Harpersgirl

My son-in-law is waiting on this visa. Lodged May 2020- Hopeful for grant soon. Also coming to Perth

Hello, My son-in-law is waiting on a 491 Family Sponsored (General Electrician) visa which was submitted in May 2020. He has since passed a BSc in Business & Finance and is about to complete an MSc in Data Science- all whilst continuing to work as a sparky and having been in the trade 13 years. He is keen to gain some working experience in the financial sector and is considering changing his occupation but obviously does not want to jeopardize his visa! Has anyone had any experience of changing their occupation whilst waiting for a visa to be granted?

Hey Lisbeth, I’m sorry to read of your situation. I totally get the anxiety and concern you will be feeling. For our case, In the first instance I contacted our Federal MP’s office by phone and put our story to his office. We live in Perth, WA. I followed this up with an email and received virtually immediate responses not only from his assistant but a phone call from the MP himself. I sent the email from our business address and attached our citizenship photo and a photo of my daughter and her family dressed to the nines to highlight that we are “respectable” I think in hindsight that it was important to keep prodding both VACCU and the MP. Both my daughter and I phoned and emailed Immi & VACCU, despite being told it would get us nowhere. However, I do feel the deciding factor was having us here as Australian citizens pleading her case. I wish you the very best of luck...

Just in case anyone else is in a situation similar to ours I thought I would post a follow-up. After emailing VACCU and our local fed MP's office YESTERDAY, my daughter's visitor's visa was approved this morning.

Yes, quite.

Well, it's been a while since I posted in here but once a pom in oz always a pom in oz eh! I'm hoping someone can give me some hope for my daughter's subclass 600 for a surprise visit to bring her baby twins to meet the rest of the family over Xmas. Flights are booked for 27th December and her partners and the babies visa's are all approved. Unfortunately, yesterday she was told that her application has been passed on to VACCU and they are now terrified that they will not get it back in time. She has a spent conviction from when she was resident here two years ago which we assume is the reason for VACCU. At that time she was being processed for a 457 but due to the terrible time she had living here decided to head back to the UK to settle. Immi were fully aware of this however the 457 appears to have been left on her records which may also cause some confusion. She has passed on police checks for both Aus and UK and character references to support her application. Does anyone have any suggestions of how they can proceed or is able to give me hope that I will see my grandchildren....

Hello.... My friend is facing some very difficult and complicated circumstances and I'm hoping someone may be able to give us some insight. She is on a 457 visa but is likely to be dismissed by her employer for gross misconduct next week effectively giving her only 28 days in the country. This is happening because she is facing criminal charges which she is pleading not guilty to on the advice of her lawyer and did not tell them. The trial is not likely to be heard until September. Therein lies the problem. What happens in between? Is there perhaps some kind of bridging visa? She will be asking the lawyer but won't be able to until Monday so I thought I'd try here. TIA

Have you seen that we can expect a FROST tomoro morning... 2c!!!! Not seen frost since we got here two years ago :twitcy:

Have you visited Winthrop lately?! :wink:

That is why we are taking the route we are lol :wink: ​ However I wondered whether there was a noticable difference in time frames?

They are!!!!! But then we live in Winthrop which could be called "Little China".... :wink:

Wow Kelly... haven't been on here for quite some time so bit of a shocker to see you've been home a while now! Glad to see its working out as you want it to hun :wubclub:

Can anyone tell me whether it makes much of a difference which stream is used to apply for PR on a ENS 186? We are applying via the Temporary Residence Transitional stream but wondered whether immi in all their wisdom processed one faster than another????

​So hello again PIOers! It's been a while since I have posted and as I'm about to post with lots of questions lol I thought I'd give a little update on how our adventure has evolved. :biggrin: We have been in Perth for almost two years with our anniversary coming up on Mother's Day and the table is booked for a celebratory breakfast at Bib and Tucker, a newly opened restaurant overlooking our favorite beautiful beach at Leighton. We will also have the company of the MIL and FIL who we haven't seen since leaving the UK! Being honest it hasn't been the easiest of times for me. It is only recently that I have really started to appreciate what living in Perth has to offer and again being honest still have days when all I can think of is going "home". But this IS home now and we are just about to start the process leading to PR. We will be applying via the Temporary Residence Transition stream (ENS 186) having arrived here on a 457 visa in May 2011. We live fairly centrally in a suburb of the City of Melville with CBD being a twenty minute drive up the freeway and Freo an easy fifteen minutes away. It takes us about 10 minutes to get to the beach. Transport links are great and we have a lovely shopping centre at Garden City. Having moved from an oak beamed 18th century farmhouse in rural Suffolk it was a bit of a culture shock living in a beige bungalow in suburbia however we've made it our own and have adapted to the rental system here. Have to say it was a relief when the inspections were reduced from three monthly to six monthly though! Our youngest children (now 9 and 5) attend Winthrop Primary which has a good reputation and we are in catchment for a good high school, Applecross. We have made friends through the OH's job and childrens school where I am a parent rep...good excuse for planning nights out! Hubby enjoys his job in Floreat and the older kids (both now 22) are settled in their jobs, son as a mechanic and daughter a childcare worker. Both love the lifestyle that the move has given them. They can afford to take regular holidays and save.... which is more than we can at the moment!!! :confused: Being here on a 457 has its difficulties which have really only become apparent this second year. In fact I've recently heard it referred to as "the 457 poverty trap"! As non-residents we are not entitled to small but relevant perks that can ease the exorbitant cost of living in WA. However I have not yet entered the workforce in any significant manner although have done bits and pieces but the role I had in the UK as a charity area co-ordinator does not exist here and I have struggled with finding a similar family friendly part time position. Getting PR will mean that I can retrain without paying international fees though so hanging out for that! We've embraced camping and have ventured north as far as Shark Bay for a bit of wild camping and south to Hamelin Bay for a bit of green and rolling countryside. There is pretty much always something going on;and much of it for free! Festivals, outdoor cinemas and bbq's in the many beautiful parks and we're still finding new things to do! In hindsight I'm not sure that I was prepared for just how different life is here. The people, the way things are done. Although we speak the same language, drive on the same side of the road etc make no mistake it is different. As it should be. It's the other side of the world after all! ​Someone once told me it takes at least two years to feel settled and for me that has been almost spot on. :wubclub:

Does this imply that applying via TRT stream may be a faster process?