Visa (856) info Please!!!!

pauge2007

Hi Guys,

I'm currently working in Western australia since January on the mines. Im a Civil Engineer and my company has said they will sort out my visa for me if i wanted. My boss said to go for the 856 visa which i think is a visa that allows permanent residency.It costs around $3500 after medical and skills assesment. After researching it there seems to be no obstacles in obtaining one after you get more than 120 points. This is my problem- it seems to good to be true that i fill out a few forms along with my employer and pay the fees. After a few weeks of waiting i will get permenant residency!!
My sister who is a nurse has done this a month ago and now has permenant residency. Is it different for nurses??

Thanks

hussey

pauge2007 wrote: »

Hi Guys,

I'm currently working in Western australia since January on the mines. Im a Civil Engineer and my company has said they will sort out my visa for me if i wanted. My boss said to go for the 856 visa which i think is a visa that allows permanent residency.It costs around $3500 after medical and skills assesment. After researching it there seems to be no obstacles in obtaining one after you get more than 120 points. This is my problem- it seems to good to be true that i fill out a few forms along with my employer and pay the fees. After a few weeks of waiting i will get permenant residency!!
My sister who is a nurse has done this a month ago and now has permenant residency. Is it different for nurses??

Thanks

If your employer is going to sponsor you and
if you have the skills and points required
then yes it is that simple.

But they are big ifs

it can take weeks-months depending on your skill, as for your sister, only you can tell us her info! But usually yes they have the same visa as you are applying for

mandrake04

I went ENS 856 myself as an engineer, its an unrestricted Permanent resident visa.

First of all there is no need of points or any of that guff for ENS 856, that only for GSM visa.

Once you have the skills assessment and your employer is cleared as a sponsor you are good to go, mine took about 17 working days to be processed start to finished but I hear is blowing out to 2-3 months now.

That's all there is to it, ENS 856 is priority 1 processing so they try to make it easier because they prefer for immigrants to walk in to permanent residence with a job at hand rather than start of as an unemployment statistic.

pauge2007

mandrake04 wrote: »

I went ENS 856 myself as an engineer, its an unrestricted Permanent resident visa.

First of all there is no need of points or any of that guff for ENS 856, that only for GSM visa.

Once you have the skills assessment and your employer is cleared as a sponsor you are good to go, mine took about 17 working days to be processed start to finished but I hear is blowing out to 2-3 months now.

That's all there is to it, ENS 856 is priority 1 processing so they try to make it easier because they prefer for immigrants to walk in to permanent residence with a job at hand rather than start of as an unemployment statistic.

Hi,

That sound too easy.So is it for people with degrees or equivalent?I want to get this Visa as i don't fancy being stuck to a company for four years!

Thanks for the reply!That sounds great.My employer has apparently done this a couple of weeks ago so yes they can do it.

With regards my skills assesment-what is involved with this?I have four years relevant experience with a Construction company in London and a Couple in Ireland.

Thanks

hussey

pauge2007 wrote: »

Hi,
That sound too easy.So is it for people with degrees or equivalent?I want to get this Visa as i don't fancy being stuck to a company for four years!

It's for skilled workers, they don't have to have degrees, generally good work experience etc
You are not stuck with the company Visa wise, as it is residency (unless the company place a clause in your contract) visa wise you are free to go anywhere

With regards my skills assesment-what is involved with this?I have four years relevant experience with a Construction company in London and a Couple in Ireland.

Do a couple of searches on the forum, there has been a few threads about what is involved - usually your skills get assessed by a body, based on training, experience, jobs etc

mandrake04

pauge2007 wrote: »

Hi,

That sound too easy.So is it for people with degrees or equivalent?

Its for people who can obtain a positive skills assessment or those that have already done 2 years on a 457 in a similar occupation.

pauge2007 wrote: »

Hi,

I want to get this Visa as i don't fancy being stuck to a company for four years!

Unlike a 457 witch is only a temporary visa for up to 4 years and you are stuck with the same employer or at least until you have another sponsor to take over.

The 856 is permanent and in the paperwork the employer offers 3 years of employment and you accept that offer, you are not necessarily bound to stay to that 3 year agreement even though you agree to it. You could easily leave after a 6 months if you wanted.... just wouldn't be leaving the next day after the visa grant or it could look a bit fraudulent.

I left my employer 18 months after my 856 was granted without issue as once you're in you're in.

pauge2007 wrote: »

With regards my skills assesment-what is involved with this?I have four years relevant experience with a Construction company in London and a Couple in Ireland.

You would be looking at Engineers Australia for a skills assessment, http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/about-us/role-activities/msa/msa_home.cfm

jank

Taking this a little off topic but once you are there 2 years on a 457 visa do you still have to the skills assesment?
I was under the impression that you can apply for your ENS at anytime on the 457 once of course your employer was with you on the application.

The difference I thought was:

Less that two years 457 = Skills assesment needed
Over two years on 457 = no skills assesment needed

So the latter is alot easier! Think your job needs to be on a skills list though..

mandrake04

2 years on a 457 can be used in lieu of a Skills Asssessment.

ENS uses the ENSOL list witch has a lot more occupations than the SOL.

You dont need to be on a 457 to apply for 856, going straight from WHV to 856 can be done with a skills assessment.

Offshore version is the ENS 121 which I think from memory is slightly cheaper.

jank

Cheers. Hope they dont change ENSOL too much so. When is the next update due? Last one was December 2010.

jank

Hey Mandrake, did you use an agent for the 856 visa? Planning not to use one as it will save me a few $$$'s.
Also, did you submit all your info in one go or did they come back to you for medicals and the like?

mandrake04

jank wrote: »

Hey Mandrake, did you use an agent for the 856 visa? Planning not to use one as it will save me a few $$$'s.
Also, did you submit all your info in one go or did they come back to you for medicals and the like?

My employer paid for everything including an agent (KPMG), wasnt really my decision.

I downloaded and completed all the documents, certified copies, Police Certicates and even part completed a VDRD Checklist and put it a large envelope. It was basically frontloaded except for the Medicals.

KPMG then lodged it at Parramatta Centre of Excellence, they then sent me Form 26 which was partly completed with my Name, DOB, and TRN. I completed the form and went to HSA (now medibank) in Parramatta for my X-Rays and Medicals.

The whole process from lodgement to grant took about 3 weeks.

Couldnt really say if the agent was of any use or not, certainly from my end (the visa application end) they never had to ask for any more information. I had the stuff well reserched plus at least 6 of my friends was also going through ENS 856. My contact with the agent was maybe 2-3 emails at most, nothing face to face or over the phone.

Still am sort of glad the employer used a reputable agent, I knew I had my end under control but when you are dealing with HR dept. in any company they tend to be very lax.

poodles

Reason for an agent is because if you fack something up in the application, they sent the application back to you and you have to pay the full fee again to re-apply.

karl bracken

jank wrote: »

Less that two years 457 = Skills assesment needed
Over two years on 457 = no skills assesment needed

I want to get onto 856 ASAP but i only had my 457 passed last month. I have 1 years experience as a graphic designer and an IT degree. Its also on the SOL.

Has anyone any experience with a skills assessment, would you be brought in to take a test of some kind?
If the 856 is passed can you work at anything?

Thanks.

mandrake04

karl bracken wrote: »

I want to get onto 856 ASAP but i only had my 457 passed last month. I have 1 years experience as a graphic designer and an IT degree. Its also on the SOL.

Has anyone any experience with a skills assessment, would you be brought in to take a test of some kind?
If the 856 is passed can you work at anything?

Thanks.

It's on immi website

Graphic Designer - 232411

Previously referred to in ASCO as:
2533-13 Graphic Designer
On this page
Job description
Skill level
Skills assessment authority
Licensing or registration requirements
Professional associations

Job description
Plans, designs, develops and prepares information for publication and reproduction using text, symbols, pictures, colours and layout to achieve commercial and communication needs with particular emphasis on tailoring the message for the intended audience.

Skill level
This occupation has a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification. At least five years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualification. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

karl bracken

I have been all over immi, well i thought i was and didnt see that!
From the 856 posts i have been reading you seam to be one of the main people in the know...
Thanks Mandrake

hussey

karl bracken wrote: »

I have been all over immi, well i thought i was and didnt see that!
From the 856 posts i have been reading you seam to be one of the main people in the know...
Thanks Mandrake

He certainly is!

jank

I am going to hijack this theard for a while. :pac:
Getting my **** organised for this visa. Police certs etc. Do I have to submit my medicals along with the rest of the stuff or do they ask for that later.
Reading up on other forums I see that the processing times for this visa has gone up alot in the last year. Some waiting more then 9 months!
I am not going to be paying an agent $3k for something I can do myself so I cannot go DRC which means it will take longer to process but am in no major rush.
I suppose my concern is that if I submit my medicals along with everything else at the start do they then tell me to do them again if they "expire" while waiting to be processed?

pa_

I am in the process of getting a longer term visa (currently on a WHV). The 856 seemed ideal until I saw that you need 3 years professional experience. I currently have 2 1/4 years as a professional software engineer (and 2 years working on my own projects, probably doesn't count?)

Would I be better off going on a 457 and waiting 9 months, then applying for an 856, or should I just apply for a 176 straight away? Any ideas what is the most sensible option here?

karl bracken

I thought it was 2 years with the last 12 months working for the same employer

You must also meet one of the following requirements:

• have worked full-time in Australia in the nominated occupation on a Subclass 418, 421, 422, 428, 444, 457 or 461 temporary residence visa for the last two years prior to the visa application being made (including at least the last 12 months with the nominating employer)

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/ens/eligibility-employee-subclass-856.htm

karl bracken

Oops just read your on WHV !

JANK:

if you have everything ready to go send it in and it will be processed faster, save them having to chase you for stuff and moving onto anther vias application and coming back to yours later

jank

My 2 years isnt up till February though. Although I could send in the nomination on its own not sure if its any faster?

karl bracken

to my knowledge but its only with the 457, the nomination is passed before the the person so id imagine sending in the nomination before would be fine, i think you have 6 months before the nomination expires so getting that out of the way first may save you some time.
Just send in your part after the 2 years, well thats what i plan on doing!