dollbr

Hi Blossom! I figured I'd need to stay until 3 months before the due date, just the thought of staying here another 3 months makes me feel sick. But even then, will I be able to ask to start (unpaid) maternity leave that much earlier? I hate this feeling of being trapped and this situation at work has been getting worse. I thought I might be able to pick up a temp or short contract job for the last part, but obviously that depends on whether or not DIBP will want to deport me if I leave here early! Such a horrible situation but I would like to avoid missing out on the parental leave pay. Thanks for your advice

Hi everyone! I'm in a bit of a pickle really. I was granted my 187 RSMS visa in May 2014. My partner (Aus citizen) and I are now expecting, our baby is due in October. We have decided to move to the Sunshine Coast to be closer to his family, the location of our employment is very remote and it would be difficult to have a newborn here. Also, my employment with my sponsor has been very difficult, I am genuinely concerned for my mental health and how the stress will effect my pregnancy. We have discussed leaving in September, but if my partner finds a good enough job sooner than that, we would like to move sooner. We have no intention of returning once my 1 years unpaid maternity leave is up (but this will see me through the 2 year obligation). I would much rather be away from here sooner! If I continued working until I have completed 12 months with my sponsored employer (a genuine effort to complete the required time?) then terminated my employment with reasonable notice, I'm wondering if it's likely that immigration would cancel my visa? If immigration sees my reasons for leaving as reasonable, I could then get a job on the Sunshine Coast for the last couple of months. I'm so confused and stressed out!! thanks in advance for any advice

I have since spoken to DIBP and found out that I don't need one - PHEW!!!!!

I was pretty sure that I didn't need one, but now I'm not so sure. I have started the online application for my 187 visa and on page 11, it asks if I have a skills assessment. In the info for this question, it says that for the RSMS direct entry, a skills assessment is required for overseas qualified tradespeople at ANZSCO skill level 3. I have been nominated as 'Hotel Service Manager', specialising as front office manager, which according to ANZSCO is skill level 3: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/lookup/91290F0C00EF0445CA2575DF002DA5AB?opendocument I studied for 2 years in England for a Foundation Degree in Hotel and Catering Management, which is equivalent to NVQ L5 or an Australian Diploma / Advanced Diploma. I have also previously discussed this with a migration agent, who said: ''Hotel Service Manager does not require a Skills Assessment but Olivia will need to demonstrate she meets the skill level to apply under that occupation. Hotel Office Manager requires Olivia to show evidence of Certificate III equivalent including at least 2 years' experience. At least 3 years' experience can however substitute the formal qualification.'' Any help / advice / direction would be appreciated, was i've already trawled the internet for answers.

Thank you blossom79. I think waiting for my current eVisitor to expire, then transferring to the BVA and hope work permissions get approved, is my best option at this stage. Thank you everyone for your help so far, it's good to hear what different people have learnt.

Thank you nicolac34, I am looking into it already! I am pretty sure though, after speaking to immigration this morning, that an eVisitor can only be overridden by a substantive visa, not an alternative temporary visa. I will look into it further though. Hi Minch23 thank you, that is very reassuring!! Thanks Ozmaniac, I did suspect that would be the case. Perhaps I should just stick to waiting for the RSMS?

Quite possibly, yes! I will definitely have a further look into this as an option, thank you. Although, if this option starts to look promising, it is highly likely that the bridging visa for the defacto will be very similar to the one i'm after at the moment, in the way that A) it will have the 'no work' condition attached at first and B) that it will not come into effect until my current eVisitor visa expires, still May.bn My boyfriend and I have no plans to leave our jobs here in the next few years anyway, too good of an opportunity to save up a heap of money for our future.

Thanks nicolac34! Wow, 2 weeks is an awesome outcome!! There are other members of staff being sponsored here too, also poms on the RSMS 187 visa. One of their nominations was submitted in November and still has the 'processing' status and haven't heard a peep since submitting!! The risk of submitting my part before the nomination has been accepted is pretty high too, since the $3000+ will not be returned if the nomination is denied (dependent on my employer submitting sufficient information). My boyfriend (who is an Australian Citizen, should have mentioned that) has an important management role here so him leaving, even temporarily, is not really an option. Plus the fact that we are both living off his salary at the moment and, totally understandably, he ideally doesn't want to touch the savings he's put away in his 3 years of hard work here. I've done some research on defacto and it looks like it can take up to 6 months to process. Our 1 year mark is 5-6 weeks away. I am not going through an agent, no. I couldn't really justify spending an additional $5000+ on something that I could, and have, put together myself.

Hi Ozmaniac, thank you The 457 is an option that I have briefly discussed with my employer, however they stressed that they have been betrayed by employees in the past who have not stuck to their agreed terms. Also, immigration have told me that this takes 3 months to process and incurs a $1000 fee from both parties, which my employer would not be willing to pay due to past experiences. I could approach my employer with the offer of paying their part too, but like you say, it could be a very different application to the 187 which would mean more work on their part.

Ok, I'm gonna set the scene here because I am REALLY in need some help, support and advice at the moment. I arrived in Australia in October '12 on a Working Holiday Visa, travelled around and worked a bit then in March '13 I landed myself an awesome job (and boyfriend) in a very remote part NT outback. Volunteer work for 2nd WHV was allowed when I started but rules changed in the new 13/14 financial year and was no longer accepted as 'specified work'. After completing a few weeks of volunteer work, in between my 50+ hours of paid work, this was quite frustrating. We looked at other visa options, including partner/de facto visas (which require 12 months together in the NT) but my employer decided to offer me sponsorship, FANTASTIC! Or so I thought. My 6 months was up with this employer in August '13 so I did a bit more traveling and returned to the UK in October '13, when my WHV expired. Now i'm back in Australia on an eVisitor visa (valid 12 months from approval, allowed to enter for 3 months at a time NO WORK condition). My employer has just submitted my nomination, so I COULD lodge my part of the application now, which is ready to go. Once my part is lodged, immigration automatically apply for a Bridging Visa A (BVA) for me too. Only problem with this is, the BVA will only take over once my current visa is expired which is 3 month from my entry date so will be the start of May '14. Even when it does take over, it still has a NO WORK condition attached, which can be lifted in some circumstances, such as financial hardship (hopefully $3.46 in my Aussie account and maxed out overdrafts of 2000GBP in the UK is qualifies as financial hardship!). So from what I have been able to research, best case scenario is that I could be back to work some time in May which is way too long for my liking. I REALLY want to get back to work ASAP, I love my job here and as I have said above, I am SKINT!! Depending on my boyfriend IS NOT fun, although he is happy to support me. I came to Australia to gain independence, not lose it. Going back to the UK means failure to me so is NOT an option. I have looked in to WHV for NZ but if I went down that route, upon returning to Australia, the 3 month condition of my eVisitor visa would start all over again before my BVA would take over. I'm in a bit of a kerfuffle, as you can see. I am lucky enough to be able to stay with my boyfriend on-site at his (our) workplace, for under $100 a week for food and board but we are in such a remote location that there is nothing to do. I've looked into volunteer projects and the possibility of online training (luckily we at least have wifi access!) Any kind advice or suggestions would be very much appreciated and if anyone else is or has been in the same position it would be great to chat