Megan Watt Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Hi All, what a great site. My husband and I (and our 9 month old) have decided that it is time for us to move on from this beautiful country of ours. We attended a AUS/NZ/Canada seminar last night and Australia is definitely the one we will go for. Has anyone here used Network Migration for their application etc? The presenter was very impressive but it could just be a sales pitch. Does anyone have any experience with them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest natalie3 Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Wooohooo...just hold the phone there!ive heard bad things about that agent...thats all im saying..But oh!..welcome welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendie Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Welcome to SAAustralia Megan!Network Migration has not had a good name on this forum for a while, and bad reports keep on coming in, read here before parting with money in appointing them as your agents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerry-Lea Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Hi MeganWelcome to the forum.I'm sure with all the info and sharing that goes on here, you wont need an agent at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Worries Mate Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Welcome!Many, like me, do it themselves. An option anyway...Andre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ready2go Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Welcome to the forum Megan,Lots of advice here !!We live very close, if you need any help PM me.Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leigh MC Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 (edited) Hi MeganWelcome to the forum. You're right - it is fabulous! You'll find all the answers you need here - and No Worries Mate is right - if your application is straight forward, you don't have to use an agent.Tell us more about you and your husband.What occupations - how much experience etc... and we'll be able to help you more.Also - check out the immi.gov.au site - loads of info in all the visa types.. Happy reading,Leigh Edited June 12, 2008 by LMC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldog Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 We started with NMS and have fired them this week - they are useless rather use the information from this site and save yourself R25K. If you want more information email me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan Watt Posted June 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Hi MeganWelcome to the forum. You're right - it is fabulous! You'll find all the answers you need here - and No Worries Mate is right - if your application is straight forward, you don't have to use an agent.Tell us more about you and your husband.What occupations - how much experience etc... and we'll be able to help you more.Also - check out the immi.gov.au site - loads of info in all the visa types.. Happy reading,LeighI am 27, a Financial Manager (with 3 year degree - Not a CA), my husband is a marine engineer, he will stay employed by Maersk and continue with his current job they will just fly him to the ports to join ships. I have a first cousin who lives in Bowen who is willing to sponsor us - so from what I have researched we shouldnt have a problem. Thanks for the warm welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan Watt Posted June 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. I am so glad I found this site before I signed up with NM. ! Thanks for all the advice. I will definitely be asking lots of questions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatmuir Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Hi Megan welcome, im sure you will get all your info from this website that the agents cant tell you, here you dealing with people going through the same as you and will tell you like it is.With regards to the "sponsor" i stand to be corrected but im not sure your 1st cousin can sponsor you, it can be parents, uncles and auntie, and siblings. But i am not to sure, please just check that.sorry if this is a crap what i said, just want you to be sure because we are also going that route.good luck with all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camper Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 We used Network, we won't recommend them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milo Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Welcome Megan and family! The forum is most people's 'agent'. Here you will make many friends and perhaps some enemies, but overall this is a great place to hang out.Most, if not all your questions will be answered here. Just be patient. Sooner or later, someone will come to your rescue with information.All the best with your process.Perhaps check when the next coffee club in Durban meets again, and show your faces there and make some friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEET Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Hi All, what a great site. My husband and I (and our 9 month old) have decided that it is time for us to move on from this beautiful country of ours. We attended a AUS/NZ/Canada seminar last night and Australia is definitely the one we will go for. Has anyone here used Network Migration for their application etc? The presenter was very impressive but it could just be a sales pitch. Does anyone have any experience with them?Dear MeganMy husband & I used NMS purely because we had our own business & did not have the time to run around & do everything ourselves. So we paid the R20K & got them to do it for us, although we still had to make sure all our documentation was done - birth certificates, passport etc. I must say that perhaps the difference for us was that we had a personal interview with Andrew Kerr, where my husband told him in no uncertain terms that we wanted to get out NOW. 7 months later, we were here in Oz on a 457 longstay visa, however, my husband did fly to Oz & secured himslef a sponsored job. Andrew Kerr did offer his services to secure a job, but because of the nature of work my husband is in he felt better to do it himself. We did find NMS a little slack, so I kept on their backs & they got our things done, perhaps purely to be rid of us! (Thanx for your help NMS)We recommed if you do decide on NMS deal with Andrew Kerr direct & keep nagging them. Other than that, yes you can do it yourself, especially if you have the time you can save the money, but I think you need to be prepared for the frustration that goes with that choice.Good LuckRegardsZeet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Hey Megan, welcome to the club..I am using an agent at present primarily because I do not have a degree and required some assistance with my RPL/CBOK submission for Australia Computer Society [ACS] assessment. We are using a company called ASA [http://www.australia-migration.com.au/]. The appear to have quite a good name on this forum and from a personal perspective have been thoroughly impressed with there service! You can post online questions and have often had immediate responses, no matter what the time. My advice is to have a free assessment done by them, which would help clarify the sponsorship issue with your cousin. From there you can decide whther to use them further, but at least you can ask them questions in the meantime..All the best ....Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickLouw Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 (edited) Hi Megan,Well done for making the best decision of your lives.Welcome to the forum, you will get great and very reliable advice here.For what my 2c is worth, do it yourselves, save the 20K, you can also get very user friendly info from the Aus Immigration website.www.immi.gov.auIt will answer most of your questions as well.RgdsNick Edited June 13, 2008 by NickLouw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordy Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 Hi Megs. Welcome! Great forum with great help. My starting advise to you is, spend a good few weekends reading this site and the immi site. I am talking spending HOURS surfing. Download the various docs that litter the immi site. Read thru the application forms, information forms looking for what must be submitted as proof etc. For a saving of R25K become your own little immigration expert. This forum is a great teacher. I printed out all the official docs I read. It filled two full A4 files. Best of luck Jordy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SA Mom Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 Hi MeganWelcome, I am sure you'll get great advice here to help you on your way.P.S I think I recognise your name from another forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHIRLS Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 Welcome Megan,NMS a definite NO NO by many people on this forum.It really depends on how easy/or complicated your case is.Before you rush into hiring an agent,I suggest you spend 2 weeks browsing this site then post a few questions.The support is totally amazing here and if we had been referred to this site last year then we could have saved ourselves a huge fortune.Since you are in KZN you can look at www.hitchcock.com as they fly to Durbs at least every 2 months and have a satelite office in Musgrave area.They are not cheap though but if your case is complicated then they are very professional.However,my only complaint is that we have to sit on their tails with communication.Most agents these days are so snowed under with the increase in applications too so I think they can lose theier personal touch a bit.Shirls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyC Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 Hi and welcomeAll the info you need is on this site. As SHIRLS said - read a little bit, especially under the Applications section. Hundreds of people have asked all the questions that can be aksed. Goodness, some people even ask things I have not even thought of yet! The people on this forum are very helpfull. My wife and I have made quite a couple of friends here. Some of them are already in OZ and are waiting for us. We can't wait to get there. In the meantime, make an IELTS (English test) booking!!! You'll definitely need this before migrating. The contact info for the British Council (whwre you write the test) is somewhere on the forum. Also get unabridged birth certificates and your unabridged marriage certificate from Home Affairs. Good luckJimmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebreyten Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Hi Megan,We did our visas ourselves. I found the Australian immigration website (www.immi.gov.au) and the process itself pretty clear with no grey areas, visa decisions are made against evidence based on clearly defined visa criteria. It's basically a case of reading through all the visas types, deciding which one is best based on your circumstances, then ensure you understand the criteria, provide solid evidence against the criteria and be thorough in your submissions as you go through the process steps.Should the sponsorship visa not work out I would suggest you also look at the 457. Given your husband's relationship with a global company the 457 visa is a relatively quick way to get to Aus (with no limitations towards permanent res). All he would need to do is secure a transfer/job offer to Aus through his company. The additional benefit of the 457 is that you can qualify for a LAFHA (living away from home allowance) - deduction on your income tax, whilst on the 457. Very handy whilst you settle in!Good luck with all your planning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyall Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Hi Megangreat news to have you on the forum, like everyone has said, if you do the reading up yourself you can save thousands....and don't be shy to ask,,,a lot of wierd and strange questions have been asked, mine included, there is a wealth of knowledge among the forumites and everyone is willing to share.Good luck!!!Lyall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizmo Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Hi Megan - found you here! (I'm also on BN).We used ASA - and they were awesome. We really felt that they went out of their way for us. Our PR Visa (175) was granted in just 7.5 months!!! Oh, and they phoned us personally to tell us the good news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narms Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Hi MeganA big warm welcome - happy reading - loads of useful info on the site.Nice to have you join usRegardsNarms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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