LostMyWay

WE GOT IT!!!!!

Nomination applied 28th Aug 2012 Non DCR Direct Entry

Visa applied 21st Jan 2013

Nomination approved March 2013

VISA GRANTED 6th APRIL 2013!!!!!!

We're on holiday currently - just thought I'd check my emails and what a lovely surprise!!!!

Good luck to everyone else still waiting!!

Finally got my Visa Nomination - only 7 months later!!! The $3000 spent on applying for the visa before nomination approval has not been a gamble after all!

Time line so far...

Nomination application 27th August 2012

Visa Application 21st January 2013

Nomincation Approval 15th March 2013

Still waiting......

I received my acknowledgment letter for my visa application on Friday (15th Feb - Applied 21st Jan) which was great news! I was emailed a 2nd letter yesterday (18th) also an acknowledgement letter! It was the same letter however the 2nd one was from an actual person (GSM Support Officer) rather than just 'DIAC' and it also had a position number. Has anyone else had this or know if this means anything?

Well I'm so impatient I waited in the phone queue for an hour to talk to someone! He told me the letters are taking 8 weeks to process and confirmed that the whole process is taking 6-9 months and that would be the nomination and application combined-which is good news as means I've hopefully only another 1-4months to wait!! He also said that they are still experiencing a back log!

Unfortunately I've/we've just got to wait!!!!!

Hope you are all right!!!! I'm now into my 5th month of waiting for nomination and have submitted the application (not with the application but have not yet had approval) so I hope the same applies to me! God the waiting game is unbearable!!!! Still waiting on my acknowledgement letter for the visa so fingers crossed that comes in the nxt few days as it has now been over the '10 working days'!!!

Hi like I say my employer lodged their nomination ive no idea which office though and they havent forwarded anything to me. im just sitting here waiting with all the documents ready to go as soon as i get a green light on the approval.Yes totally agree re the skills assessment, just money making. Thanks for the info on decision ready, seems very unfair they prioritise those who have gone through an agent?

Because you upload the documents electronically when you apply for the visa do they still have to be certified (justice of the peace etc?)

I am a midwife, how about you?

just watching the news in horror, whereabouts in oz you based? Looks like part of Brisbane due to go under soon. We live on a hill thank god.

Thanks so much for your info!

A migrant agent cost thousands of dollars so I guess that is why they're a priority over us few who decided to go alone!!

From my experience of electronically applying for 457 only the certificates needed to verified including:qualifications, ID's etc but I didn't have my AHPRA and letters including police certs verified and no questions were asked?

Im a mental health nurse in Melbourne so we've been lucky this end!

Just hope it all comes through quick so bored of waiting now its the new year!!!!

Thanks LostMyWay it's nice to know there is someone in a similar situation. Which stream are you in? I am in the second stream as had to get a skills assessment as was only here for 12 months at the time of lodging the nomination. I'm not sure if that has any impact either- I thought the first stream -the transition one was supposed to be priority.

Didnt get the acknowledgment letter, I was only told of it through my employer who received it. I'm wondering if I should have had one myself- but then I haven't actually applied yet so maybe that's why.

My employer is a large hospital who have sponsored lots of staff over the years so chances are it wouldn't get refused, but there's still that niggle at the back of my mind...

is it any faster if you submit all the documents do you think? Does is mean your application is decision ready if you do?

Hating all the waiting but at least I have some idea now - hopefully hear soon! Good luck you you too.

I am also the 2nd stream - Direct entry, I have more than 2 years work experience in Australia but have only been with my current employer 6 months so was not eligible for the transition stream. So unfortunately I also had to get a skills assessment which in my opinion was utter b******s! It took them 14 weeks and a fee that Ican't remember now just to get a certificae from my regulatory body to tell them I was ok to work!!!!! Anyway that was the last thing to get so once we recieved that we put in for the visa!

I am not sure if it speeds things up to apply before nimincation approval? I have read on here people who's nomination is approved then days/weeks later the visa is approved, alternatively I am sure there are people who put both in and are waiting months between? I think the system is so new it really is luck of the draw?!

Mine was not decision ready, decision ready is when you pay a migrant agent to pretty much go through the whole process and they deem it complete and I think all the case officer has to do is check and grant - the migrant agent takes the work out of it I guess? But only a migrant agent can deem it decision ready, so even if you are sure you have everything you can't claim it to be decision ready?!

I didn't get my acknowledgement letter, my HR manager has just forwarded me everything she got - I pester her a lot!!! She told me this week that she would email immigration to see if there was any progress on the nomination so I will keep you posted!

I guess it is a personal choice as to whether you apply without nomination and weigh up the risks! I am pretty sure I'll be ok but there is always that niggle that it might get rejected and we've just blown $3000! I just want it all in so all I have to do it wait! When you do apply upload all your documents, if you do it electronically there is an option straight away to upload your supporting evidence. You will be given a transaction reference number (TRN) and you can then log on anytime and check the progress and add anything you might later get or have forgotten to include! If you do all this then when you are allocated a CO they have all the eveidence and can make a decision. Otherwise they email you and ask for anything that they want to see - which obviously delays the decision. Also once you get your TRN you can book your medicals - that will be the last piece of the jigsaw and then it really is a waiting game!

Which office did you apply through? I went through Melbourne and what I can gather they are a little behind the other offices?! What profession are you in?

Anyway best wishes....

Hi have just discovered this thread. My employer who also sponsored me for 457 lodged their nomination on August 27th. They received an acknowledgement letter about a month later and I have heard nothing since :-( anyone else in the same boat?

Am waiting for approval before submitting my part of the application incase i loose $3000 but am wondering whether its worth taking a gamble on this?

my 457 runs out nov 2014 so would is be a reason for waiting so long? I am not a priority?

Also does anyone have any info on bridging visas (just incase it takes years)

I'm the same my nomination was submitted August 27th. Not heard anything yet and I have taken a gamble and submitted the application! As far as I am aware they don't look to see how long your current visa has as a priority?! They have a timeline that they hope to get visa's processed - 6 months I think? In the meantime you are given a bridging visa which will allow you to stay in the country until the decision is made. The aknowledgement letter I got for the nomination said that nomination approval can take 5-7 months so like you I'm heading for my 5th month so am expecting some word soon!

I think the risk of not gettign approval falls on the employer and whether they meet training needs and labour agreements? So if you have an employer that has never done it before there might be a risk? I have gambled it as my employer has sponsored previously so fingers crossed shouldn't have any problems?....fingers crosssed!!!!!

Good luck!

I applied for direct entry non DRC on Monday 21st! Nomination was applied for on 27th August 2012, acknowledgement letter followed a week or so after. Not heard anything back about the nomination approval so have taken a gamble and put the visa app in! Medicals are booked for Wednesday and then it will just be a continued waiting game - a long slow painful waiting game, that isn't actually fun at all!!!!!!

Hi,

Not sure if these questions have been asked but I don't know what to do for the best!

Now I know I can lodge my application before I get nomination approval but is there a big risk that my employer won't get the approval? My employer is already sponsoring me on 457 and the HR manager has told me she has not recieved anything asking for further info or evidence; so I assume we are just in queue and there should be no problem with approval. However I don't want to pay $3060 for a visa and get refused as that is a large amount of money to lose, but I am wondering what reasons might stop the nomination approval?

My second question is I have received an email to say the nomination will take 5 -7 months to be approved and I have been told that my visa app will take 5-7 months to approve; if I wait for my nomination to be approved before I submit the application will I then have to wait a further 5-7 months or will it then be a case of immigration just processing the app? Alternatively if I submit my application before nomination approval will this speed up the process or will it not make a difference and I'll still be waiting a further 5-7 months after approval - in which case I may as well wait for approval!?

Hope this makes sense to you any suggestions will be a massive help!

Thanks in advance

LMW