LMC: The first step

[Leigh MC]

Hi everyone

I just joined - and this is my first post.

My boyfriend and I have been discussing going to Aus or NZ for some time now, and have finally taken the next step - last night we went to an immigration seminar. The company giving the seminar was called Immigration Unit. They deal with Aus, NZ, Canada and the UK. Has anyone on this site used them or know about them? They seemed to know what they're doing, but you never can tell!

We (well, I) would definitley prefer Aus. This is such a massive step to take - as you all know - and I can see, from spending most of yesterday reading through this site, that I've come to the right place for suppost and help!

Can anyone tell me what the total costs are to get to Aus? The guy at the semianr said you're looking at about R45-50 000 including agency fees, all the tests, medicals, pics, yada yada. Would this be accurate?

Thanks

Leigh

[Stepchook]

Can anyone tell me what the total costs are to get to Aus? The guy at the semianr said you're looking at about R45-50 000 including agency fees, all the tests, medicals, pics, yada yada. Would this be accurate?

Hi Leigh,

Yes, that figure seems about right, as long as "yada yada" doesn't include the costs of your container, because then you'd need to add about R50k - R100k to that figure! The visa itself costs about R14k, agent fees are around R20k, skills assessments are around R400, IELTS (English) testing is about R1700 and medicals are roughly the same.

So R40k is probably fairly accurate. Just understand that agents are optional and if your case is pretty much cut and dried, then you could probably do everything on your own.

Edited March 7, 2008 by Pygmalion

[Nilo]

Hi Leigh and welcome!!

You've done the right thing to read the forum yesterday. Now another job and thats the immi website.

Sometimes it's not neccessary to use agents, but it all depends on your qualifications etc.

Haven't heard of Immigration Unit before but sure other forumies will be able to help.

As far as costs I'm not sure.

N

[Michele R]

Welcome Leigh!

Take a read through the forum or try and search for Immigration Unit by clicking on 'search' on the top right corner. Haven't heard of them either, so sorry.

Go to the immi website here, there you can read at your own pace about the different visa's and how they work and what documents you need to apply for.

Costs can fluctuate, especially the ones you have to pay in Aussie dollars. Containers can be really expensive and there seems to be no real set price for them, the different moving companies seem to have different quotes for them.

If in doubt, just ask, I'm sure someone on the forum will have the answer.

All the best for this journey!

Michele

[Leigh MC]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for the advice. Will have a look at the immi site now...

My first choice would be to do it ourselves - but I'm so worried we'll botch it up! The agency seemed to know all the angles and ways to get around any problems - but then again, they could also just be good sales people!

I'll take a look and guage whether we can do it.

Leigh

PS - this site has already become addictive... and I'm only 2 days in!

[Firstworld_girl]

HI Leigh

welcome to this side and all of the best for the ride of you life.

We have decided to not use and immigration agent...and use their cut towards our container cost.

I might use a recruitment agency (they bill the prospective employer and not me!!) to assist with my nursing board registration and work.

I'll rather study the immi website and rely on all these knowledgable people on the forum.

Antoinette

[Warrior]

We made use of the Immigration Unit after seeing their advert in the Sunday Times. My son and fiancée also applied, paid the initial assessment fee of R490 and got a reply back that they "seem eligible" although I can see that they will not be able to afford it.

My wife and I also paid the R490 three weeks ago and are still awaiting our report. I just hope that we do not get the same standard letter which is - impersonal and also not really informative - like my son's report!

People should be careful for vague answers / vague statements.

[Deon-Louise and kids]

HI

I agree the agents charge almost double what u will pay yourself and there are certainly many other things that money can go towards like the container or the airfares.

We have deceided not to use their services and to go it alone .The immi.gov site is helpful and they says it is not neccessary to use and that no preferance is given to clients who apply via an agent

Anyway good luck with it all

[Leigh MC]

Hi Warrior and Deon-Louise (and kids!)

Thanks for letting me know about the agents. After having read a lot more posts on this site, I see that most people are choosing the non-agent option, and getting their visas.

I had a look on the Job > Offering thread, and see there are LOADS of jobs my boyfrind could apply for, and probably get sponsored. He is a Systems Anylist / developer and a MCP - so we are going to try the job sponsor route and see what happens.

Thanks again,

Leigh

[The Allisons]

Hi Leigh

Welcome.

You should not make the decision on using an agent based on other people, but rather on your personal situation. If your case is straight forward, fill the forms, get all your documents together and just file yourself. If you have issues or uncertainties, then it is a good idea to rather use an agent. The immigration law is much more involved than the advise on the immi site. You should know if you are having issues just by trying it yourself though.

If you do it yourself, just make sure (like your agent would have done) that all the required documents are attached, certified, etc. If you did something wrong or omitted something important, the immigration department will request that information, with long delays as result.

Most reliable agents do not require an assessment payment. You can also get a very good idea yourself (better than R490 and a maybe) by visiting http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/index.htm It is broken up by visa type. The skills points test may be applicable to you. You can see you occupation's points by clicking here. You can do your own points test by clicking here. Just click on the left underlined title to see how many points are awarded for your personal circumstances.

If you went through this process and do not have enough points, or do not know what to do, then rather get a good agent (not a lucky packet agent, because they will only take the quick and easy cases). There are some good agents on this forum.

I home that helped.

Herman

[Leigh MC]

Hi Herman

Thanks so much for your advice. I have done the on-line skills test, and pass it with 120 points - so I reckon it would be a straight-forward application. My boyfrind gets more as his job gets him 10 points more than me!

I have already been reading through the immi website, gathering all the info I need. We've got a big job ahead of us, but if we do it methodically, I'm sure it'll be fine.

Thanks again,

Leigh

[Warrior]

We have paid our R490 initial fees to the Immigration Unit on 16 February and still do not know whether we really qualify. Up to the time I made the payments they were very helpful and easily contactable. Now, after payment, I have been informed that "because of the enormous application load" they cannot keep to their 14 day answer policy.

Quite a pity as we have lost precious time. I just wonder if the "enormous application load" will also have to wait past the 14 day policy and whether this was conveyed at the meetings that are "very well attended."

[Leigh MC]

Hi Warrior

Jeepers - that's annoying! But hang in there - I'm sure you'll get your reply soon... It seems that playing the long waiting game is part of this whole process! I reckon we're in for a whole lot of 'sitting and waiting'. Months of it!

But, I gather from reading all the posts on this site, that that's normal - and frustrating.

So - like I said - hang in there... you're not alone!

Leigh

[Stranded]

Welcome LMC

Without Agent you should be looking at about R35 000.00 (Excl Container)

Goodluck with the hunt

Stranded

[Leigh MC]

HI Stranded

Thanks for the info!

Good luck with your applications too,

Leigh

[polly]

My husband's company uses four corners. http://www.4-corners.co.za/

They are handling our emigration.

Haven't dealt with them yet. Just heard yesterday that we will have to be there ASAP... We though we were only going in January.

[Warrior]

Just to report back:

I have been making numerous enquiries with ImigrationUnit, with lots of promises, but nothing is coming our way.

During my last email I was assured that my report is forth coming, that was a week ago. We have paid for our report on 18 February. My son paid for his two days before that and got his 5 weeks ago. I have now been given the "story line" that because of all the interest shown the processing time has been changed from the initial promised 14 days.

If one waits so long for a report, how long will one have to wait for the rest? How many people have gone the same route, visited the expo's, paid the fees for the report and have then been kept on hold for weeks on end?

I will post IF I receive a report, and what it says. I just it is not as vague as my son's!

[Leigh MC]

Hey Warrior

I don't know if ths is all part of the waiting game or not. Does seem odd that your son gets his weeks before you, when you sent yours in only 2 days later? But, having read through a lot of these posts and on the immi website, I think they may well be VERY snowed under with all the applications. Even on the immi.gov site it says there is a backlog with applications due to the surge in August last year. I guess there are just SO many of us wanting to go now!

We've decided not to go with an agent anyway - too expensive, and our application will be pretty straight-forward so I reckon we'll be fine.

Any way you would rather do your own application?

Good luck,

Leigh