*new* to this please help? Visa wanted.....

[RedTMc]

Hi Everybody,

I am new to this website and I was wondering if I could get some advice from people who have been through the visa process. I am at the early stages of my decision on which was to approach working in Australia. My story is a long one so to cut a long story short I currently have 6 years experience working as an IT Infrastructure Team Leader/Manager for EDS/HP here in the UK. I met my current G/F who is australian in October and she is living here with me in the UK until we decide on where our future lies. As I see it I have three options.

1) Obtain a working Visa in hope that my skills are required and my job is on the skills shortage list.
2) Transfer with the company I work for (if that is possible)
3) Civil Partnership (in the future) But as far as I can gather the Gay rights are not as open as here in the UK?

I know the Visa application can be a long one and can be quit expensive. I have been on a few websites who act as agents and charge but I am a little wary of these. Has anyone used them and are they any good?

I have quite a few questions but for now I wont go on and on and on, I hope I have given enough info for someone to point me in the right direction.

Thanks

Tracy

[melbournegirlinny]

Hi and welcome.

Not sure what you mean by saying Australia is not as open to gays as the UK. You can migrate there as the partner of a gay/lesbian Aussie-same as if you were hetero and married. You need to look through the DIAC website. Look at the Partner Booklet and the info on the 176 visa which is a skills based visa giving permanent residency from the beginning.

If your company were to sponsor you that would be a 121 ENS (employer nomination scheme) visa which also gives permanent residency from the beginning. The de facto visa only gives you a temporary residency for 2 yrs-then if you are still together you need to apply for PR at that stage.

You also need to be under 45 for the skills based visas.

[RedTMc]

Thanks for your reply and welcome. :o)

what I mean about the difference here to Australia was the Partnership rights. How long before I can go over as the Partner of an Australian?

I will look up those booklets now. I am defo under 45 (altho sometimes dont feel it) and I need to wait for HP to fully take over EDS before I look into the internal transfer.

Thanks for your help.

[melbournegirlinny]

You're welcome. You need to have been in a committed relationship to the exclusion of others for 12 months. go to the DIAC website and in the search box type in 'Partner Booklet'. That will tell you what you need to know re migrating as the interdependent partner of an Australian.

[RedTMc]

It looks like the interdependancy visa is a great option, Thanks again for your help. I was under the impression that it would be on the basis of a civil Partnership. This website is really useful. :O)