Advice required !

[Decking08]

Hi, I am a single dad with a 16 yr old son who is about to complete his GCSE's. I am a qualified social worker from a child protection team. We both are now ready for a new challenge and are keen to move to Oz, but were do we start ? I am baffled by all the different types of visas. I have completed an online application and passed, what happens next ?
Any help is much appreciated.

[traybears]

hi and welcome to pio.best thing to do would be to contact a couple of migrate agents to see which visa type to go for.there are so many,they can then give you advise which is the best one for you.good luck,tracy.xx.

[Gollywobbler]

Hello Decking

Welcome to Poms in Oz.

What was this "on line test" that you took? I suspect that you mean one of the "free on-line assessments" that can be found on the website of a lot of migration agents? If so, the accuracy of those depends on the parameters programmed into their software.

I would suggest that you begin by following the links below:

A-Z Occupations List - Australian Skills Recognition Information

Social Worker is on the list but so is Welfare Worker, which can include Social Worker, so cpmpare the two I suggest.

Workers - Visas & Immigration

Information Booklets - Applications & Forms - Visas & Immigration

It is worth phoning a couple of firms of reputable Registered Migration Agents as well. The good firms do not charge for 15 minutes or so on the phone and they can cover a lot of ground with you in that time. They can narrow it down to which visas you ought to consider, tot up your points for you based on what you say and their own experience of how DIAC calculate the points for a given applicant etc. I would suggest that you start by ringing the two firms below because it will save you a vast amount of research by yourself.

Go Matilda - Your Gateway to Australia - Visa, Tax, and Financial Planning for Australia

Registered Australian Migration Agents, UK - Ian Harrop and Associates

There is no compulsion to use a Migration Agent. I'd say about 50% do and the others deal with their own applications. It is very much a matter of how confident you feel and how much time you can spare.

Best wishes

Gill