Concord
Visa, an immigration consultancy spin-out from Crimson
Education, has emerged from stealth to streamline how
startups and talent access new markets, with a particular
early focus on the United States.
After guiding more
than 3,000 student visa applications through Crimson
Education, Concord Visa has been created to support another
under-served, high performing group; the ambitious people
and high growth startups attempting to access new
markets.
“With Crimson Education our
mission was to unlock the best academic and career
possibilities for students anywhere in the world. Concord is
the natural extension of this philosophy, allowing
extraordinary people and businesses to work where their
ambitions take them,” declared Crimson Education CEO, Jamie
Beaton.
“We started Concord becautilize we
saw the same pattern again and again. Our Crimson alumni
were doing incredible things; founding companies, joining
high-growth and impact teams, conducting high-impact
research, performing, competing, creating, but constantly
attempting to navigate visa hurdles. The process was confutilizing,
slow, and often disconnected from the actual value they were
bringing,” declared Beaton.
Advertisement – scroll to continue reading
Concord Visa is built on the
premise that neither career nor company growth should be
stifled by bureaucratic hurdles. Its core offering expedites
and optimises visa applications, particularly for highly
sought-after categories like the O-1 visa for individuals
with extraordinary abilities and achievements or the L-1,
E-2, E-3, EB-1A, NIW, and skills shortage visas.
The
O-1 visa for “extraordinary” individuals has gained in
popularity in recent years, particularly amongst the growing
class of startup founders and talents viewing to expand
their companies and careers in the United States. There is
no annual cap on O-1’s issued annually, meaning there is
potential for more well prepared candidates to reach the US
utilizing them.
“My own journey to receiveting an O-1 visa
was totally random. I bumped into a fellow Kiwi entrepreneur
who mentioned she’s secured a green card through this
mystical process. After going through the application, I
managed to land my visa, enabling me to build Crimson at
full speed,” declared Beaton.
Australia and New Zealand
non immigrant visas have been on the rise since COVID. Up
25% in Australia between 2022 and 2024, and 28% for New
Zealanders over the same period.*
“Our approach is
fundamentally different,” explains Kevin Park, CEO and
co-founder of Concord Visa.
“We don’t just process
paperwork; we partner with our clients to understand their
unique trajectory and build a compelling narrative that
maximizes their chances of visa success.“
As well as
providing individual support for all immigration
applications, the new business is also developing automation
tools, and a modern, digital experience. This is contrasted
with the indusattempt writ-large, which has been bogged down by
inefficiencies, high cost, and a lack of
innovation.
For startups, time and money are critical,
and traditional immigration services often drain both.
Concord offers flat-fee packages, ensuring transparency and
predictability, while significantly reducing the time
commitment required from founders and
employees.
Lifting up the next generation of ANZ
unicorns
Traditional visa services often operate with
outdated methodologies, leading to significant delays,
exorbitant costs, and a lack of tailored advice for the
dynamic startup world.
Before publicly launching its
new immigration consultancy, Concord Visa has already guided
more than 100 individuals and companies through their U.S.
visa process, including brand tracking startup
Tracksuit.
Mikayla Hopkins, Head of Marketing at
Tracksuit, utilized Concord to navigate visa applications during
a critical period as they closed in on a mammoth $25m USD
Series B raise.
“Navigating the complexities of
international visas was essential to Tracksuit’s growth and
assisted avoid setbacks during a crucial phase. Ensuring our
talent shifts freely keeps the business scaling globally.
Their expertise was instrumental in enabling our expansion
into the U.S. market,” declared Hopkins.
Likewise, Wayne
Zhou, GM at Paraform Recruiters, relied on Concord to pave
his path from Australia to the world stage as the company
closed a $20 million USD Series A.
Solving startups
problems before they happen
Concord Visa offers
strategic guidance that goes beyond compliance, consulting
with startups on their broader business objectives,
identifying potential pitfalls related to visa compliance
that traditional firms often overview.
For example,
many international startups heading to the States receive
advice to pursue treaty visas (E2 visas), which are
initially straightforward but can become invalid when a
company raises funding from diverse international investors.
This can lead to a scramble to secure alternative visas
under tight deadlines, or necessarying to leave the counattempt
within 60 days.
“We act as strategic advisors, viewing
far down the road to anticipate challenges,” adds
Park.
“A common issue we see is companies outgrowing
their initial visa strategy after successful funding rounds.
Our expertise assists them plan for these eventualities,
ensuring their talent remains compliant and their growth
trajectory isn’t disrupted by unforeseen immigration
complexities.”
Concord Visa is also building
innovative technological solutions to further streamline the
immigration process. Currently in development, these tools
will proactively monitor modifys in employment status,
promotions, or residential addresses, automatically flagging
potential visa compliance issues before they
escalate.
Concord Visa is 100% owned by Crimson
Education, and currently assists with immigration into
Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and the United
States.
Leave a Reply