oppyddrum

@ Sub: call 131 881. they might be able to tell you if you have a case officer or not. its usually a toss up, the person who picks up might or might not be willing and/or able to give you the info. we got lucky when we called and we were able to confirm that our medicals had been received and no CO had been allocated yet. she actually said we should be allocated within about 4 weeks, those 4 weeks will be up at the end of next week so you know we gonna be calling again just to say WAZZAP?!!! :laugh:

there is literally no movement at all post 26th of june. and this thread has gotten really quiet too. how long will these guys (DIAC) take before they get stuck into 2013/2014 applications? *sigh*

i try to use the approach of "forget you are waiting for anything and focus on other things..." absolute failure, cant do it. lol. i need to start seeing july applicants get grants before i blow a fuse. lol. and the quiteness of this thread is not making it any better :laugh:

maybe a "waiting for DIAC" party is in order :wink:

congrats to matthias and wizzle. it does look like they are cleaning up june. i havent seen one july applicant get an approval yet. i reckon they are trying to clean up 2012/2013.

it doesnt seem like there is a lot of movement around the 186s.

i saw on an RSMS 187 thread that DIAC is sending some 187 applicants messages like below:

"Regional Sponsored visa applicants – please note:

In the skilled stream, of which your visa application is a part, priority processing arrangements and Migration Program planning levels have been designed to ensure the Australian economy gets the skills it needs now. The Migration Program planning levels for the visa category, Regional Sponsored, has a limited number of places left for the 2013-14 program year.

This will mean processing times may be longer and that once the remaining places are used, the department cannot grant any application until the following program year, unless more visa places become available. Until that time, I cannot guarantee that your application will be decided in the immediate term, nor can I give an indication as to the likely timeframe. You can be assured, however, that the department will contact you when we are ready to finalise your visa application."

this brings a question to mind; does the 186/Employer Sponsored have a yearly quota as well?

Please note: The quoted message was "borrowed" from another poster on the RSMS timeline page.

Hey guys, I GOT IT!!!

Finally our 186 came through yesterday arvo!!!

I couldn't believe it! IT IS a MIRACLE!!

 

My timeline:

 

Nomination + Application : 28-06-2013

Letter of acknowledgement - same day

Further medical exams (partner only) submitted on the 25-07-2013

No more contacts until...

Nomination and Visa approved 26-09-2013

Direct Stream, with MA and DR.

Architectural Draftsperson

 

Rock & Roll!!!

 

Thanks to everyone, and good luck to those who are still waiting !!

 

Good on ya mate!

Congrats Mate. You should Pop Champagne...

You already know! lol.

As a proud member of this group for a long time, i am happy to report that my relationship with DIAC is now over. i got my passport last night. i know the group is sort of asleep but i believe this is the greatest PIO group that ever was, IMO. lol

no movement? i cant stop checking for updates... argh!!!! lol

oh no!! just the other day, perth said they were on a 3-6 month wait... thats an average of 2 more months of waiting!!! not good... *sigh*

yea, when you wait till the NOM is approved, the visa application starts its own wait time. My parents are in the second wait period now as well, they submitted their 186 (transition stream) july 29 and they are still waiting and this is in the oerth office.

When my dad's employer put in the NOM, they said my dad had to wait for the approval before the visa application could be done, otherwise, they would have put in the visa application in the same time.

That is awesome mate! what office did you lodge your application at?

Hi All,

I got my PR granted today - im ecstatic!

 

Timeline:-

Nomination submitted - 19/06/13

Visa type :- ENS Direct Entry (Engineering Technologist) - No MA used for either application or nomination

Application submitted - 08/08/2013

Nomination Approved :- 27/08/2013

Visa Granted:- 27/08/2013

 

Can't believe how quick it was - just goes to show no need to use MA's as they don't speed it up if you know what you're doing!

Or maybe the database is new and employers are unfamiliar with it yet? Either way, are you going to look for work from overseas or are you planning on applying from home? Also, did you validate your visa yet? I don't mean to ask so many questions and excuse me if I do lol, but I'm learning about this process as I go along myself! :laugh:

i thought it was new too but apparently, its been there a while, just nobody uses it.

I already validated my visa 2 weeks ago when i returned from NZ. And about jobs, I already have a job i have been working at for over a year but i am using seek for other prospective opportunities. lots of opportunities on there.

Its okay, ask away. i am happy to answer what i can.

I got that email as well. I didn't know about that website. In fact, I thought they were going to decommission a similar database. Now the question is, I wonder if employers really use it.

i have looked around, apparently, nobody who has come online to talk about it has ever been matched, regardless of the occupation. i did put my information in anyways, and there were no matches (as predicted). For the level of need for electrical engineers in Oz, i can only assume that employers have not actually gone on there to look for people.

I would recommend http://www.seek.com.au to anyone when it comes to job searches.

to the guys who've got their PRs granted, did you all get that email as well about the skilledmigrant website? i didnt know they did that... or is that a new thing... as part of the skillselect process? i havent gone in there yet but apparently, it can help match people to prospective employers...

big news..points test slashed from 65 to 60

 

http://www.newsroom.immi.gov.au/media_releases/1063

on the same set of points... interesting

Hi, oppyddrum,

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

As per CO request, I have submitted my PCC and my meds has been finalised. Today, in the document checlists, the status for my meds, PCC and form 80 have been changed to MET. Does that mean it is very close? So how long will it take to get the visa?

 

Thanks

I am sorry, i cannot answer those questions as that is something only DIAC (your CO) determines.

Good luck!

Hi guys,

 

I am new to the forum.I am currently in the process of 175. My CO has asked for Meds, PCC and form 80. But the online status of the skill assessment is still showing requested. My CO did not ask for it. I feel so confused. Can sb give me some advice?

 

Thanks

If your CO did not ask for it, i reckon it is safe to assume that he/she does not require it anymore (i assume you submitted it in the first place).

Status(es) on the online tracking thing tend not to always be updated. mine still say required and i got my visa already. So just go ahead and provide what the CO has asked for. they usually ask for what they need to see. Good luck!

Guys,

 

Finally....The moment has come.....with a bottle of Moet & Chandon sitting and smiling right in front of me...i hereby declare that i became PURPLE this morning at exactly 5am. Thank you everybody for your immense support......i hope to meet some of you guys in OZ face to face.....Thanks Yu all......

 

 

175 Application filed: JUne 27, 2011

 

Case Officer assigned: March 13, 2012 .... I thot that was quite some wait to get the case officer.....

 

Visa issued: June 13, 2012............Three months of sweating and refreshing DIAC site......

 

Its time to sit down, think straight and take the plunge deep down under.................

 

 

Cheers

Congrats Mate!

cheers for the advice. I spoke to an Irish receptionist today on the phone she was very nice. but might go with maidenhead as £140 is a nice chunk of money. Just wondering do i need to bring the forms generated on line and listed after you lodge an application?. or is all that superceeded by the online e health system.:huh:

Yes, definitely take your from generated online with your TRN, and fill your part already. there are parts you have to fill in the presence of the doctor. but fill everything else. it cant hurt.

oh please do visit them.. I'm starting to think they completely forgot about us.. :mad:

@Bloomberg: have you emailed or called DIAC to ask them "What the hell are you guys doing with my application?" that might trigger things. it could be a complete oversight. i think you have done enough waiting in my opinion.

Thanks Oppy! Hope you managed to get through at the counter with no trouble. Our CO told me the same today, no need to get evidence stamp unless you need this for travelling to certain countries. 457 cancelled already as PR has been activated. Will feel great to go through kingsford

Ok, update...

Went to the DIAC office in Parramatta on friday to get the visa evidenced... from the time when i parked my car outside to the time i got back to my car... 15mins!!!!!!! too easy. its all done now... next step, citizenship... that should be a fun ride as well. lol

Have a safe trip back @ Rachter

congrats to all those who got their visa grants this week... technically, that includes me as well

now keeping fingers crossed for bloomberg.... i just might pay DIAC a personal visit on your behalf Bloom... this is getting ridiculous!!!

Thanks Oppy! Hope you managed to get through at the counter with no trouble. Our CO told me the same today, no need to get evidence stamp unless you need this for travelling to certain countries. 457 cancelled already as PR has been activated. Will feel great to go through kingsford

yes Rachter, i made it in okay, no fuss at all. They didnt even ask for the letter at the immigration counter at Kingsford. i had it on standby anyways. and it felt hell of good to fill "migrating permanently" on the arrival card... really cool.

It feels good not to have that hold of being tied to my workplace...

Really good feeling. i can now say its all over. lol.

Going to get it evidenced next week in sydney though, i want to see this most elusive PR visa with my very own two eyes. lol

Hey Oppydrum, So what did you have to do at the Aus Embassy? I did some research and found out the embassy here in France doesn't have a visa function anyway, so not able to get visa evidencing. I wonder if I fly back with the grant letter, they will recognize at the immigration counter? Did you notify work to cancel 457 already?

 

I told my CO when I am scheduled to fly back...

yes, i was told at the embassy that the grant letter will be recognized at the immigration counter. will know if that is for real or not in about 10hrs. will let you know.

as for the 457, i believe/assume that one cant have 2 visas at the same time so once the 175 has been approved, the 457 gets cancelled.

i only notified my work about this whole thing after i got my pre-grant. i will tell them i now have a PR when i get back but i reckon the 457 will be cancelled the moment i get into australia.

i will go evidence the 175 in sydney. usually, they will put a "cancelled without prejudice" stamp on the old/existing visa.

Hi Oppydrum

 

Good to see you made to NZ. I am in EU on holidays and also just got the grant letter whooohooo! AM very confused as to the evidencing.... Does anyone know if we need to go to the Aus embassy to do this before arrival back in Aus? Even though I am on holidays, I am so excited to do this extra admin work

ok, so i went to the embassy today, apparently, its okay to fly back with the grant letter and sort out the evidencing in Oz...

i guess im gonna find out tomorrow when i get back to Oz...

if you have the time though, i reckon you might as well get it evidenced before you return... that would be my preference... but i dont have 3 bus. days.

will touch bases with you when i get back to Oz...::fingers crossed::