

"I was heading the verticals of healthcare, life sciences and retail for clients like Woolworths, Telstra Health, Monash and Johnson & Johnson, mainly in the field of technology, but because I was often dealing at the CxO (chief experience officer) level, strategising in digital transformation and automation, I was involved in legal negotiations. And that’s what drew me to the legal side of things – and more study, of course!"

Now working as a solicitor in a law firm, he specialises in immigration, criminal, civil and family matters, and has just wrapped up a high-profile wage-theft case that not only went to the High Court on a constitutional matter but also resulted in changes to the Wage Theft Victoria Act 2020. "Thankfully, we’ve got our client out of that mess," he says genuinely.

Of course, very close to his heart is his work in immigration law, helping others navigate the process of attaining permanent residency and working with them on suitable pathways. "We specialise in the PR process for students who’ve migrated here on a student visa," he says.

"I understand what it’s like to have no relatives here, no friends at the start and no-one to guide you in the right direction. I really get where they’re coming from, and no matter where they’re from in the world, they can come to me for advice because as immigrants, we all go through similar hurdles."

"As a student, I remember feeling so lost and in need of legal advice, and there were so many people like me – they too had accounting, finance, IT backgrounds and were doing their MBA or masters, but no-one knew how to go ahead with permanent residency."

Mr Kandhari emphasises that PR is an investment, and opens further doors after study. That’s why he suggests people seek legal advice to make sure they don’t miss out on any opportunities. "I could have easily missed out on my PR, as many others did," he says.

"Actually, a friend of mine at MGSM – doing the MBA like me, with the same background in engineering, electronics and communication – didn’t have the proper guidance, so didn’t apply for her PR and now she’s back home. At times she regrets this because the immigration policies are very much age-dependent – if you don’t apply by 45, there’s less chance you can migrate."

Regulations change too, for example, the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement has recently been replaced by a Genuine Student assessment. "Now, the assessment is based on the fact you’re a genuine student who’s coming here for the purpose of studying. You can disclose to them that you intend to apply for PR, or work here afterwards, or whatever it is. But the main purpose of coming is to study."

"The only problem now is they’re going to become very strict with people who come through different pathways like visitor visas and then fall in love with the country and want to study. You can only apply for a student visa from your home country, and it will become hard once you’re here on any other visa and want to change to a student visa, so that’s another challenge."

That said, Mr Kandhari reassures there are different categories of applications and a lot of options. "We predominantly excel in all the PR pathways under the skilled migration, so 189 and 190, then regional pathways of 491, and state and employer nominations."

"We’ve also appealed certain matters in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and taken matters to the federal courts when we have merits, or an injustice is happening, or the Department of Home Affairs hasn’t considered all the facts. We’ve won a lot of cases and had decisions reversed."

It’s rewarding work, for sure, supporting others where he can – whether that’s students seeking permanent residency, fellow alumni finding work in Australia, or even representing clients, reversing unfair decisions or charges. "I’m very happy to share any guidance I can, and really value being part of Macquarie and giving back."

And, as he says this, he points to an iron bangle around his wrist. "Like many Sikhs, I always wear this; it’s called a Kara. It’s a constant reminder to carry out the right deeds, and the circle shape depicts that there is no beginning or end, like the eternal nature of God."

"Actually, I gave a presentation on Sikhism at the MGSM Speaking and Debating Club, where I explained that Kara is a reminder to always do good, and remember the philosophy of karma – what goes around comes around. It’s about giving without expectation, doing whatever you can for anyone, and wishing them well."

Adesh Singh Kandhari (MBA, MIM, LLB, BE, GDML, GDLP) graduated from Macquarie University with a Master of Management (2012) and a Master of Business Administration from Macquarie Business School (2013). Currently engaged as a solicitor with ASKvisa.com.au, he practices immigration law, criminal law, civil disputes and family law matters.

Mr Kandhari is also experienced in business development, analysis and operations management, having held various consulting roles in FMCG, retail, healthcare, life sciences, government, IT, telecommunications, financial services and procurement. His expertise extends to CxO-level client relationship management, account management, stakeholder management, negotiations, operations and legal services across various industries.