seasea

Now that would be radical! For one I'm not good with the sight of blood :eek: A top-up course to get my degree is on the cards at the moment. I can do a 1 year online study course to achieve this. Intakes are 3 times a year and cost is approx £4500, but I can spread the cost of this. Now I need to start compiling and updating my portfolio so that I can gain entry to the course.

A top up year is top of my list. Also looking at starting a degree in accountancy. Way back when I was at school the careers advisor was telling me either photography or accountancy. Well, I chose my path, but never thought that I would ever need a degree. I know, accountancy :SLEEP: But it's on the SOL and I imagine that this type of work is in demand. Also, if I understand the rules correctly, most visas would permit me to work in a different field (as things currently stand). Whilst it might seem like a lot of hard work to get here and perhaps even a waste of money to get my degree I think it will be worth the effort. Still, it's good to have another skill and it will come in handy when running a business (eventually!).

Interesting to hear the contrast in views here. Whilst Bobbsy has concerns about our visa eligibility and he is perhaps thinking we are jumping the gun and worrying about more trivial things, the things that make up your current life form part of your view on whether you will enjoy life in another country. TV isn't important to me, but my wife does enjoy watching some British programs. Personally, I could burn the TV and not feel like I am missing out. There are very few things that I tune in for. I look forward to the day that we eventually make it over to Australia. Thanks for all your comments :smile:

Thanks Rupert. That clarifies things somewhat. As we know that there are currently no states sponsoring this occupation, so that would leave an employer sponsor. Time to do some more research on degrees or career changes now. :arghh: This really is going to be a long journey before I can book those flights :sad:

Thanks Xenon4017. I would love to read that thread of the "not so optimistic standpoint" if you can remember the thread title or OP name then that would be inspirational.

Been reading lots of stuff today. The provisional 489 temp visa was the one that I was looking at. I was just about to start researching degree courses that I can enrol on, but thought I should come back here to see if there was anything new. Yes, Rupert you are blunt and to the point, but had you not been then I would most certainly be thinking that this whole process would be plain sailing and far simpler, so thank you. Are we 100% sure that the occupation has to be from schedule of the SOL. The visa checklist says: Evidence that the main applicant has, at the time of invitation, obtained a suitable skills assessment in their nominated occupation on the relevant Skilled Occupation List (SOL) I mean, it does say "relevant". Suggesting that it can come from either the SOL or CSOL. I mean, if I had a skill on the SOL, then there would be easier ways to qualify. If it must come from schedule 1 then my choices are to get a degree and find an employer to sponsor me, or retrain in a skill on the SOL. Thoughts and advice welcomed.

Thanks. I've just gone through the Visa Wizard again and the pages linked to my possibly eligible visas says that my cousin is eligible as a sponsor - well once he has PR :biggrin:

I would rather see the back of this house. I may have to consider retraining, in which case my path to Australia will be a long term investment.

Looks as though cousins are not relatives that can be considered although uncles/aunts can be. Unless he happens to be my nearest surviving relative. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought. I have emailed VETASSESS to establish whether experience might be acceptable and if not what UK qualifications they accept other than a degree (if any).

Whilst it may sound this way Sprintman, we need the house to sell for a decent price to fund our migration. Rupert, if I am understanding you correctly, then even if I had a degree it would have to be an employer sponsored visa and the current option as you say would be a temporary visa... a gamble indeed and in both cases relies upon an employer sponsor. I hope this route works out for you Alaska. Another possible route for me is dependent on my cousin. He is currently on a RSMS visa and will be applying for a PR visa very soon. If he gets PR then he could sponsor us, but I need to do some research to check that this is possible.

Hmm, I need a degree - really?! DRAT I think I fall into Skill Level 2 as I have a Diploma, but not a Degree - being as Photographer is Skill Level 1/Group A or B that hangs me out to dry somewhat. Time to go back to school...

Thanks for your help Rupert. It's not that I didn't want to bother finding out, it's more a case of family life not letting me concentrate enough to read things in depth. I think I must have overlooked some of the finer details when looking at the visa requirements. Disappointed is one way of putting it :sad: On a brighter note, there is still a route that I can take. Our aim as a family was to be ready to apply in 2 years. We have a house to sell and the market is slow, so we'll bide our time.

Thanks :smile: I have run my photography business part-time for 13 years (full time for the past 2 years) and have qualifications, so hopefully this will count for something in the eyes of VETASSESS Whilst it would be nice to be located near my cousin, I would snap their arm off to get a state sponsorship anywhere in Australia. After all, once I have PR I can then relocate to another state if I choose. Yes, CSOL is broad to put it mildly and SOL is more "high demand" from what I can gather, but from what I am reading this could vary depending on where you are located in the country. Employer sponsorship sounds much more risky from what I have read. Sorry to bang the same drum that others most likely already have, but how soon can you get PR with state sponsored and employer sponsored visas? One thing I have found is that half of the results in Google for Australian government websites lead to dead pages. I guess this could be due to a change in policy, but it is frustrating that I cannot always seem to get the information I need from the government websites - at least not very easily. It's no wonder migration agents have jobs - it all seems so complicated!

No, it's not on the SOL, but it is on the CSOL.

OK, thanks for the heads up... I will refer to another more reputable agent if I decide to use one.