Andy, Paula & co

HI, can anyone tell me if there is a minimum ammount of time to live in OZ before you can buy a house. We dont want to rent for too long and would like to buy ASAP once we get there. any info advice most welcome. Paula

Hi all, we have just applied for 190 visa and booking medicals; however dont know where to start with getting the dogs over to queensland. I am worried about timings etc of rabies tests and all the other processes. Does anyone know how long the tests last for and how long the results take for all clear etc. Also i understand that they have to be microchipped but is there anything else I should know about which I need to get moving with. thanks Paula

Hi Guys, please could anyone advise me on paying for a visa in Aus dollars. The fee is $6120 for main applicant,my OH and two children.What i want to know is where there get the currency rate from? Im paying on my credit card so need to have enough funds available. Any infor would be welcome. Cheers Andy:wink::wink:

After wanting to make the move down under and crossing the many obstacles we have just been offered SS with both Queensland and WA.. we have spent, hours, weeks, days and months researching OZ and now cannot make our mind up which SS to accept. I am a Social Worker (mental health) and OH works in aerospace manufacturing but he also his mig and tig welding certs. We have two boys age 11 and 13 and we are all ready for the move but cannot decide WA or Queensland...anyone got any info/advice/ideas which may help with the decision making...any info will be gratefully received. Paula:confused:

I'd email and ask them. You've got nothing to lose...I would be 5 points short so am going for state sponsorship which gives me the 5 I need. Is that not an option for you if need be?

The 150.00 dollars got me an extra 10 points which I needed to make the required 60 for a 190 visa. I have 3 years working experience as a Social Worker so this will be confirmed by the assessing body and passed onto Migration dept.

Hi, my understanding is that you complete expression of interest first but you need the positive skills assessment and IELTS first as they ask for the reference numbers. You then need to wait for an invitation to apply for your chosen visa/s. I am sure thats they way to go. I am looking at state sponsorship so will need to apply for state sponsorship also. Hope this helps

HI, you can claim points for working experince in your own nominated profession or closely related profession. This means that they give an opinion on how many years working experience you have in your occupation or closely related occupation in order to be awarded points. Be aware though that some assessing authorities charge extra for that bit. I've just paid 850,00 aus dollars for skills assessment and 150,00 aus dollars for the work experience bit. hope this helps

Hi Rosey, was it difficult getting all info together. I am led to believe that you have to provide course content from university ie course handbooks etc. i will have 3 years post qual in july this year. Paula

Hi moss2oz, Got an update for you. To go as a social worker you need 3 years post qualifying experience for a positive skills assessment. To go as a welfare worker you dont as with the BA Hons you are more than qualified; however to get state sponsorship for either profession you still need 3 years post qualifying experience. Northern Territory and ACT are sponsoring for welfare workers currently. It looks like you need the 3 years experience to be able to claim points on the new assessment system also, so without that I wouldnt have enough points. Go Matilda have calculated that i have 30 points with a possible extra 20 with ILETS which is still not enough; therefore I will need the 3 years work experience and state sponsorship to get me the 60 points. I may as well wait a year and get the postive skills assessment as a social worker with the three years experience and posibillity of state sponsorship. Feel disappointed but at least I will have longer to save. Paula Paula

hi again, I've been in social care for last 10 years so could be classed as similar profession (or not depdending on aussie rules etc) as i understand it on new points system you need 65 and we will have 65 points if i get top marks on english test; however you need positive skills assessment and to get a positive one you need minimum 3 years post qualifying experience ( i only have 2 yrs) it is all totally confusing and have contacted agent to double check that i am not getting all this wrong. will keep you posted...dont lose hope

Hi, we may be in the same boat ...similar story to yours but i qualified as a social worker 2 years ago. we have both always worked neve claimed benefits etc. I also thought when I did my degree that we would be in with a chance. I have just contacted go matilda and forwarded a cv for that they can determine if previous jobs will count as work experience in a similar profession which bumps the points up. As i am 42yrs the points have dropped so hope can make up with the years working experience. I will post any response I get from them...good luck

Hi Smilie Kylie, wonder if you can help..we are looking to moving to WA. I am a Mental Health social worker with BA hons (3 years) and 2 years post qualifying experience so am unable to be skilled assessess by AASW as they require 3 years post qual experience. I am currently thinkiing of being assessed as a welfare worker ,rather than wait another year to qualify for AASW, do you know anyone who went this route ?. would I still be able to apply for jobs which request a social work qual even though I wouldnt be eligible for AASW registration on my arrival in oZ. Thanks Paula

HI Lexylou, You may have already seen this but someone has posted a thread on Migration issues section with new points system from july 2011. Dont know if this will help but hope it does...good luck