SOMV

Apologies if this has already been posted. The NSW State Sponsorship programme for 190 visa applicants has been closed. Processing of nomination applications will apparently re-open inJuly 2014, when the new / updated list of Skilled Occupations (SOL) is released by the Department. Unfortunately the website indicates that any applications received after the 24th of December will not be processed or returned. http://www.business.nsw.gov.au/live-and-work-in-nsw/visa-and-migration/state-migration-plan

There is a significant difference in the application fees for offshore and onshore applicants, so if you apply now you will save some money. Also, the processing times in Australia are more than 12 months, I think about 18 months at the moment (though I am not 100% sure), so you really are far better off applying from the UK. Also, the officers at the High Commission here in London are lovely.

The Victorian State Nomination List has changed as follows: New Occupations Child Care Centre Manager Primary School Teacher (with specialisation in languages) Physicist (Medical Physicist Only) Nuclear Medicine Technologist Metal Machinist (First Class) Health Information Manager Removed Occupations Plumber (General) Carpenter Joiner Carpenter and Joiner Surveyor Accountant (General) External Auditor We have been advised that applications in the removed occupations will continue to be accepted until 24 September 2013, but please do double check this on the Victoria website.

Hi Emma, Here is the specific information about the 2 out fo 5 years residence requirement: To obtain an RRV visa with a 5 year travel facility you must have: - been physically present in Australia for a total of at least 2 years in the last 5 years and throughout that 2 years was a permanent resident or Australian citizen - the 2 years must have been as a permanent visa holder and/or an Australian citizen - the applicant does not have to have 2 years consecutive residence, provided the time they have spent totals at least 2 years - that is, 730 days. - during that 5 year period, any periods during which the applicant held: a temporary visa (other than a Border visa or ETA that the applicant held at the same time as a permanent visa) or a bridging visa (whether or not that bridging visa was in effect) cannot be counted towards the 2 year total. Cheerio, Veronika

I am not sure if anyone has posted about this yet, but WA have announced a new procedure for processing sponsorship (nomination) applications from 1 July. There is more information about this on our news page, and also on the Western Australia pages. Cheers, Veronika

Hi Jess, There are three steps in the process: sponsorship application (this is done by the employer), nomination application (also done by the employer) and visa application (this can be lodged by the employer or you). From what you have written it looks like you only have to worry about the visa application part. So the employer will undoubtedly let you know when the nomination is approved and when you can apply for your visa. The application will be lodged online, and all documents can be attached online (your ID documents, evidence of qualifications and your work experience). At the time that you apply online you will be expected to pay the visa application fee (via a credit card). This is currently AUD$455. The applications normally are processed quite quickly. The rules with respect to the 457s will be changing on 1 July, and this seems (to us) to have slowed down processing at the moment. So you may need to be patient: the employer may have been asked for additional documents that they did not need to provide previously, and so on. While you wait to hear from the employer, you should be getting together all the documents (have them scanned in) and maybe investigate your nearest approved medical clinic (this can be found on the immi.gov.au website). Cheerio, ​Veronika

Shae in our experience the documents you have suggested are more than enough. We never ask our clients to pay a deposit or make any formal bookings, mostly because the wedding date is not set in stone and can be changed once your visa is granted, as long as you do get married within the visa period. But you can certainly also include quotes you have for say the cost of flowers, food/catering, car, honeymoon etc. (I assume that you have already provided evidence of booking in with a marriage celebrant, as this is really the most important evidence.) Cheerio, ​Veronika

Vetassess (for trades) are quite lovely and do generally get back to you if you have missed something in terms of paper work. So don't stress too much. Videos and photos are not necessary for the paper assessment. You will have a chance to show what you can do at the practical assessment stage. Cheerio, Veronika

Hi Nel, If there is an existing condition then yes, it is quite normal that it is referred to the HOC. They may come back asking for more information from your husband's GP or a specialist in relation to the condition and the long term prognosis. If the condition is, as you described it, one that just requires and will just require a prescription in the future, then it should be fine, but the DIAC (with the help of HOC) need to make sure that the condition is not being caused by an underlying serious problem and that it will not be of a significant cost to the Australian Government. I've never had a client with the conditionto be honest, but I've just looked it up and I can see why they would want to make sure that there is no long term underlying problem - sometimes it seems to be caused by an underlying tumour. So I think that is all it is about. Best of luck! Cheers, Veronika