Josh K

Hi Linday, Been so busy, I forgot to check this forum! Yes, after several calls to DIAC (thankfully living in Australia meant that all my calls are local calls as there is usually a holding time of 25 minutes!) clarifying all my questions on eligibility, sponsorship etc, and after lots and lots of reading, I finally figured it all out, got all our documents together and lodged the CPV application for my parents last month! Thus we have begun our hopefully pleasant journey in getting my parents their permanent residence in Australia! Looking forward to updating this thread with some good news shortly.... Cheers.

Hi Ang, I came to Australia as a student as well, and am now a permanent resident. While it is true that applying for permanent residency (General Skilled Migration) after completing your studies in Australia is easier (in my opinion), it is also true that Australian government is tightening immigration rules. Please also note that for General Skilled Migration, your occupation must be listed on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), which changes from time to time. If I am not wrong, there is a new system coming into effect from July 2012, wherein people will no longer be able to apply directly for General Skilled Migration, but will have to express interest, and the Government will invite chosen candidates to apply for a permanent visa. If your aim is to live in Australia permanently, going first on a student visa may not be the best option. You could probably go on a temporary work visa? Or you could apply for permanent residency with your current qualification? You will need to check the SOL. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) website provides all the information you need to know at http://www.immi.gov.au If you want to study in Australia, I would suggest that you pay a visit to an IDP office nearby. They offer free consultation and they will guide you through the entire process of getting a student visa - right from choosing a university to making sure you have finances etc. The universities in Australia support IDP, so they are able to give you free service. You can check to see where a local IDP office is near you by going to their website: http://www.idp.com/default.aspx Hope this gives you a little bit of an idea to get started. Good luck! Cheers.

Thanks for your reply, Linday. I have lived in Australia for four and a half years now (I came as a student for four years). I wonder if the "settled in Australia" term is purely based on the duration of stay here or if it also means things like I need to have a house in Australia etc? Thanks for your help.

Hi Joanne, Thanks for your reply. Yes, they meet the balance of family requirement. If you don;t mind me asking, how long did it take for your parents' visas to come through? Was the whole process straight forward or did you have to go through a migration agent etc.? Thanks!

Hello Everybody, I read through the various threads here, and these are so informative! I am very keen on bringing my Mum and Dad over to Australia on a permanent basis. I am a permanent resident here in Adelaide, and am working full time as a Mechanical Engineer. I went through DIAC's website quite thoroughly ( My eyes were actually hurting after all that time staring at the computer screen!) , and I know that there are basically two visas that allow parents to come here on a permanent basis. The first one is the less expensive option (The parent visa), but this takes a ridiculously long time for processing (I think it is 15 years). So I am looking at the Contributory Parent Visa. I understand that this is very expensive, but I am prepared to do whatever it takes. That is the least I could do. I am just wondering if there is anyone who has been through this process for their parents? Just curious about how long it took, anything to look out for, some handy tips to keep in mind etc? Also, I spent a lot of time on the Centrelink website reading about the Assurance of Support. Does anyone know what the "threshold income" for the previous financial year is? I rang Centreink a couple of times, but they gave me different information both times, and said that they could only give me proper information when the visa application has been lodged. I would rather know all the information before I start the process. I have seen so many posts here, and it is my wish that one day very soon, I will be able post right here in this forum that my parents permanent visas have been granted! Thanks to everyone in advance for taking the time to read this and for providing your input. Thanks, Josh.