snowjunky

Hi Vondardanelle - We applied on the transition stream. Cheers.

Hi all Been following this thread ever since we first applied for PR and have found it a huge help. I'm extremely excited that today our 186 visa was GRANTED! Here are the important bits Lodged application and employee nomination together: 25th October 2013 Visa office lodged with: Paramatta via MA Decision ready application All necessary documents submitted at time of lodgement including medical and everything else they ask for No word from a CO until.... Visa approved: 30th January 2014 via Melbourne (which struck me as a little odd) So it took almost exactly three months from end to end. All the best to those waiting, keep the faith. Happy to answer any questions anyone has about the process.

Ok, apologies for my earlier erroneous post in that case! So there's really no point to a BVA unless your 457 is a few months away from expiring. Would be nice if they clarified this on the issuing note. They just say if your 457 "ceases", BVA will kick in but it's only true if it expires at the end of the four year spell rather than 90 days after you leave your sponsor.

Hi Clouso Most of what you've been told is correct however as your 457 will naturally expire after 90 days without a sponsor so you wouldn't have to wait until 2016 for it to expire. You could feasibly resign today, see out your notice period and then wait 90 days for it to expire of its own accord, after which the BVA will kick in. I'm currently in the same position and am investigating with my immigration lawyers as to whether that 90 day period would apply as the 457 small print says "the 457 visa holder has 90 days to find a new sponsor or a different visa before the 457 will cease". Surely this BVA would count as "a different visa" and you'd be on a bridging visa as soon as your last day at work is finished. If I find out the answer to this I'll reply here. Cheers