Only On the start line hoping to be in Oz for Sept 09
Hello everyone,
I have only just found this site, and I am hoping it will guide me through the migration process. I have had contact with a agency who inform me I can apply for a independent skilled visa,I think its called a 175 visa ? as I am looking to stay once I have sorted all the paper work out.
This company charge £1500 to do application for you, is it quicker this way ? and is all the paperwork such a nightmare is it worth paying an agency? I am unsure wether to go this route or plod on mathodically and do it myself.
hi aqua
there are lots of peps on her full of good advice who will help you through some of us have used agents myself and some are going alone i think it is quite hard to go alone as it is stressful enough having an agent but if you diy all emails come to you rather than agent and you are then in a better possition to push your visa on but my agent has been ok but make sure you are using a good one as some just want your money there are lots of peps now doing online applications themselves and they are moving much quiker now if i had to start again i think i would have tried to do it myself but go matilda are a very good company they are highly rated on this forum
good luck mel
__________________
visa sent 17/08/07 visa granted 14 JULY
LIVING IN MELBOURNE
Hi and welcome to PIO - some people use an agent because their circumstances may be a bit complicated, or they want the reassurance that someone is checking everything for them. It doesn't get granted any more quickly whichever way you decide to go. There are a number of agents who get reguar mentions as being professional and reliable - do a search of the old threads and you'll probably find some recommendations
Ali
__________________ I am toopositive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful and too determined to be defeated!
I have only just found this site, and I am hoping it will guide me through the migration process. I have had contact with a agency who inform me I can apply for a independent skilled visa,I think its called a 175 visa ? as I am looking to stay once I have sorted all the paper work out.
This company charge £1500 to do application for you, is it quicker this way ? and is all the paperwork such a nightmare is it worth paying an agency? I am unsure wether to go this route or plod on mathodically and do it myself.
Any advice would be helpful thank you
Hi Aqua,
I am like you just starting out and hoping to arrive Sept 09. All that has been said so far is good advice. I have chosen not to use an agent after speaking to my sister who has been through the process. Yes, she said it is hard work but if you see it as a personal project and expect to put some time in it's worth saving yourself somewhere in the region of £2000 - £2500. Furthermore, you still have to collect everything together for the agent anyway. As somebody has already pointed out you have the ownership to move things on if need be. I have just submitted my skills assessment, should hear within next two weeks. It wasn't too difficult, just a bit time consuming (same time I would have spent if had agent)
Yes, I also agree, there are absolutely loads of peeps on here that give fantastic advice and share their experiences. I say, go it alone. Sorry any agents!
What's your skill? and where are you hoping to go?
Dear Aqua
i have just started on the long road to OZ and we hope to be in OZ in August 09, we looked at two agents and they seemed to be only after the easy cases and our money well in the end we found an agent in a mag called Australia and New Zealand and our agent was called DESTINATION OZ and a very good price £1,000, we choose an agent because we both work full time, and we only what to do this once and pay once, if you make one mistake you have to do it again and again, so i hope this helps, what part of OZ are you hoping to go to, we are looking at the Goldcoast!
Marie
That sounds a good price have they a good reputation? I am also heading to the Gold Coast, hopefully have you a mail address for company you are using. Im still unsure if to take agency or do myself. As its only me going
Hi there, thank you for advice. Im going to check out a couple more agency but think I may go it alone, as its only me migrating and my skill is psychiatric nurse.
We went with an agent, True Blue Migration who are based in WA. They were really good and it was no visa no fee which is really why we chose them.
I would say having an agent gave us the comfort of knowing what we had submitted was right and I dont think we would of known quite how much detail to go in to with the skills assesment my husband went through so we were really glad for the guidence. But we did do the leg work ourselves so it doesnt cut down on that, unfortunately!
I would go for an online application no matter what you decide, ours was paper based and through all the waiting it would of been good to be able to check progress online. Also if you do try chase things yourself and you have an agent we found that people were very reluctant to speak to us and refered us back to our agent which did do our heads in!
Good luck with everything.
Michelle x
__________________
Martin (29) Floor Layer
Chelle (28) Development Project Manger
Hi Aqua,
I am also an RMN , qualified in '92, so similar to you. I applied without an agent and found the process a bit laborious but not difficult. As an RMN you are on the skills in demand list so it should be relatively easy. To put it in terms you might understand, if you compare it to doing a module assignment at degree or diploma level it takes about a quarter of the time and effort, I would say. However, waiting for the results is much harder
After recently getting our visas through I would say that it was well worth the effort of doing it ourselves and we have saved a fair bit of cash.
You are welcome to ask me any questions if I can help at all, and I have to say PIO has been just fantastic in helping me.
Good luck
