Just getting started

[Elandri]

Hi,

I am very new to the forum and up until now have just read up a little. My husband and I are planning to make the big move to Aus... its very overwhelming. 

 

This is what we have done thus far:

Got abridged marriage certificate(still waiting for unabridged)

Got unabridged brith certs

Waiting for police clearance (should be here next week)

Just got EILTS results (passed yay!)

 

Next up:

Get degree assesment done from engineers australia (Mechanical)

Get husbands degree assesment done from vetassess (B.Com Agri)

Download spel checker for phone...

 

What are we missing? There is a lot of acronyms used I dont know. Assesment of relevant skills employment to be included? After this is done then we start with the EOI?

Thank you.

 

[RedPanda]

Hi @Elandri!
The engineering assessment with Engineers Australia was painless for me. (I had issues with DHL and collecting my documents, but that was another story, and I've heard they made the whole thing electronic anyway).

If you want to do the application yourself, but you are nervous about it, you can also enquire about the 'checking' services that some agents offer. They can go through your documents and check them before you submit, and the cost is less than the full service. Or, if your case is simple, it is totally possible to do it yourself. However I have had difficulty finding the booklet/guide for the 189 visa for the past year. I don't know if they just took it down and didn't put another one up???

Last important thing, Do NOT submit your EOI until you have all the documents that support your points claims. You can wait with PCC, but they are very serious when they say that you cannot submit an EOI before the date on your letter from EA or Vetassess stating that you can apply under the occupational code they include. And if you asked for degree + work experience, rather wait to have proof of both before submitting your EOI.

Other than that, good luck! If you have questions, ask them!

*Disclaimer: I'm not an agent, I just read...a lot

[RedPanda]

2 hours ago, Elandri said:

Read some more while I were replying. IELTS My overall score is 8 but i got a 6.5 for writing (really cant spell) does this mean I don't get the points at all??? Oh crap

 

Unfortunately, yes, that is exactly what it means. There are threads full of people complaining bitterly that they have to rewrite the whole thing to up one section by 0.5 bands. Some people have had more luck with Pearson instead of IELTS, but I think EA want an IELTS result?

I would certainly ask EA to vet that work experience that you have!!!

Good luck!

Oh, and while you are reading, make sure that the sources of your information are actually legit. It would be terrible to miss your visa because of some misinformation out there somewhere on the web. The government site is basically the absolute authority on the matter, but it can be a bit difficult to find specific information there. So fi you read something from elsewhere, just see if you can get it confirmed on the border.gov site.

[RedPanda]

2 hours ago, Elandri said:

We already applied for the police clearance, the plan is to just apply again if it expired. 

Congratulations on the Visa Grant by the way! 

 

Depending on your further plans, this might prove to be inconvenient later. Your date of latest first entry (the date by which you have to have your visa activated) depends on the date of your PCC and medicals. So if you get your visa granted one month before your PCC expires, then you have to turn up in Aus before your PCC expires and you only have one month...

[Elandri]

@RedPandaMmm I did not know that, Thank you! That would have been a big problem. Do you know how long is it valid for?

[monsta]

Hey,

 

I would have a watch of a video put out by the Aussie Government  on whether you need an agent -> https://www.mara.gov.au/using-an-agent/using-a-registered-migration-agent/getting-help-with-your-visa-application/

 

I am not up to date with the new process... but the government usually gives out check lists with each kind of VISA. It may be hidden in one of the forms you can download related to your application or the check-list may be a separate document on its own. Make sure you have everything (that you can get right now).

 

Also, check the fine print on the web to see if the documents expire. Giving the Aussie government a 10 year old police clearance may be useless to them... who knows what kind of crimes you might have committed in the last 10 years.

 

If you need to speed things up, contact one of the Mara registered agents. Our agent checked our paper work before we submitted it. He made sure we had all the documents. He also gave us tips like submitting pictures proving our relationship. It would cause delays if they had to ask for it later. So, we submitted it just in case they needed it.  Was it worth the cost? well that's a personal decision.  You can always ask here for some recommendations on an good agent.

 

 

 

 

[Elandri]

Thank you for the feedback this forum is super helpful!

 

@monsta I am at work now, so can't watch the video now, but will definitely have a look when I get home. I think a check list will be great, thank you, i'll scan the forum now... I think our stuff is pretty straight forward and our budget is very limited, so i'm going to give it a go myself. We just applied for the PCC now and will submit EOI as soon as my degree is finalized. Its not really a very big hassle to apply for another one since we are from a small town its not at all the same afford as what i am reading from the other members experiences.

 

@RedPanda DHL is a perfect example of a strange acronym? The EA online system is pretty straight forward thus far. Just need to scan it the IELTS form and upload to submit. Will let you know how that goes. I didn't ask for work experience as well, I only have 4 years work experience and its all for the same position at the same company. I think maybe I should add this, just noticed I can get 10 points for that.

 

Read some more while I were replying. IELTS My overall score is 8 but i got a 6.5 for writing (really cant spell) does this mean I don't get the points at all??? Oh crap

[Elandri]

@RedPanda ai dammit, thanks yes, I saw the post from @MartineMorilly as well. So what I am thinking of doing is to get my degree assessed with the results I have now (8, 8, 6.5, 9 Overall 8) since it still falls with in the requirement for the Visa and in the meantime have the one section remarked. Then hopefully I can submit the EOI with 'n band mark of 7 for all sections. 

 

Do you think it will create a issue if I use 2 different IELTS reports? If the remark doesn't help then I will just have to write it over. Ai this is so disappointing, I can cry. Thank you I will add the experience!

 

Points we will get:

Age - 30

IELTS - *aggggh

3 - 5 years - 5

Degree - B.Eng - 15

Partner - 5 (IELTS, Age and degree)

So even with the experience I will fall short. Ai ai ai

[Elandri]

Maybe I must just retake

[RedPanda]

As far as I know you will be able to get your qualification assessed with those IELTS scores. But I think you will have to redo or get a better grade from remarking before you lodge your EOI. Otherwise they will not invite you to apply for a visa, since you don't have enough points.

This is to the best of my own knowledge.

[Hoping4Oz]

Hi Elandri. Just wanted to point out one or two things that could be a problem if taken for granted. 

I thought I had 8 years of relevant experience when I got my skills assessed by vetassess but they only recognised 2.7 years. I was lucky that I had enough points to apply anyway. Brings me to the following pointers.

Read the skills authority docs super carefully so that you get the full five years you need (and don't lodge EOI before that)

Similarly, don't count on your husband's skill for points until he actually gets a positive skills assessment from vetassess (with same caution as point before.) 

I would also think twice about applying for a police clearance right now. It's probably far too early. Rather apply for one just before or after lodging EOI. 

Apologies if I'm merely stating the obvious but these are seemingly little things with major consequences.  All the best with the process.

[Elandri]

Hi, Thanks for the insight. The relevant experience is still something I am rather nervous about. Luckily I should have enough points without my husbands skill assessment. We realized his is going to be very difficult to proof because of the lack of a paper trail. We will definitely only lodge EOI after we have all the docs. We already applied for the police clearance, the plan is to just apply again if it expired. 

Congratulations on the Visa Grant by the way! 

[RedPanda]

1 hour ago, Elandri said:

@RedPandaMmm I did not know that, Thank you! That would have been a big problem. Do you know how long is it valid for?

 To the best of my knowledge, one year.

 

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But that is only your activation trip that depends on your PCC. You can visit Aus, and return to RSA and only move over at a later stage. If you are applying for the 189 visa then you have 5 years after the grant to move over permanently. (in the most straightforward case.)

Edited April 25, 2016 by RedPanda
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