bonza2211

It depends really on your circumstances. What visa are you on and how long will you stay for? If you've got PR, or when you do get it you can't really avoid paying for private health insurance if your income as a family is reasonable. I can't give you an exact limit, but it's something like $150K a year where the cost of the Medicare Levy Supplement becomes higher than taking out the lowest policy. Better to pay for extra for something you don't have than to pay extra for something you already get in my opinion. Also, don't forget about Lifetime Loading payments. For every year over the age of 31 you go without private insurance, you'll pay 2% extra on any policy when you do take a policy. We were given an 18% load on our policy, but got this reduced to 0% as we took the policy in the same tax year as getting PR. If we'd opted not to do this it would have been 20% from this year onwards.

Wow!!!! Can someone please help me understand this? My brain seems to be melting....

From what I gather, even with Medicare I still need to take a private insurance cover and that too within the year of my PR? Can I take the policy out even though I haven't made my medicare card yet so that I don't get stuck with the tax burden?

I turn 32 in April 2015, I got PR on 7/11/13 and did not bother applying for my Medicare card (I will take an appointment tomorrow).

P.S. I am undecided whether I will stay in Australia forever (i.e. retirement) for now at least that's the plan.

If it was due to a job you had with the Australian government then an exception is possible

Thank you.

My employer is a private limited enterprise, therefore I guess I cannot be considered for any sort of exemption and will have to wait till I have spent the required time here.

Hi Guys,

DIAC states the following :

"not have been absent from Australia for more than one year in total, in the 4 year period, including no more than 90 days in the year before applying"

I'm curious as to whether there is any truth that this is not enforced as a hard rule (the 90 days in the year prior to applying)? Anybody here with first hand experience?

My situation is that since I was granted PR in November last year and since then I have traveled on and off for about 120 days partly for business and holidays.

Timeline :

10/01/2009 - Arrived in Oz on TR

xx/11/2013 - ENS186 Approved

xx/11/2014 - Complete 1 year on PR and 5 years residing in Oz

Disclaimer :

I understand rules are rules and I do not seek advice on how to "cheat" the system. I am merely inquiring as to the experience of PIO members who may have applied for Citizenship even though the had a cumulative travel of 90+ days in the immediate year.

Hey

 

No my company hasn't - We are a very small operation and I am the only sponsored worker everyone else is Australian. I think I might apply for my UK clearance as that takes a good few weeks anyway and it's not that much money (from memory). The CO I had for my 856 said that I would still be able to use my last police clearance - even tho its over a year old - but only if i hadn't been back to the UK since then....which unfortunately I have. My partner can still use his previous police clearance tho which is a bonus.

 

I think i'll wait until I receive a request from the CO for the medicals. OR hope and pray that they'll accept the last ones we did (June 2012).

 

Thanks Bonza

It's a personal decision I guess

I was the first ENS applicant for my company but I was almost a 100% confident the nomination bit would come through (even if it took ages). Now that mine cleared most people are jumping to apply. They held off paying fee's. Me on the other hand I actually paid my lawyer the DIAC fee and legal fee back in Feb... Applied only in August. Go figure!

Good luck and keep in touch.

So to pick what you wrote apart:

 

1. There's people with previous minor convictions and health issues that get approved every now and then. - Unless you have been sentenced to more than a year in prison, having a conviction is a non-issue. Unless your health issue is likely to significantly cost the Australian tax payer to treat, again it will be a non-issue. "Every now and then" is totally false.

Ok. (note I said minor conviction, not major or criminal).

2. You need to pay for a consultation with an Immigration LAWYER (not an agent) - Let them know your situation and what paperwork you should keep handy if Immigration asks for more. - Absolutely wrong again. OP does not need to pay for a consultation with an immigration lawyer. OP needs to tell the truth on the form (which was your last point). Simple really.

My apologies. The OP does NOT NEED to consult an immigration lawyer, poor choice of words on my part.

Do not want to derail this thread any further. Good luck to OP.

Hey Bonza..Thanks for your reply.

 

Employer has now provided BAS statements for the last year and they've been uploaded. Thanks for your help on that!

 

I am a bit cautious about paying for medicals and police checks (Aus and UK) just in case for ANY reason my nomination/application runs into difficulties. It shouldn't as its fairly straight forward with no complicating factors (so i believe!). Only reason for my caution is that I had previously applied for an 856 visa in 2012 (and paid for medicals/police clearances everything) and then my nomination got refused (Issues with MA...long story) and I had to withdraw my application.

 

So I don't want to end up in the same situation again where I have paid for them and they then expire...again!

 

I suppose it will speed things up if I submit everything that is required.....decisions decisions. What do you think??

True. I didn't consider that and paid for everything upfront.

I guess you have reason to be cautious. Remember the C.O gives you 30 days to respond to the request (this doesn't mean 30 days to submit the required documents... just 30 days to respond and/or evidence progress on the request or ask for an extension).

Has your company recently had any ENS approved?

To the OP, there are multiple untruths in this advice. I would discard everything except point 1.

Can you evidence that DIAC has never approved a visa for an applicant that :

1. Has had a minor conviction

2. Has a pre-existing health condition?

For #2 there was a poster here the other day who got a 186 approved with Type 2 diabetes.

So either him and I are both liars (which you are completely entitled to believe and state here as this is a public forum) OR....

I'm assuming you applied for retirement visa to Yugoslavia? Just making sure. If you are talking about an Australian PR visa then how about some details please :

1. Visa subclass

2. Your history (e.g. have you ticked off all the check boxes on the visa checklists, any supplemental info etc)

cheers

There's people with previous minor convictions and health issues that get approved every now and then.

1. You need to state the facts

2. You need to pay for a consultation with an Immigration LAWYER (not an agent) - Let them know your situation and what paperwork you should keep handy if Immigration asks for more.

Good luck!

So I do have my PR!

Based on the following :

16/02/2010 - Entered Oz on student visa

16/07/2011 - Granted TR457

07/11/2013 - Granted ENS186

07/11/2014 - Am I technically eligible for Citizenship if rules don't change and I meet the necessary criteria

Thanks.

p.s DIAC website calculator confirms I can. Just got to sit tight now

Hi Bonza - congrats on your grant that's so quick!

 

I only lodged my nomination and application yesterday. In your timeline you say that your employer lodged their BAS statement. BAS wasn't listed in the checklists as needing to be lodged. Do you think I should lodge it anyway? If so how many statements did your employer lodge?

 

Thanks

Thanks Hayley and welcome aboard

YES the BAS/P&L statement is not mandatory therefore my employer chose not to submit it for the Nomination and I did not apply as DRC(Decision Ready) for the Nomination part.

When I was allocated the Case Officer (CO) the request was for P&L statement for 2 years or the most recent BAS I think.

Only lodged yesterday and I've just been online to submit some further documents and it gave me access to the "organise your medical examination link". So i've printed the forms.

 

My question is - should I go ahead and book my medicals in now and submit then or should I wait for the CO to ask for them?

 

This is actually great! Go ahead and complete your Medical History online and then make an appointment for your medicals - www.emedical.immi.gov.au/eMed/eMedicalClient

In my experience (student visa prior to 457) being allocated a CO is big hurdle to clear. Once you have a CO if you provided all information in a concise and consistent manner as per the checklist you should have a fast approval.

Also go ahead and get your police checks and submit them too.

If you are in the unique position of having the same CO for your Nomination and Visa then approval can be very speedy.

Good luck!

ENS 186

• Occupation: Marketing Specialist
  
• Option: ENS 186 Transition Stream
  
• Location: Parammatta
  

Timeline:

• Applied for Nomination - 8/8/13 (NON-DRC)
  
• Applied for 186 Visa - 19/8/13 (DRC)
  
• Case Officer Assigned - 21/10/13
  [*=1]CO Requested Medicals and Form 80.
  
  [*=1]CO Requested updated financial summary from Employer
  
  [*=1]Medical fee receipt submitted (as proof if intent to complete medicals) - 25/10/13
  
  [*=1]Medicals completed (eHealth system) - 01/11/13
  [*=1]Submitted Form 80 (Visa requirement) - 07/11/13
  [*=1]Submitted Employer BAS statement (ENS Requirement) - 07/11/13
  

• Visa Grant - 07/11/13
  

Time for approval : 3 Months (8/8/13 to 7/11/13)

Thanks every who has been of encouragement and support, Raul(ABA), TickledPink and so many others.

Those waiting - Keep the faith and don't give up!

Updated below :

ENS 186

 

 

• Occupation: Marketing Specialist
  
• Option: ENS 186 Transition Stream
  
• Location: Parammatta
  

 

 

Timeline:

 

 

• Applied for Nomination - 8/8/13 (NON-DRC)
  
• Nomination Granted - pending
  
• Applied for 186 Visa - 19/8/13 (DRC)
  
• Case Officer Assigned - 21/10/13 - (Same CO for Nom/Visa)- Requested medicals
  - Requested Form 80
  - Requested financials from Employer (for nomination)
   
  
• Visa Grant - pending
  

 

 

Other:

 

• Medicals to be completed
  
• Acknowledgment for both Nomination and Visa Received.
  

 

 

So in my case :

CO requested medical, my lawyer has access to the portal so I could not see the message.

However he copied this for me :

"Arranging your health examinations in Australia

 

Required health examinations for visa applicants in Australia are conducted by Medibank Health Solutions (MHS); or via an Approved Medical Practitioner (AMP) if you are in a regional area.

 

Please make an appointment with MHS to undergo the health examinations listed above via their online booking service atwww.medibankhealth.com.au

 

Before you visit MHS for your appointment, you must complete your medical history online to facilitate faster service on the day of your appointment. Medical history information must be recorded before your immigration health examinations start, as the panel physician will take this information into account when conducting your health examination.

 

You can do this via the Department’s website at www.emedical.immi.gov.au/eMed/eMedicalClient by entering your personal details and HAP ID reffered to above. This will need to be done for each applicant listed in your visa application. You will also be asked to consent to using the eMedical system at this time."

Once the eMedical declaration is completed, it generates a PDF which you must present at the time of your medicals.

I then used the HAP on the Medibank site to schedule my appointment which I will do in a fortnight.

Bump!!! Similar situation, what was the outcome?

Hi Guys, finally the wait is over. My PR has been granted today. Got a call in the afternoon from my MA (who's been just awesome throughout the process). Good luck to all who are waiting.

 

Nomination filed - 31/05/2013

Visa filed - 03/06/2013

DRC application though MA

Direct Entry Stream-Marketing Specialist

Visa Granted - 04/09/2013.

Nice ! I've applied under the marketing specialist stream as well. Non-DRC nomination and DRC visa under the transition stream.

Thanks for the positives vibes!

Hi, I just booked the medical online with Medibank. Didn't even have a TRN, just paid and turned up with the relevant forms conpleted. They sent me the results in a sealed envelope and I scanned that and sent it to the MA.

How long ago did you do the medicals?

Thanks.

I'm being told by Medibank this is the "new" requirement... i.e. Get a letter etc.. I should ask Raul!

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/158703-skillselect-ens-186-timeline-57.html

Master ENS186 timelines thread

Guys how exactly are you doing your medicals if a an MA lodged the eVisa?

I'm being told I need a specific referral letter from the CO at Medibank and that just my TRN wont do.

Hi

 

Its 80s for everyone I'm afraid if our recent experience is to go by.

 

Good luck

Surprising as it seems many DRC visa application have been approved already and there was no mention of Form 80.

I better get cracking and have it ready in case I get asked. Thanks

Hi Guys,

I've received the TRN number from my Visa application. How do I proceed to do the medicals. Just call and book at medibank?

Edit :

Lady on the phone said without a "referral" letter, I cannot attend a medical.

I have a TRN, when I tried entering online @ https://visamedicals.medibankhealth.com.au/ it rejected the TRN number.

This link outlines the new process : http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/health-requirements/_pdf/health-process-visa-applicants.pdf

This confuses me as I applied under the DRC.

ENS 186

• Occupation: Marketing Specialist
  
• Option: ENS 186 Transition Stream
  
• Location: Parammatta
  

Timeline:

• Applied for Nomination - 8/8/13 (NON-DRC)
• Nomination Granted - pending
  
• Applied for 186 Visa - 19/8/13 (DRC)
  
• Case Officer Assigned - pending
  
• Visa Grant - pending
  

Other:

• Medicals to be completed
  
• Acknowledgment for both Nomination and Visa Received.
  

Thanks George and Tickled Pink.

That clears it up.

First things first I guess, let me get my PR!

Yes.

 

It needs to be the four years immediately prior to the date you apply. So yes, consecutive. You are allowed some absences within those four years, though.

Ok that answers my question, Thank you.

Also it means I have to hang around for a while as my ENS186 visa application was literally lodged just now (today).

I have 3 years 6 months on the 457 with maybe 2 months in total of time away due to multiple trips (mostly work).

Ok, thats a fair while away then!

Slightly different question related to Citizenship :

Is it :

1. 4 years minimum on a substantive visa including 1 year as a Permanent Resident ?

Does that need to be 4 consecutive years?