Senior Social Worker / Case Worker - Immigration

• Ongoing – Full-Time 35 hours per week 

• Clerk Grade 7/8 (salary range $110,266 - $122,058 plus superannuation and annual leave loading)  

• Location – Central Sydney (Haymarket)  

About us 

Legal Aid NSW helps people with their legal problems. We can help people with most areas criminal law, family law and every day civil law legal issues. We give legal advice, help at court and do family dispute resolution. We can do this over the telephone or at one of our 28 offices. 

About the Immigration Team 

The Immigration Service provides advice, minor assistance and ongoing representation services to visa holders and people applying for visas in Australia. The team advises on a wide range of visas including family stream visas, protection visas and offshore humanitarian visas. Services include advice and representation of clients in relation to visa applications lodged with the Department of Home Affairs, review applications to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and judicial review proceedings following an adverse AAT decision, as well as visa cancellation and citizenship. The Immigration Service’s client base has commonly experienced significant socio-economic deprivation, compounded by underlying trauma and dislocation. It is also common for clients to be impacted by a variety of psychosocial issues including family and domestic violence, child protection issues, drug and alcohol consumption, mental health, cognitive or intellectual impairments, and limited access to services such as Centrelink and/or NDIS, resulting in a critical need for psycho-social support. 

About the role 

Provide complex case work support to clients with complex socio-legal needs and immigration legal issues. This includes clients with visa issues relating to domestic and family violence. Undertake comprehensive assessments of client’s psychosocial issues, prepare reports, provide referrals assistance, support in attending Courts and Tribunals and offer wholistic therapeutic support. Attend court and tribunal hearings to provide oral evidence as to the contents of psychosocial reports under examination and cross-examination. 

About you 

• Experienced Social Worker or Registered Psychologist with a strong background in supporting clients facing complex socio-legal and immigration challenges. 

• Proven ability to navigate sensitive issues including domestic and family violence, alcohol and other drugs and mental health with empathy and professionalism. 

• Skilled in conducting detailed psychosocial assessments and translating these into clear, effective reports used in legal contexts. 

• Experienced taking on a leadership role within a team, offering guidance, sharing knowledge and supporting best practice. 

• You are passionate about justice and advocacy within the legal system.  

You are an experienced and empathetic Social Worker or Registered Psychologist with a strong background in supporting clients facing complex socio-legal and immigration challenges, including those affected by domestic and family violence. Skilled in conducting detailed psychosocial assessments, you confidently prepare reports for legal use and provide evidence in court and tribunal settings when needed.  

You thrive in collaborative environments and while you do not manage direct reports, you naturally demonstrate leadership by guiding peers, sharing knowledge and promoting best practice. You are passionate about justice and advocacy within the legal system and are able to critically reflect on complex ethical questions that come from the work.   

We may use this recruitment to create a talent pool for similar ongoing or temporary vacancies we have over the next 18 months. 

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN LEGAL AID NSW! 

We are committed to diversity and inclusion 

We are committed to creating a culturally safe and genuinely inclusive organisation and workplace for everyone who works and interacts with us. We strive to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds want to work, where voices and cultures are valued and where people feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard.  

We want a workforce that reflects our clients, so we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the community. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, the LGBTQI+ community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities.   

We acknowledge, support and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities. If you need an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process, or you’d like information about what we can do to help you, please contact our team at erecruitment@legalaid.nsw.gov.au. 

Other benefits of working with us 

• You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities. 

• We are an accredited Flex Ready and Carers and Employers certified employer and are recognised as leaders in the area of flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly — for example, from home some of the time or in a way that helps them balance family and work life. 

The essential requirements for this role 

You must: 

• 5 years minimum relevant experience 

• Four-year Bachelor Degree or other equivalent qualification in Social Work, Psychology or other directly relevant field OR a Bachelor Degree plus a Masters degree or other equivalent qualification in Social Work, Psychology or other directly relevant field. 

• Hold or be eligible for professional registration. 

• Hold a valid Driver Licence. 

• Be able to travel to regional and remote areas. 

• Be willing to do a Criminal Record Check. 

• Hold, or be able to obtain, a current Working with Children Check

How to apply 

You MUST submit your application online. If you submit your application late or by email it will NOT be accepted.  

Your application must include: 

• your resume (no more than 5 pages) 

• cover letter (no more than 2 pages). In your cover letter, please outline your skills and experience relevant to:  
   

  • Supporting clients with complex socio-legal and immigration needs, including alcohol and other drugs, mental health and domestic and family violence.  

  • Collaborating effectively with legal professionals and external stakeholders to provide holistic support to clients with intersecting needs.  

Make sure your application is complete and you have answered all questions before you submit. 

Do you need help to apply?

It’s important to properly prepare before you apply for a role. Here is some other information to help you:  

• If you have questions about the role, you can contact the Talent Acquisition Business Partner – Axel Maire via email: axel.maire@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.  

• If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have. 

• The Role Description sets out the responsibilities of the role. 

• The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate.   

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• Working at Legal Aid NSW

Closing Date: 19/05/2025, 11.59pm