derbygirl

Hi Alan yes I was going down the 489 route anyway. I do have a visa agent thank you.

Yes we do have 10 years evidence which we sent but they havent counted the first 3 years as its classed as 'training' (we put in a stat dec for this for 1999- 03 as oh was in Ireland and so limited evidence which they seem to have ignored and only looked at evidence from 04 onward). I'm just struggling to understand if we can claim 15 points in our EOI as my oh has been working for the last ten years or if immi will just look at TRA results and insist it has to be post training (which is stupid as he's been doing this for 15 years its just TRA haven't recognised it!!!) So confused and deflated!! Appreciate any insight?? Thanks

I'll pm you one send me your email address

We have finally received our successful skills assessment from TRA. The problem is we need the maximum points for work experience and they have only given us 7.5 years post training. Will Immi only look at the or can we claim for the 8 years and send in extra evidence to cover this period? Is there anyway around this - we can't wait the six months as oh who's the applicant has a significant birthday in November and we lose 10 points. OH been a plasterer for over 15 years but they have only recognised the last 10.5 years probably because I didn't have much records before 2004 so I just did a stat dec and sent the limited tax records I had. any advice anyone feel the Oz dream is slipping through our fingers!

Hi yes afraid so they are strict. We currently awaiting to hear back from TRA been waiting since June! We had to provide lots of evidence incl 15 years of tax records. If you PM me ill try and help I'm anyway I can. Have you got your AQf 111?

Hi there we submitted June got our acknowledgment 17th June and still waiting....very frustrating!

We used skilling Australia my OH wasn't keen on doing the Skype interview and skiiling Australia actually came and assessed you in person. We had to do lots of theory papers as well but it was easy oh has been a plasterer for 15 years. The guy at skiiling Australia was jonathan Harris he was excellent highly recommend they do lots of different trades cost around 2k though... Everything costs money trying to get a visa! Good luck

Great news although I'm abit worried about our TRA now! Received our acknowledgment on 17th June but still no news for us yet! Oh is a plasterer we did the AQF III as well. I daren't chase as advised not to. Anyone else out there waiting for TRA?

Hi there yes we had si,liar problem OH plasterer self employed. We did stat decs and also got 9 references in total of previous jobs (two of them were off regular builders he does work for and in letterhead) we also got a letter from our accountant and sent his tax records and ni contributions for last 12 years! I'd order these now as they can take upto 12 weeks to get you just need to make a subject access request to tax office I"ll try and find the link and send it you on. Basically get as much info as you can as they are quite strict! I sent tax certs, yellow images ads, references even receipts for building materials!

Hoping to put my application in this week after finally jumping over the hurdles of AQF 111 and TRA. I know there is a backlog and applications a slow but just wondered if anyone has any insight on how long likely to be? I'd prefer of course to go on the 190 but the dreaded ielts is standing in our way and so it looks like 489 FS is our only option. We have to get ITA before mid November as we lose 5 points after this date due to age. Just wondered what the likelihood is of this - are we being unrealistic to think we'll get the invite by then?

John if you send me a pm with your email address ill send you through the template that I worked from (oh is a plasterer)

No you don't have to pay school fees on this visa and you can't still get Medicare if you have a british passport.

My sister did the same got the visas then got cold feet took her house off the market and the dream was off. Then she thought about it saw how the Uk was going downhill but the house back on the market and went for it. She has been there ver 2 years now with her husband and three boys who were 13 10 and 8 when they left. They all love it and have never looked back.. We went for a month in Dec and loved it and are now on the journey for our visas as well. Good luck cold feet is natural its a huge decision but worth it to most.