Squilookal

Oh wow, aren't you lucky, what about the average 13 months wait time? Maybe things are quicker in Perth? Well done!

Just as a quick follow up for anyone in future with a similar issue... My wife went to the local DIBP office and was told that she did indeed need a HAP ID and should have received one but was the person she spoke to was unable to offer a reason why she hadn’t. This is the second time we’ve had a problem being issued with a HAP ID so I guess a pro active response would be the way to go if you’re in doubt about whether one is needed or if one should have been issued.

Thanks very much for your thoughts, Wrussell. Think my wife better do one of those 50 minute waits in the help line phone queue and see what is going on here!

I’ve searched the threads to try to find some info about this, without any luck my apologies if I've missed it. 8 months into an onshore 820 spouse visa application (not front loaded) we’ve received an automated email telling us to get our police check and health assessment organised and the application “will be allocated to a case officer when we have received all of the outstanding documents”. Everything I’ve looked at everywhere clearly indicates that we need a HAP ID to get the health checks moving and that this will provided by DIBP when it is determined a health check is needed. My feeling is that this automated message is just a bit clumsily worded but I wouldn’t want to add to the waiting time if the application doesn’t even reach a CO’s desk because we didn’t get the medical done. Have I got this right that the way it works is that the CO takes a first look to make an assessment of the medical exam needs and then issues a HAP ID so we can then get the exam done? Thanks very much in advance to anyone who could shed some light on this. Cheers, Simon.

Hi Britsabroad2013, My wife and I have just moved to Hobart, it’s a return to Tassie for me as I used to live in Launceston and it is absolutely fantastic to be back! We’re outdoors folk too and I really think it is difficult to beat Tasmania, although NZ would be one place that could but I would say only the South Island which is a significant issue because then it’s a very different proposition work wise etc to living in Auckland for example. Also, if you have any kind of interest in travel and/or general international mobility, NZ is one of the last places in the world to live, the south island even worse. Can’t really say about the job situation in Tassie being difficult from first hand experience as my wife walked straight into a nursing job here and I’m self employed and work from home via the Internet but my feeling is that if you are in admin you will find something. There are almost endless government admin jobs and of course they have to choose to fill the positions from the available applicants so, without being rude to lovely Tasmanians, the range and possible quality of applicants is likely to often be rather more limited than you might find in Sydney for instance. A good example is our landlord, he used to work as a building labourer but now has an admin job in a government department (and a very nice investment property that we very happily live in!). As mentioned by Skani though, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know so get here, network and it will be fine I’m sure. The government jobs pay quiet well enough for a nice lifestyle, housing costs are obviously a lot different to Sydney. We’re paying $260 per week for a lovely unit (really more like a little house) with a garden in Lenah Valley that’s 10 mins drive from the CBD and 2 minutes walk from bush at the foot of Mt Wellington. Wallaby’s in the garden, views of mountain and sea, trees everywhere. Echoing what Skani mentioned, Hobart still has good options for the best of both worlds city/rural mixture suburbs that have become gentrified and absurdly expensive in other state capitals, partly because it’s small but also because the fringe suburbs really feel like they’ve just been borrowed from the bush so you can be on the edge of town but in the trees very easily. Personally, I feel more connected being on an island but in a state capital than I did when we lived in Bendigo just 150kms from Melbourne. I think living in the Blue Mountains for example or other regional area would feel the same. The island fever can be helped with a $50 flight to Melbs or elsewhere and is important I think. Tassie is for sure not perfect but it is very special. I’ve visited around 50 countries and lived in 10 of them from Haiti to India to deep in the German countryside and although it isn’t for everyone, I can honestly say Tassie is an extremely special place on a global level and I would absolutely not say that for most places in Australia. Hope you arrive at the best choice for you! Simon. P.S. You get a Tasmanian tiger on your car number plate here too...now come on, how cool is that!

Ah great to see someone trying to drag Tassie into the 2000's with some real heating! Now if we could just get people to understand that everyone else decided double glazing and insulation were AMAZING ideas 40 years ago, we might actually start keeping some of that heat inside the house! Seriously though, good luck with the business :-)

Hey Gill, That's great news thanks very much for the info - greatly appreciated :wink: Simon.

Hi All, Can anyone with recent experience tell me if AHPRA accept IELTS test results and certificates of good standing when they are transferred from the ANMC after they’ve completed a skills assessment? I’m asking because under normal circumstances these two documents should come directly from the issuing authority – common sense suggests there shouldn’t be a problem but we are talking about AHPRA… Any input would be gratefully received. Thanks, Simon.