NEIL HITCHCOCK
Chairman

Registered Migration Agent #9253927
Member Migration Institute of Australia #34
Phone: +61 2 8440 8330

Neil Hitchcock is Chairman of the firm and also a Fellow of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA).  

Neil has been involved in the migration advice profession for the past 22 years.  He was among the very first people to enter this field in Australia and is considered to be pre-eminent in the migration advice profession in terms of his knowledge, skill and experience. Neil has travelled throughout the world consulting and advising clients on migrating to Australia. 

Neil was formerly the Director of Immigration Policy in the Australian Department of Immigration in Canberra and was substantially involved in policy development and program management for Australia's migrant intake.  In particular, Neil was instrumental in the development and establishment of points-tested, employer sponsored and business skills migration policy initiatives introduced by the Federal Government in the early 1980s. He also played a significant role in helping to remove some of the remaining discriminatory and acronymic aspects of Australia's immigration policies in those years. 

Neil has also given significantly of his time and energy to the development of the migration advice profession in Australia.  Between 2000 and 2004, Neil was New South Wales President of the MIA and a member of the National Executive of the Institute.  For much of that time, Neil was also a member of the Migration Agent's Registration Authority (MARA), which is the regulatory body responsible for the administration and conduct of registered migration agents. 

In more recent years, Neil continues to provide assistance to the MIA through writing submissions and appearing before parliamentary enquiries reviewing Australia's visa and citizenship legislation. Neil was made a Fellow of the MIA for his contribution to the profession. 

Neil is a fifth generation Australian, born in Belmont, New South Wales. He graduated in Applied Science (Economics / Geography) from Canberra University.  He has written and presented a range of articles and speeches concerning Australian immigration issues, and has had two editions of his book Migration to Australia - An Authoritative Guide published in the early 1990s. He is currently working on the final draft of a third revised edition.

Neil specialises in the more difficult or complex cases and provides knowledge, guidance and support to his colleagues.  When he is not busy with his role at Hitchcock and Associates, he enjoys sailing, golf and music.  Neil also has great knowledge of the Australian continent, having undertaken three long distance 4WD trips throughout Australia over the last 12 years.