Wombat84

Sorry, but I entirely disagree. I am in my 30s and I know many people in their 30s who are single and very normal. When I moved here on my own and before I met my partner I had a fantastic time going out and making friends...with local Australians and other immigrants! Australia (at least the east coast, don't know about anywhere else) definitely doesn't seem like a quiet sort of place to me. I know lots of single people in "real-life", I was just wondering whether there are many on these boards who have moved between countries.

All the posts in here are "we moved back", "we decided". It also seems disproportionate compared to the number of my friends in relationships versus not. I'm desperate to move back to the UK but my Australian partner (not married, no kids) is not interested. So if I move it will be on my own. On one hand, I moved out here on my own and I was fine and I'm sure I would manage fine going back by myself. On the other, the idea of not having him share the adventure sucks. So I'm just wondering, among all the "we's", has anyone else on here gone through a big move on their own?

My nomination and application were both approved last week Timeline was: 15th December 2015 - Employer reapplied for Standard Business Sponsor status (it had just expired) 15th December 2015 - Employer nomination lodged 15th December 2015 - My application lodged 3rd February 2016 - Asked for more evidence of training expenditure for SBS 9th February 2016 - Asked for more evidence of genuine position for nomination 15th February 2016 - Asked for MORE evidence of training expenditure for SBS 24th February 2016 - SBS, nomination and application all approved within minutes of each other

They asked for more info on Tuesday, which was provided on Wednesday morning. Since then, nothing. Just tortured waiting. :eek:

Thank you. My 457 visa *should* be fine but I'm just looking at this as a potential back-up. If it does get refused the very first thing I'll be doing is going to a migration agent. There's clearly a lot of different things to think about.

Thank you so much for that helpful response Raul. Instead of "This is not correct" do you have any useful insights as well? I'm well aware of the costs for partner visas, as well as the fact there are multiple criteria to be met, so of course I won't be "relying on google for my visa future". Since it's currently a "just in case" scenario I thought Google, the government's Partner Visa Immigration page and Pomsinoz would be good places to START identifying what my options are.

My 2-year 457 visa ran out last week. The company I work for has lodged a nomination for a new 457 and I lodged my application before Christmas, so I'm now on a BVA. I have a long-term Australian boyfriend and we've lived together for over a year. So if my 457 visa gets refused for any reason we could apply for a partner visa. I would do it onshore in the 28 days before my bridging visa expired. So my question is, what would my work rights be on a bridging visa when waiting for a partner visa? I understand if you go directly from a 457 visa to a partner visa you keep the same work rights on your bridging visa - i.e. can work for that one company. Does the same apply if you're applying for a partner visa from an expiring bridging visa? I've googled/looked on the immigration website but am struggling to find a straight answer so any help would be appreciated.

Congrats with those on the nomination approval! I'm still waiting. Did you guys get a notification from Immigration that the nomination had been approved, or has your sponsoring company just passed the message on to you? My boss does check his emails very frequently and would let me know asap if he heard anything...but he doesn't check as often as I am right now!

I'm in about the same position as you guys. SBS and nomination were lodged on the 15th December, and I did my application the same day. Two days ago the company was asked to provide additional evidence of training expenditure and they've uploaded the documents but no response yet. This is my second time applying for a 457 - the first time the company only lodged for a 2-year visa so we're having to do it all over again because I'm still here. Last time the nomination and application were done mid January 2014, they asked for more evidence on the 4th February 2014, supplied it straight away, and the nomination and application were both approved within about 2 minutes of each other! The waiting is pure torture. I jump at every email notification.

I'm currently on a 457 visa and my employer has said they are happy to sponsor me for a ENS186 visa. When we did the applications for the 457 visa my employer only put down 2 years (I think they didn't realise the implications), which will be up in February 2016. So I have to wait to apply for the ENS186 until I've been on a 457 for 2 years, but that 2 year mark will also be the end of my 457 visa! So what's the best approach? Should I apply for the 186 visa on the very same day as my 457 expires? I think I would then automatically go onto a bridging visa until a decision on the 186 is made, but it feels like I'd be cutting it very fine. I'd like to apply before the 2 years is up - just a few days before - but would that then invalidate my application, even though it very likely wouldn't actually be looked at by Immigration until way after the 2-year mark? And would my employer have to lodge their nomination on the same last day too? This is probably a question for immigration directly but thought I'd try here first

Hmm, seems to be two different answers here! Also what's the difference between having to apply for a 457 all over again and transferring? For transferring I understand that the new company has to be an approved sponsor, but then what? Do they nominate me, as happens when you first apply for a 457 visa, or is it a different form?

I did a search for this topic and didn't come across anything on the first few pages, but apologies if this has been asked before. I'm on a 457 visa and there's a possibility that I may lose my job in a month or so (nothing to do with me, just due to the economy), so am just thinking about my options. I know I then have 90 days to find another company who is willing to sponsor me, but what I haven't really been able to find information on is if it has to be the same occupation as you were first sponsored for? I am assuming yes, but that makes it rather frustrating because the occupation I am sponsored under is quite similar to another couple of occupations, which also have job descriptions that match quite closely with what I am doing now. (I've only been on this visa for a year so can't apply for PR yet)

An hour after my boss emailed off more info, Immigration approved his nomination...2 minutes later (literally!) I got an email saying that my visa had been granted! :biggrin: I can't believe how quick it was in the end - just under 3 weeks since we applied. Good luck to everyone still waiting. I know it's torture, but you will get there

I lodged my application on the 16th January. So hasn't been that long yet. Still kind of torture though! I was thinking about it this morning and realised that my contract IS original so why would it need to be certified as a copy!!! *facepalm*. Visa stress completely screws with my brain.

My boss got an email through today asking for more info on the nomination (it's a small company so he lets me know what's going on). The annoying thing is he already provided most of the information in the submission, so I'm a bit confused why they're asking again. One extra thing they want is a signed contract from me. Does anyone know if this would have to be a certified copy? It doesn't specifically say it has to be, but it does mentioned the general certification process in a separate part of the letter they sent him. By the way, this is the first either of us have heard from Immigration since the submissions - i.e. no introduction from a Case Officer, so I guess you don't always get informed when one is allocated.