StephenR Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Hello everyoneMy wife and I live in Cape Town and first applied for migration to Australia in 2008 on a Class VE Subclass 176 Skilled (Migrant) Sponsored but that dreaded class was closed recently and so we had to look for another route. In March this year we saw that Psychotherapists are on the SOL and I decided that we needed to find another way in Oz. So we started down the road, my wife wrote IELTS and passed on the second attempt (she needed 8s for all four sections), she submitted all of her professional documentation to VETASSESS to get her career experience and qualifications accredited, and she filled in mounds of forms. My role this time round has been more of a support system (I was the applicant for the 176 application) and it has been an intense 7 months! We have just completed the character forms for us both and submitted applications for our criminal background check. We go for our medicals with our daughters tomorrow afternoon and then we are done! We hope to have our visa by Dec 15 and in Sydney (where my wife's sister lives) by December 2016. Very exciting, daunting, so much to learn, and I have no idea how to cover our projected cost of living (I run a strategy consultancy in Cape Town and would love to do the same work in Oz), but we believe it will be worth all the trouble when we get over the initial pain. Thanks to all of your for the effort spent on building this incredible community and resource, so many of our questions have already been answered just by reading your posts. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Welcome Stephen, I hope the journey forward now becomes plain sailing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Welcome, and good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stace Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Welcome to the forum, it's such haven for us! Wishing you all the best of luck with your journey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chips Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Welcome and all the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsta Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 (edited) Hey Stephen. A lot of people here reccomend you take a job when you land. That's just to build up your professional network. There is a lot of money flowing into Aussie...so I have to expect that any business that's setup so a foreigner could jump in and take over is going to be expensive. Add to that, buying an existing business is buying a VISA Aussies like to protect themselves from highly capable migrants. Remember in order to afford to migrate to Aussie, many migrants would have had to have had a good job in their home country. So, to protect the locals, Aussies will give business to people they know already.It might just be a case of working in a salaried job for 2 years then go out contracting Good luck! Edited October 14, 2015 by monsta 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenR Posted October 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2015 Thank you all for your suggestions and support, we completed our medical yesterday and application lodged so now have to wait out the three months for a decision.Monsta, I think that is wise advice, once we have an answer I will look for work, thanks very much.Just out of interest, did any of you manage to get into Australia on a Subclass 176 Skilled (Migrant) Sponsored visa?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsta Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 StephenR, its amazing how far a referral goes here. If an Aussie boy recons you are a nasty peice of work because you can drink more than he can, that could lead to a lot of business coming your way.For those who are confused by the last paragraph.. Aussies often insult you as a sign of affection. E.g. "That hairy old bastard? I wouldn't trust him! Look, he did save my life on that camping trip, but we might forgive him for that!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charne Posted October 21, 2015 Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 Welcome Stephen,Best of luck for your application. You have plenty time to do some good reading on the forum to do your research. I hope all goes to plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordy Posted October 21, 2015 Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 Welcome. Glad you found us. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenR Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Exciting news: We have had a CO assigned to us, holding thumbs, the waiting is killing me!!! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Excellent, real close now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 I know the waiting can be bad, but as far as I know, once you've been invited to apply, and provided that you have the correct(recommended) type of proof to back up everything you claimed in your EOI and you don't have a criminal record....Basically if you got invited and then check out, then you have a visa. It's just a matter making it official. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenR Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Hi RedPanda, I agree and that is my impression as well, we should get the visa because everything is in place, we have 65 points, the medical was all clear and the PCCs are clean...but still I find the waiting very difficult! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chips Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 The waiting is a killer, can't take it anymore:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenR Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Hi Chips, you could hear any day now!!! Does anyone know how long visas usually take to process once a CO is assigned and all documents and in and in order?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chips Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 No one really knows that StephenR, it says 28 days after contact with Vpo but many people have passed the 28 days mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenR Posted November 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2015 Hi Chips, thanks for that. Found out today our PCC is being processed by SAPS so hoping for a quick decision from CO once she receives the final document. Thanks everyone for all the support, it is really awesome to have this community. If I can help anyone in any way, especially with respect to migration to Sydney or with the 189 visa process, then please be in touch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charne Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 Hi StephenR,Like Chips said, it's varies. For us, we were given a CO and got our visa grant the same day. I've heard people waiting 3 months over the December January period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenR Posted November 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Hi everyone, our PCCs were received from SAPS on 11 Nov 15 and our application for visa grant made on 16 November, now we have been told to sit tight and wait some more!!! very exciting, must say it is a roller coaster this migration thing. It is not so much that I will miss the country South Africa but I do not want to let go of family and friends and I don't look forward to the downscale in lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudlySouthAfricanInPerth Posted November 22, 2015 Report Share Posted November 22, 2015 Welcome Stephen - here's to a speedy move for you all!I write a blog about moving to and living in Perth if you want some more information about it all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrendanH Posted November 24, 2015 Report Share Posted November 24, 2015 Hi everyone, our PCCs were received from SAPS on 11 Nov 15 and our application for visa grant made on 16 November, now we have been told to sit tight and wait some more!!! very exciting, must say it is a roller coaster this migration thing. It is not so much that I will miss the country South Africa but I do not want to let go of family and friends and I don't look forward to the downscale in lifestyle.Just wait until you wake up one morning to an email saying you're in. Awesome feeling! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenR Posted November 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2015 Hi Brendan, thanks for your post, yes, very exciting! Looking forward to that day and will let everyone know as soon as we hear. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenR Posted December 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 Hello everyone, just to let you know that we received that unbelievable call yesterday where our migration agent said "I have visa grants for your and your family"!!! Over the moon after so many months of work and waiting, now a new cycle of work and waiting begins. Thanks to everyone for so much support. If anyone needs help with their application (especially 189 PR visa) please be in contact. Blessings to you all 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel-B Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 NICE! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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