Any Advice Welcomed!

mjth2004

Having sat down weighed up the options available to us, me & OH have decided to pull the plug on dear auld Ireland! I have done some research over the last couple of days regarding what is the best way for us to relocate there – visa wise!

Background Information

I’m a qualified Architectural Technologist (B.Sc.Arch Tech) with approximately 10 years post grad experience. I was in Australia on a WHV in 2006, six months were spent working within two architectural practices (both of which offered me sponsorship at the time). I didn’t do any seasonal work, so don’t qualified for a second WHV.

OH is a register chartered accountant with 2 years relevant experience.

Our Thinking

Originally we where thinking along the lines of Skilled – Independent (Migrant) Visa (Subclass 175), on a quick scan of Fees & Charges it works out at AUS$2575. OH would qualify under the ‘Points Test’ with me trailing along as the de facto. The cost of this visa is a little on the steep side, so we started to consider other cheaper options.

OH is eligible for a Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417), which works out at AUS$235, & I would apply for a Tourist Visa (Subclass 676), with works out at AUS$105, which would allow me to stay up to 12 months!

Our thoughts at the moment are that we go with the later option; take the first two to three months to travel about the west coast then decided where to settle down, thinking Melbourne or Brisbane. Once we have decided both of us will then actively look for Temporary Business (Long Stay) - Standard Business Sponsorship (Subclass 457). Who ever secures first the other can be included under the visa as a de facto.

Can anyone give any advice on the above or are we missing something, which is glaringly obvious, which won’t allow the later option to work?

Thanks in advance for any help.

mandrake04

Might be chancy trying to get a 12 month 676 visa now, DIAC know Ireland is in the Sh!t and they might suspect you are looking for work. Also 676 sometimes comes with a 8503 condition.

Vorsprung

Can't work on a tourist visa.

Some people have been waiting over a year for approval for the 175.

Would there be any chance of getting in touch with the companies you worked for previously to get sponsorship? It would be the relatively quick option, and your wife could go de facto on the visa for an extra $250-300.

mjth2004

Thanks for the replies!

@mandrake04 – thanks for the heads up, having read information regarding the ‘8503 condition’ that would rightly snooker us if it came with the 676 visa.

@Vorsprung – I understand that you cannot work on a tourist visa, but I think it would be easier to interview in person rather than email/telephone – would I be wrong on that thinking? I think I will draft an email to my pervious employers & see if they are recruiting & if so, would they consider sponsoring me!

Does anyone have any ball-park figures on the cost to a company to sponsor an individual?

Vorsprung

mjth2004 wrote: »

@Vorsprung – I understand that you cannot work on a tourist visa, but I think it would be easier to interview in person rather than email/telephone – would I be wrong on that thinking? I think I will draft an email to my pervious employers & see if they are recruiting & if so, would they consider sponsoring me!

As mentioned above, the aussies will be keeping a particular eye on the Irish to prevent visa fraud. It will look slightly suspicious if someone is coming in on a tourist visa, with his partner coming in on a WHV, and Immigrations could easily set the bar higher for you, e.g. proof of return flight. Lots of people get sponsored having done phone/skype interviews, I did a phone one a couple of years ago and everything was set up visa wise before I came over.