Visa options?

[Dorsetbrit]

Hi there, my wife and I are thinking very strongly about a move to Victoria in around two years time. As we are well aware of how hard visas can be we have given our selves plenty of time to get prepared for a move. The visa side of things we have been told by a friend already in oz is a complicated matter to say the least. So really I am looking for the best way to go.

 

My names Darren and I own and run a landscape gardening company in Poole Dorset. My wife who we think will be the main visa applicant is a charted accountant and is a finance manager of a charity. We have a 14 year old daughter from a previose relationship and a baby on the way. We plan to come out there next year for three weeks where we will look at places to live including othere places in oz but for me Victoria is number 1 at the moment.

 

So relly im just seeing what is the best way of getting a visa, we plan on staying for at least 2 years but if we love it we will stay. Its been a very tuff year for us and realising how short life is we really want to give this a go while still young (ish) and healthy. My wife is 28 and im 35.

 

Ive really enjoyed reading all the posts on here and it will be great to see what people could suggest.

 

All the best Darren

[ali]

Your wife will need to look if her job is on the skills list and which authority does the skills assessment for that particular job (i'm sure there will be some accountants who can point you in the right direction).

 

The other issue is that you will need permission from the absent parent for to remove the 14 year old (if the parent isn't deceased). If they say no, then you may have to go to court to seek permission.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Welcome to the forum. I have moved your post to migration

[Bungo]

Hi there, my wife and I are thinking very strongly about a move to Victoria in around two years time. As we are well aware of how hard visas can be we have given our selves plenty of time to get prepared for a move. The visa side of things we have been told by a friend already in oz is a complicated matter to say the least. So really I am looking for the best way to go.

 

My names Darren and I own and run a landscape gardening company in Poole Dorset. My wife who we think will be the main visa applicant is a charted accountant and is a finance manager of a charity. We have a 14 year old daughter from a previose relationship and a baby on the way. We plan to come out there next year for three weeks where we will look at places to live including othere places in oz but for me Victoria is number 1 at the moment.

 

So relly im just seeing what is the best way of getting a visa, we plan on staying for at least 2 years but if we love it we will stay. Its been a very tuff year for us and realising how short life is we really want to give this a go while still young (ish) and healthy. My wife is 28 and im 35.

 

Ive really enjoyed reading all the posts on here and it will be great to see what people could suggest.

 

All the best Darren

 

 

If you or your partner are on the skilled occupations list and have the points then it isn't necessarily that hard to get a visa. At the moment her occupation is on the lists but due to the massive over supply of accountants in Australia, it has long been tipped to come off the lists.

 

Accordingly my recommendation is to apply for the vusa as soon as possible and use next year's planned trip as a visa validation trip. Not quite sure what you mean by "best way" to apply for a visa, as far as I know there is only one way to do it.

[Dorsetbrit]

I've heard that you could apply for a job and if they want you some companies would sort visa stuff out for you? Do you know how long the visa lasts for before you need to make a move? What does the visa validation mean?

 

thanks Darren.

[MaggieMay24]

If you are able to find an employer willing and able to sponsor you, that's most likely for a temporary 457 visa which can be granted up to 4 years. There are some pitfalls to be aware of (if employment ends you have 90 days to find another sponsor, apply for another visa or leave Australia) but it can also be a pathway towards PR if the employer will sponsor a PR visa or if you are able to then sort out PR on your own along the way.

 

Many visas require you to "validate" them meaning you need to clear immigration at the airport by a date specified on the visa grant, which is typically 12 months from the date you complete the medical/police checks, whichever comes first.

[Guest]

I would go look through the visa wizard and read up on the different visa types so you have a better understanding of what options are open to you.

 

https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1

[wrussell]

If you propose to adopt the strategy of applying as an account it is unlikely that you could find an employer willing to nominate in an accounting or related occupation. You might want to investigate this.

 

There are considerable ongoing costs, onerous obligations, few benefits and almost no security associated with temporary work visas.

 

Note that accountants are flagged for removal for the skilled occupation list, so it might pay you to take some professional advice about developing a visa strategy.

[VERYSTORMY]

I've heard that you could apply for a job and if they want you some companies would sort visa stuff out for you? Do you know how long the visa lasts for before you need to make a move? What does the visa validation mean?

 

thanks Darren.

 

There is a big oversupply of accountants in Australia so I would be pretty surprised if you were able to find a sponsor.

[Makybe Diva]

Your wife will need to sit an english test prior to submitting an assessment of her qualifications. PTE do these throughout the country and results are available the following day.

 

As a CA she should pass the qualification assessment no problem. ICAA have about a 2-3 weeks turnaround.

 

As is said above there is a oversupply of accountants meaning at least 70 points are needed for an invite at the moment. She would likely need 20 points from her english exam (top marks) and also would need some points from her work experience. This would depend on her job roles and responsibilities. ICAA can also do this alongside the qualification assessment.

 

If you are planning on doing this process on your own then it takes alot of reading up and investigating. Accountants have been flagged for removal for a number of years so if you are worried time might be limited then an agent such as westly above would speed the process up considerably.

[Dorsetbrit]

Thanks guys theres so much to think over, I new its wasn't going to be easy. My wife has links through her old job, they have offices in Melbourne and Sydney so that might be an avenue but it concerns me that her occupation might come of the list but not a lot we can do about that. We will do some research on Visas and see what will be the best avenue. She said she'll do what ever it takes if it means re-training, she has a law degree that might come in handy I hope that someone with her education and background could get through. Or I can do a brick laying coarse as I know thats on the shortage list and I can already brick lay I just dont have the official qualifications but I could get them.

 

Ahhhh so much to consider but this is why we gave ourselves 2 years plus my daughter is doing her GCSES. I want to have no regrets in life so we will be ready for the tuff times ahead.

[Nemesis]

Thanks guys theres so much to think over, I new its wasn't going to be easy. My wife has links through her old job, they have offices in Melbourne and Sydney so that might be an avenue but it concerns me that her occupation might come of the list but not a lot we can do about that. We will do some research on Visas and see what will be the best avenue. She said she'll do what ever it takes if it means re-training, she has a law degree that might come in handy I hope that someone with her education and background could get through. Or I can do a brick laying coarse as I know thats on the shortage list and I calbn already brick lay I just dont have the official qualifications but I could get them.

 

Ahhhh so much to consider but this is why we gave ourselves 2 years plus my daughter is doing her GCSES. I want to have no regrets in life so we will be ready for the tuff times ahead.

 

So what are your daughter's plans post GCSE? How is she going to feel about moving at 16? Leaving all her friends behind? Boyfriend?

[Bungo]

Thanks guys theres so much to think over, I new its wasn't going to be easy. My wife has links through her old job, they have offices in Melbourne and Sydney so that might be an avenue but it concerns me that her occupation might come of the list but not a lot we can do about that. We will do some research on Visas and see what will be the best avenue. She said she'll do what ever it takes if it means re-training, she has a law degree that might come in handy I hope that someone with her education and background could get through. Or I can do a brick laying coarse as I know thats on the shortage list and I can already brick lay I just dont have the official qualifications but I could get them.

 

Ahhhh so much to consider but this is why we gave ourselves 2 years plus my daughter is doing her GCSES. I want to have no regrets in life so we will be ready for the tuff times ahead.

 

It has only got hard since you started talking about finding employer sponsors which is very unrealistic for an accountant. But skilled migration is pretty straight forward for an accountant, it has to be the easiest skills assessment going so all you need to do is get cracking on with it. Get academic IELTS booked, send off for skills assessment, lodge expression of interest, apply for visa. Simple.

 

The employers might be a good employment option once you get there and as they know her well maybe they would go for sponsorship but why would you, it is a poorer quality visa and if accountant comes off the lists in the future you might end up with no path to a permanent visa.

 

As I mentioned in my earlier post, get cracking with skilled migration before the lists change and use your trip next year as a validation trip.

[Dorsetbrit]

Thanks Bungo very helpful unlike the one above by NEMESIS! The problem is we were using the trip to make sure it was right for us, I think we will both love it but I don't want to pay for visas then decide after the holiday its not for us. But I also don't want her job to get removed. If we validate the visa would there be a time frame we have to move there? or is it as long as your visa lasts?

[Bungo]

Thanks Bungo very helpful unlike the one above by NEMESIS! The problem is we were using the trip to make sure it was right for us, I think we will both love it but I don't want to pay for visas then decide after the holiday its not for us. But I also don't want her job to get removed. If we validate the visa would there be a time frame we have to move there? or is it as long as your visa lasts?

 

Well you know, you won't get an idea of what it is like to live in Australia on your holiday anyway. Many people take the plunge without ever having visited. I think trips before applying are a luxury if you can afford it in terms of time and money, but the trouble in your case is you visit and decide that you want to make the move you might then find out you can't any more anyway.

 

It it is certainly a dilemma. I think you need to try and assess how much you want to move from afar, if you are strongly in favour of it and just want confirmation, then I would get on with the application. If you are 50:50 then wait and put it into the hands of fate. Accountants have been flagged for years now, they do keep hanging in there but one day it might be gone.

[Marisawright]

Thanks guys theres so much to think over, I new its wasn't going to be easy. My wife has links through her old job, they have offices in Melbourne and Sydney so that might be an avenue

 

To go back to your original post, you say you'd like to go for a few years first, and then make the decision whether to stay. If that's the case, then your best bet is the 457 visa, which gives you the right to live in Australia while you're working for a particular employer. As an accountant, your wife's only realistic chance of getting a 457 visa is to approach her old employer and I'd advise her to do that immediately.

 

If they say yes, then you're off and running - if not, at least you know that's not going to work and you can focus on getting the 189 visa.

 

We often warn families against the 457 visa because it's only temporary and doesn't give you any right to stay in Australia long-term - if your wife resigns, or they restructure and her job disappears, then you'll have only 90 days to leave the country. So it's always a gamble if you're taking a job with a company you don't know, as they might be a bunch of crooks or treat their employees badly. But the risk is less when it's a company you know. But the advantage is that the company help with relocation expenses and it gives you a chance to see how you like it. If you do like it, then there's nothing to stop you applying for PR as soon as you're sure.

 

Personally I think you'd be better moving sooner rather than later, because it will probably be better for your daughter's education to move now rather than when she's 16. Also they do get more independent and start making connections, boyfriends etc as they get older and it's not uncommon for 16-year-olds to kick back and say they're not going - move her while she's still young enough to put being with mum above being with her mates!

 

Forget about retraining, by the way. You need both qualifications and experience for most occupations, and the experience has to be AFTER the qualification. So you'd have to get the certificate and then work for a few years in that job as well.

[Dorsetbrit]

The wife and I are going to set some time aside this weekend and have a real good chat about what to do. Id be inclined depending on total cost to do what Bungo has said and get the skilled work visas on the go now and validate when we visit next year. It would also depend on how long we have to move there after the validation? but once we have the visas and after the visit we will probably come home and get things sorted like finding work and selling a house etc.

 

What I think I know about the visa side of things is that we have to get one of the companies approved for doing the skills test to pass the wife, then express interest and I presume you get took through the process as you go? Theres three skills that she can apply for that are on the skills list and all on the red flag list plus another that we think she can do thats not on the red flag so we have options.

 

I don't think moving my daughter in her final year of school would be the best idea as all she has learnt will be quite different for doing exams and shes doing pretty well.

Again we will chat over all options over the weekend and see where we stand, and of coarse we have a lot of other people in the family to think about but we are both very strong and know this move is for us and no one else.

[Nemesis]

Thanks Bungo very helpful unlike the one above by NEMESIS! The problem is we were using the trip to make sure it was right for us, I think we will both love it but I don't want to pay for visas then decide after the holiday its not for us. But I also don't want her job to get removed. If we validate the visa would there be a time frame we have to move there? or is it as long as your visa lasts?

It may not seem helpful but surely its something you need to consider?

 

Or don't your daughter's views come into it? I guess in many families they don't, our parents never considered our views, with disastrous consequences school-wise, but heigh ho, I know a lot of families override their children's concerns.

 

Your later post mentions moving her in her final year of school. When you apply for a visa you need to remeber that she wil have to be dependent on you at the point when its granted. If you go 457 first and then apply for PR later she will need to stay dependent all that time.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Nemesis

[ramot]

Thanks Bungo very helpful unlike the one above by NEMESIS! The problem is we were using the trip to make sure it was right for us, I think we will both love it but I don't want to pay for visas then decide after the holiday its not for us. But I also don't want her job to get removed. If we validate the visa would there be a time frame we have to move there? or is it as long as your visa lasts?

 

Nemesis, is right to point out that you might face a potential problem with your daughter not wanting to move here when she is older. Over the years we have seen many many posts from parents having to deal with a teenager refusing to come, if a boyfriend is on the scene.

It's better to be forewarned.

[Dorsetbrit]

I was after visa advice not family therapy, thank you for your concern but I wouldnt make such a large decision without speaking to my daughter first, she's going to finish her exams first then we plan to move. She has a choice to start a new life in Australia or stay with her mum in england and she has chosen Australia. We will keep checking she feels the same the nearer we get to leaving but she's very excited by it as we all are.

[Samson]

I was after visa advice not family therapy, thank you for your concern but I wouldnt make such a large decision without speaking to my daughter first, she's going to finish her exams first then we plan to move. She has a choice to start a new life in Australia or stay with her mum in england and she has chosen Australia. We will keep checking she feels the same the nearer we get to leaving but she's very excited by it as we all are.

 

 

hahah sorry that made me chuckle. My advice is what has been said, try your partners contacts get a 457 come over see how you feel then as soon as you know if you want to stay, see a MA for advice about a more permanent visa, There is always a risk with a non perm visa like a 457 but if you want something quicker, easier and just get here then it may be the right choice. There may be fees for schooling on a non perm visa. And it may not ever turn into a perm visa. You have to weigh up whats important for you and your fam bam, and also if your daughter is now 16 and you dont get a perm visa and she turns 20 and leaves full time school and works in nandos she may not be able to be put onto your potential perm visa and will have to go back to the UK.. (I forget the ages and visa types but you get what my point is)

 

Not sure why I literally forgot how to use paragraphs and how to spell..

 

Best of Luck mate..

[Nemesis]

I was after visa advice not family therapy, thank you for your concern but I wouldnt make such a large decision without speaking to my daughter first, she's going to finish her exams first then we plan to move. She has a choice to start a new life in Australia or stay with her mum in england and she has chosen Australia. We will keep checking she feels the same the nearer we get to leaving but she's very excited by it as we all are.

Excellent, glad she is on board with it. Wasn't offering therapy, just an observation.

Just make sure she remains a dependent until your PR is granted.

[KMaxwell]

Hi DorsetBrit,

 

I recently had a landscape gardener approved for a Subclass 457 and my understanding is that at the moment there is a shortage of good landscape gardeners in Australia. So whilst the permanent skilled migration is a more secure option than the temporary Subclass 457, and doesn't need an employer, it may not hurt to investigate employment opportunities for yourself also.

 

Kind regards,

 

Kylie Maxwell

MARN: 1387166

International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

http://www.iomausmigrationservices.org

[Alan Collett]

My view (for what it's worth) is that you should leverage your relative strengths - such as the Melbourne and Sydney offices of your wife's former employer.

 

Might she go in to see them for an informal chat when you come to Australia for a holiday/recce trip?

 

As to visa strategy, I'd be progressing matters under your own steam - ie a Skilled Independent (subclass 189) at first instance.

 

Feel able to send a PM if you'd like to discuss off forum. I'm an accountant who moved to Victoria some 15+ years ago, and now advise on migration to Australia and tax.

 

Best regards.

[Alan Collett]

Thanks Bungo very helpful unlike the one above by NEMESIS! The problem is we were using the trip to make sure it was right for us, I think we will both love it but I don't want to pay for visas then decide after the holiday its not for us. But I also don't want her job to get removed. If we validate the visa would there be a time frame we have to move there? or is it as long as your visa lasts?

 

 

A permanent residency visa is valid for the purpose of entering Australia for 5 years from the date of grant - so after validating the visa you have some time to make the permanent move.

 

Best regards.