Australia general skilled migrant visa??

el diablo

This thread seems to have died. :eek: Those of you who were applying for visas, how did it go?

I'm looking into it now and will have a look at Liz O'Hagans site.

I'm an electrician and single. I'm just wondering would it be better for me to go alone with the application or through an agency?
What's the difference in costs etc?

any opinions would be appreciated....:)

myhorse

I think alot has changed since this thread went quiet.
If you are offshore (and not being sponsored by an employer) Unless your skill is on the csl or you are going for one of the state sponsored visas i *think* you will be waiting a very long time for a residency visa (skilled independent migrant). they have slowed the processing to nearly a crawl and even thats only for the critical skills list. I reckon, and am open to correction, you could be looking at 18 months to 2 yrs start to finish for a non csl residency visa.
You will get it eventually but there will be one hell of a wait.

You should deffo be able to go it alone for your application and not need an agent as the savings will be in the thousands. Perhaps maybe shop around and see if an agent will give a free consultation about your application. Check up on various forums for threads from people who are going it alone (try britishexpats the Australia - citizenship and immigration forum). Some posters there have posted a step by step guide. It can be a bit of a handful to do it alone so you may feel you would like an agent to assist. Just remember they cannot speed up the process or guarantee you a visa. They just tell you what you need and when you need it and how to fill out the forms.

Its all changed from my day so I would help if i could but they have changed the procedures and i would not be familar with the process now.

el diablo

myhorse wrote: »

I think alot has changed since this thread went quiet.
If you are offshore (and not being sponsored by an employer) Unless your skill is on the csl or you are going for one of the state sponsored visas i *think* you will be waiting a very long time for a residency visa (skilled independent migrant). they have slowed the processing to nearly a crawl and even thats only for the critical skills list. I reckon, and am open to correction, you could be looking at 18 months to 2 yrs start to finish for a non csl residency visa.
You will get it eventually but there will be one hell of a wait.

You should deffo be able to go it alone for your application and not need an agent as the savings will be in the thousands. Perhaps maybe shop around and see if an agent will give a free consultation about your application. Check up on various forums for threads from people who are going it alone (try britishexpats the Australia - citizenship and immigration forum). Some posters there have posted a step by step guide. It can be a bit of a handful to do it alone so you may feel you would like an agent to assist. Just remember they cannot speed up the process or guarantee you a visa. They just tell you what you need and when you need it and how to fill out the forms.

Its all changed from my day so I would help if i could but they have changed the procedures and i would not be familar with the process now.

Thanks for the info. I really should have looked into this ages ago. I've been putting it off for too long. I'll have a look at that forum you mentioned and also the Liz O'Hagan site and her forum too.

Derek B

OK here's the scenario...I've been working on a 457 in Oz now for about 2.5 years in IT...I have an IT degree and my occupation is on the SOL under Computing Professionals so is worth 60 points to me..as I stands I believe I have over the 120 points needed to qualify for PR (175 Skilled Independent Migrant visa), including 30 points for being under 30 years of age.

Now my question is, were I to leave Oz in the near future without applying for PR, and then decide to apply down the line (being still under 30), how are my chances of being approved affected? Would it matter that a few years have passed since I did over 2 years on a 457? The reason I wouldn't apply now is that I'm not ready to commit, and I think a few years outside Oz will help me decide if I want to be here for good or not

mandrake04

If you get PR you dont have to commit to Australia for the rest of your life you can come and go as you please, if like you suggest you leave it for a few years you might miss the boat.... DIAC have recently had a nasty habit of changing the rules.

At the moment

Age 18-29 = 30 points
Age 30-34 = 25 points


Australian work experience is worth 10 points if you worked 1 full year in the last 4 years.

If the above rules and values changed or DIAC raised the 120 points requirement you could be stuffed.

dang

Hi, can someone help me on questions for Form 80 'Personal particulars for
character assessment'.

For Question 29 'Where are you currently located?' I am in Australia so I need to go straight to Question 31 which is 'Visa details (of initial arrival)' So I am currently on a Working Holiday Visa and need to add in my visa details here. My problem is that the Visa Grant number I have doesn't fit into the boxes in this question.
It has 'Visa Number V _ _ _< _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _' but the number I have is a 10 digit number with no V at the start or < in between it.

If anyone has had to fill this out while being on another visa could you help please.

Thanks

mandrake04

dang wrote: »

Hi, can someone help me on questions for Form 80 'Personal particulars for
character assessment'.

For Question 29 'Where are you currently located?' I am in Australia so I need to go straight to Question 31 which is 'Visa details (of initial arrival)' So I am currently on a Working Holiday Visa and need to add in my visa details here. My problem is that the Visa Grant number I have doesn't fit into the boxes in this question.
It has 'Visa Number V _ _ _< _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _' but the number I have is a 10 digit number with no V at the start or < in between it.

If anyone has had to fill this out while being on another visa could you help please.

Thanks

The 'Grant number' is different to the Visa Number.

The Yellow/Pink Visa Label that is in your passport (I assume you have a 417 WHV label???) should have a number at the bottom that looks like so.


Vxxx<xxxxxxxxSURNAME<<FIRST NAME< MIDDLE INTIAL<<<<<<<

See attached Pic.... This the the number you put in Form 80

Zambia

mandrake04 wrote: »

The 'Grant number' is different to the Visa Number.

The Yellow/Pink Visa Label that is in your passport (I assume you have a 417 WHV label???) should have a number at the bottom that looks like so.


Vxxx<xxxxxxxxSURNAME<<FIRST NAME< MIDDLE INTIAL<<<<<<<

See attached Pic.... This the the number you put in Form 80

Think this is a contender for the most helpfull post on this forum , good work mandrake...

dang

Thanks Mandrake04 but we didn't have to get the visa label in our passports when we entered Australia Dec 2008. We were confused when we arrived thinking we would get a label but Visa First confirmed they don't do that anymore, its all online. When did you get your 417?

mandrake04

dang wrote: »

Thanks Mandrake04 but we didn't have to get the visa label in our passports when we entered Australia Dec 2008. We were confused when we arrived thinking we would get a label but Visa First confirmed they don't do that anymore, its all online. When did you get your 417?

Back in '04


You need to phone DIAC and get them to quote the Visa Number or if you have your TRN from your 417 try entering it into

https://www.ecom.immi.gov.au/inquiry/query/queryStatusResult.do?action=back and check your entitlements page for your visa number.

dang

I think I will have to ring the DIAC. But if anyone else has has this problem please let me know what you did. Thanks

DeaglanOMurchu

Planning on migrating to Oz next year.

Good idea? As oppose to Canada which was my other option

What ye think??

Have paid 1000euro already,another 30000euro to pay.Want to move there,have a good time and not have to leave say after 2 years if i was to do the workin hol visa-is this costly or is there an easier option??

Zambia

DeaglanOMurchu wrote: »

Planning on migrating to Oz next year.

Good idea? As oppose to Canada which was my other option

What ye think??

Have paid 1000euro already,another 30000euro to pay.Want to move there,have a good time and not have to leave say after 2 years if i was to do the workin hol visa-is this costly or is there an easier option??

I think your fairly commited now ... best you come over and see how it goes.

No there is no easier option, best of luck with it

mandrake04

DeaglanOMurchu wrote: »

Planning on migrating to Oz next year.

Good idea? As oppose to Canada which was my other option

What ye think??

Have paid 1000euro already,another 30000euro to pay.Want to move there,have a good time and not have to leave say after 2 years if i was to do the workin hol visa-is this costly or is there an easier option??

Fair enough ......so have you actually applied for a Permanent Resident visa? if so how sure are you that it will be granted by next year.

DeaglanOMurchu

Well the agent told me there is a 100 percent success rate,just takes time,12mths+.
Get the paper work,do an assestment,get Garda clearance a medical and thats it,just wait for it to be passed.
After 2 years i can apply for a Oz passport

Zambia

DeaglanOMurchu wrote: »

Well the agent told me there is a 100 percent success rate,just takes time,12mths+.
Get the paper work,do an assestment,get Garda clearance a medical and thats it,just wait for it to be passed.
After 2 years i can apply for a Oz passport

Australian Citizenship Act 2007 :Section 22 of the act states

Residence requirement
(1) Subject to this section, for the purposes of section 21 a person
satisfies the residence requirement if:
(a) the person was present in Australia for the period of 4 years
immediately before the day the person made the application;
and
(b) the person was not present in Australia as an unlawful
non-citizen at any time during that 4 year period; and
(c) the person was present in Australia as a permanent resident
for the period of 12 months immediately before the day the
person made the application.

However fear not a PR visa gives you the right to stay as long as you want. As long as you apply for an RRV when its due to expire. But this is only so you can travel.

mandrake04

DeaglanOMurchu wrote: »

Well the agent told me there is a 100 percent success rate,just takes time,12mths+.
Get the paper work,do an assestment,get Garda clearance a medical and thats it,just wait for it to be passed.
After 2 years i can apply for a Oz passport

Ok then was that 12+ months before or after priority processing cos depending on your occupation being on the CSL or not could determine when your application is granted.

Non-CSL applications could take up to 3 years to process...... there are applications from July 2008 and they wont be even looked at til July 2010

BlackEdelweiss

I worked as a chef(fully qualified with papers etc) for about 5 years, some of it not on the books, I then went back to college 3 years ago to do engineering which I have just finished now(Level7 BEng.). I am currently working a few days a week for free with an engineering company to get some experience but I am not on the books either.
Do I have enough relevant experience in anything, should I go as a chef or as an engineer, they are both high up in the points but will the fact |I havent been paid legally as a chef for the past 3 years count against me, I still did a few days a week during college but mostly cash in hand.

JuJuBean

I met an agent at the Work Abroad exhibition in the RDS yesterday, He told us if we apply for the 175 visa, which my partner and I qualify for with him as De Facto, it would take circa nine months. We are going to do this, 9 months doesn't seem too bad. Any idea if this is a correct estimate?

Hells Belle

JuJuBean if you are on the CSL you MAY get your 175 visa within 9 months, we were on the CSL and got taken off earlier this year and have now been told we won't be looked at for a 175 until at the earliest July 2010...we applied in Aug 08, we had all the points we needed, had our meds and police checks requested from a CO and then we were fcuked off the list and put at the back of the queue. Meds cost us €550, and they expire in Jan '10. I'd take anything an agent tells you with a huge bucket of salt and get on the net and do some research on expat sites. The 176 State Sponsored is probably your fastest way to get PR at the moment - all could change in an instant though....

We applied to Queensland for a 176 in early April and haven't had anything back from them apart from a confirmation, we could be looking at at least another 10 weeks. With a 176 you have to commit to a state for 2 years morally, not legally. If we get our 176 I'll go wherever the feck I like in Australia, we've been waiting long enough.

As far as I'm concerned DIAC are a pack of thieves, we jumped through hoop after hoop and paid all our money (which they will not refund) its put up or shut up with them. I'm not sure I even want to go anymore after all this fcukin around (as you can csee I'm a bit upset about this) I'd go to Canada or New Zealand instead. /rant over!

Hells Belle

sorry JuJu just remembered you also have to get a skills assessment - it took us around 3 months to get the necessary papers together from past employers etc before we could even think of applying for the visa.

BlackEdelweiss you have to have 12 months experience out of the last 24 months working in the profession you are applying under at the time of your application for a PR visa. The TRA do chefs - have a look at http://www.immi.gov.au/asri/occupations/c/chef-(excl-commis-chef)-3322-11.htm have a look at this for engineers http://www.immi.gov.au/asri/occupations/e/engineer-electrical-engineer-2125-11.htm

Best of luck

Zambia

JuJuBean wrote: »

I met an agent at the Work Abroad exhibition in the RDS yesterday, He told us if we apply for the 175 visa, which my partner and I qualify for with him as De Facto, it would take circa nine months. We are going to do this, 9 months doesn't seem too bad. Any idea if this is a correct estimate?

9 Months is so a best case scenario. Hang in there Hells

Hells Belle

thanks Zambia, I'm just a little frustrated with the whole show at the moment, we started the process in March 08 and have gotten no further and we are €5000 at least down. There are many in the same boat as us. Although at least I still have my job here and chippies are not in demand as much in Australia so maybe its a silver lining type situation....still though, could have gone to the Carribbean on that! BTW we were told 9 - 12 mths when we started out too, so beware anyone thinking of doing this

JuJuBean

Hmm that doesn't sound too good! I think we'll take the chance anyway - we may be lucky. Contacted Liz O'Hagan today so we'll see how that goes.

layke

daveg wrote: »

LoL. Have you even seen the form?

Yes, I thought it was very straight forward and easy to fill out.
I really don't know why people would pay some one to fill out these applications?

mandrake04

To determine if you are on the above mentioned CSL please read attached......


also as Hells Belle mentioned it usually takes about 3 months to gather up all the paper work, Birth Cert, Employer References, copy of Degree Certificate, Diploma..... Then these have to be certified by a Justice of the Peace....... etc

maybe 2 month for the skills assessment (require all above first) .....Trades Recognition example attached

Depending on your points (require 120 for a 175) you might have to do the IELTS (English Test)

Also there are several typical forms and can take maybe a week to fill in once you get all the information... See attached Form 1286, Form 80, Form 1221


Could take 6 months of f**K Arse-ing before you can actually lodge the application

Then you have to do medical & X-Rays (does not have to be done before application is lodged)



For all the information on how to apply see book 1119

mandrake04

Book 1119 attached

Zambia

layke wrote: »

Yes, I thought it was very straight forward and easy to fill out.
I really don't know why people would pay some one to fill out these applications?

Thats a bit unfair Layke, just because you found no hassle filling out the forms doesn not mean other people should breeze through them. I used an agent and he was invaluable. Some questions you really dont know how to answer depending on your circumstances.

A wrong answer could lead to delays or even a refusal. Both very costly.

sharky86

JuJuBean wrote: »

I met an agent at the Work Abroad exhibition in the RDS yesterday, He told us if we apply for the 175 visa, which my partner and I qualify for with him as De Facto, it would take circa nine months. We are going to do this, 9 months doesn't seem too bad. Any idea if this is a correct estimate?

Used an agent myself think they were at the rds also well cut a long story short occupation is on the crital shortage list and 8.5 months later i received my Visa Grant Note!!! if you think the agent knows his stuff and comes accross confident use them!! costs more of course but come on like they do this stuff 40 hours a weeks 48 weeks a year I guess for 000's people they know the system.

JuJubean pm me if you want my agents names i'm not sure if i'm allowed it put it here

Just my opinion

sharky86

Hells Belle wrote: »

thanks Zambia, I'm just a little frustrated with the whole show at the moment, we started the process in March 08 and have gotten no further and we are €5000 at least down. There are many in the same boat as us. Although at least I still have my job here and chippies are not in demand as much in Australia so maybe its a silver lining type situation....still though, could have gone to the Carribbean on that! BTW we were told 9 - 12 mths when we started out too, so beware anyone thinking of doing this

I think the main reason for a delay with a lot of applications was changes introduced in March, correct me if I'm wrong but didnt the department of Immigration change the processing priorities or something then. No one could have foreseen this.

Have to applied for state sponsorship? Hang in there it will be come through