engaus

You will not find all immigration policies for Australia online. So why not pay a few hundred dollars to get an expert opinion - surely that's worth it vs losing your entire visa application?

Yeah - I think it was the excuse they gave him because they just had so many applicants to choose from. But you are right, it's such a common thing to hear from employers these days. I frequent another forum that is predominately partner visa applicants and it's a constant discussion over there - people complain that they can't get work these days because they don't have Australian experience. My partner ended up working in a warehouse for a few months stacking boxes until he caught a plane back to the UK. We are going to stay here for a few years before giving Australia another go when things start to (hopefully) look up!

You will require a waiver if you have kidney issues that may result in the need for a transplant in the future. This is why it's good to have a agent.

My partner only had 6 months post qualifying experience. But with a good firm. But his lack of post qualification experience was never brought up as being a reason for him not being successful (although i'm sure more experience would have been beneficial). They always said they wanted someone to stay long term in the paralegal position (in Australia being a Paralegal seems to be a career as opposed to a stepping stone for a lot of people to be a solicitor), or that he didn't have Australian experience. He would have applied for about 200 jobs and got 3 interviews. He is in employment law.

What is your post qualification experience? My partner spent over 12 months trying to find a paralegal position in Victoria last year, first on a WHV and then on a BVA as we had applied for a partner visa. He had a degree, a little post qualification experience and had had his degree assessed and completed additional units (had to complete 4 additional units at $4,000 each). Still no luck. He kept being told that they wanted someone to stay in the paralegal position and not use it as a stepping stone for becoming a solicitor - seems to be the opposite in the UK. He was also told time and time again that he needed Australian experience. So I would say in your position you might be seen as over qualified and might had just as hard a time when you are competing with Australian Graduates for paralegal positions. The legal sector in general isn't doing well in Australia - so if you are coming over I would suggest doing it on a skilled visa and ensuring that you have a good amount of experience under your belt already. My partner is now back in the UK working for Leigh Day to try and build up some additional experience before heading back over again. If you need to re qualify on top of everything else you will need more than £15,000.

Agreed! Don't try to do this by yourself. Speak to an agent like George Lombard who specialises in this kind of thing. You need to make sure you have put forward the best case possible!

I grew up in Australia (in my early 20's now). Kids got bullied for ALL kinds of ridiculous reasons when I was at school - we had Sudaneise, Sri Lankens, Indians, Aboriginals, Chinese, Vietnamese, and I'm sure there were others. Some of them were bullied - but it wasn't because of the colour of their skin. It was for other non race related things. A Sri Lanken student was bullied because he was highly intelligent!!! best thing to do is to bring your kids up with the confidence to brush it off and ensure you are in a school that takes it seriously (my school was great - had a two strikes and your out policy). It will destroy their confidence if they grow up thinking they should be concerned by that people think.

Yes, hopefully they are all over the costs.Once you have your permanent partner visa you will pay domestic fees but you will need to pay them upfront. My partner looked at studying (whilst on a temporary partner visa so had to pay international fees) and 1 year of study was close to $30,000.00.

You should have a pretty good idea. If you meet all the requirements for the visa and have solid evidence you will be fine

Some airline offer "migration fares" for people moving over - for example Singapore and as far as I was aware Cathay. There are plenty of thread about this already. For example: http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/flights-holidays/227364-singapore-air.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/transport-shipping/226827-migration-airline-fares.html

Based on the "specified" work on the IMMI site I would say it is. http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/417.aspx

Expect to pay lots of $$ given you won't be eligible for any HECS/HELP loans - until you are a citizen!

They will be between 25-30 and they are still dependent? Are they still at university or something?

Keep us updated and stay positive! Smother them with evidence!!

They will be able to go through both of your qualifications and work out if you qualify for a visa. I know on the CSOL list there is Customer Service Manager. Have a look at this link. It tells you what the min requirements are for your partner to be eligible under that role. https://www.acacia-au.com/anzsco/149212.php

This is just - horrendous. I hope they paid for your flights? If your partner is just in Customer Service then it's very unlikely she could obtain a skilled visa. I would get in touch with a MARA agent as has been suggested, and see if you have any options...

Yeah exactly haha! That was the point I was attempting to make

So when you sent in your application you had proof of being in a de facto relationship prior to living together? Obviously they think your application has merit otherwise they would have refused it by now. Gave my suggestions on the other thread, but as I said use the search function on this website and you will find hundreds of posts showing people giving lists of their evidence.

They only count your defacto relationship from the point you start living together. A few agents have mentioned this and there was a recent court ruling on it according to WRussel (MARA agent). From IMMI site: To satisfy this requirement, the couple must demonstrate that they have been in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months before the visa application is made. For migration purposes, a person is in a de facto relationship with another person if they: are not married to each other have a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others are in a genuine and continuing relationship live together or do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis are not related by family.

Hm... So you have been living together since October 2013 and applied May 2014. I'm concerned because it's not even closer to 12 months. What was your relationship with your partner prior to October? Had you ever lived together or was it a long distance relationship? Why did you apply early? Did you have a reason? (just wondering if they think it might be grounds for excusing the 12 months). What about wills? You names on your partner superannuation? Joint car insurance? Joint memberships e.g gym, flybuys, joint purchases? e.g a couch or a fridge. Joint travel? Did you ensure that you had evidence for all 4 evidence categories? How many stat decs did you have? If they decline it you will be in a bit of a sticky situation. You will most likely need to go offshore and apply for a partner application from there

Ohh dear. Have just read this after posting in your other thread. In theory your visa shouldn't be granted because you didn't' meet the 12 month requirement (living together is a time of application requirement) and from what you have said you don't have any compelling or compassionate reasons for not being able to meet the 12 months. You could have got married and this would have waived the 12 month requirement. Send as much information as possible! Search a few forums for ideas, because I know when I applied I had information I dind't even think could be used as evidence that I found other people using! Best of luck + let us know how you go!

Make sure you send as much as possible. If they are asking for more evidence it means they do not believe they have enough evidence to grant your visa. Did they specify what information they wanted? What have you sent thus far?

As I said in my reply, I have seen applications from Pakistan take 18-24 months. There are in depth security checks that are done on applicants from Pakistan that can take over 6 months alone.

A few overseas embassy's will inform applicants when a case officer is assigned, but not 820's. what info did they ask for?

This info is on the IMMI site http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/417.aspx How to calculate specified work 'Three months' means three 'calendar' months or 88 days. Work can be either: in one block with one business in separate blocks with one business or a number of businesses. Blocks of work may be in different kinds of specified work. One full day of work is defined as having worked the minimum number of hours considered to be a standard day by the particular industry in which the applicant is employed. Generally, the Australian working week is 35 to 40 hours, consisting of seven to eight hours of work each day. Individual employers can not set a smaller period of time than the industry standard to satisfy the specified work requirement. In calculating the period of time for which the applicant has undertaken specified work, the type of employment relationship the applicant may have with their employer, including full/part time employment, casual employment or voluntary employment, is not as important as whether the relevant industry considers the period of work completed to be equivalent to full time work for that industry. For example, if the applicant's paid employment involved two weeks on and then two weeks off, and this is standard practice in the industry, the applicant would be considered to have worked for four weeks (28 days). If the employer is satisfied that the applicant has undertaken the equivalent of full time work for that industry for the specified period, the visa decision maker may be satisfied that the applicant has undertaken full time work for the specified period. Applicants whose work is equivalent to full time employment may count weekends in the 88 day period. However, if the applicant's work is not equivalent to full time employment, for example, part time or casual, they may only count the full days actually worked. In circumstances where the applicant is employed by more than one employer at the same time, they may only count each calendar day of work completed once towards their 88 day specified work requirement. The shortest period that may be counted towards the specified work requirement is one day of full time work (for that industry). Applicants cannot count a long day of work as more than one day of specified work. For example, if the industry's standard day is six hours long, working a 12 hour day does not count as two days of specified work. Full time workers can count sick days only during periods where they were in paid employment and entitled to sick leave or covered by a workers compensation scheme. In these situations, supporting evidence must be provided by the employer. Applicants who were prevented from obtaining employment because of injury or seasonal circumstances cannot count any time they were unable to work towards the three month period. For example, cyclones interrupting harvest activities. Some possible examples to help clarify the definition of three months of specified work are outlined below. Examples that meet the three month requirement Working week Working on a farm for three months for five days each week, where the industry standard is five days a week of full time work. Shift work Employed as a miner for three months and under the employment contract are only required to work every second week, which is the standard full time contract for the industry. Blocks of work Completing 60 days of harvest work, followed by a period of travel for two months. Then completing another 28 days in construction, bringing the total days worked to 88 days. Sick days Employed for a three month period but take several days of sick leave during the period. Examples that do not meet the three month requirement Working week When five days of work a week is the industry standard on a farm, but the applicant only works four days a week for three months. Work done on another visa type Completing three months of specified work during the summer break while on a Student visa. Seasonal circumstances Picking bananas for 80 days on a casual basis, but the applicant cannot find more work as there is a cyclone and their first Working Holiday visa ceases.