PomCop

I went at the beginning of this year for 6 weeks with the intention of staying for the year on a WHV. Got a job and everything. Granddad got taken into hospital and was told he has a few days, if that, left in him. Literally got the next flight out of Perth. He died about 3 hours before I landed back in the UK. Absolute heartache. But yes, I left due to horrible circumstances. The best part now is that I have benefited from coming back as I now can start sorting out my 189 visa. Where there's a cloud....

Have you activated your visa ie landed in Australia and then left the country again? (Or stayed)

What I gathered from the OP's post is that - - he goes back over to Australia - his ex will be going to Australia for 3 months to see her dad anyway - the OP will then get to, hopefully, spend 3 months each year with his daughter as apposed to very little in the UK Just my take on it...

If she can, try and enrol on another years study....

So it's literally just have things ready if the CO asks for them!

As for the cost. Standard 189 Visa (solo applicant) would be in the £2000GBP region Skills Assessment from TRA: A$1000 (around £500GBP) Medicals: Anything up to £300 per person Police Check: £45 per person In total, for one applicant, you're easily talking £3000.

Congrats, Paul. Sorry if I have already asked this, are you a Native English speaker? I am taking the PTE Academic exam over the next few months aiming to get 79 or above in each module for the "Superior" English as I need the extra points. It's either get the extra points or wait two years for my employment experience to meet the 5 year mark. I have been revising on the PTE Academic website and purchased the highest revision package (cost around $50 USD I think). Did you use anything else for revision? Any other materials, websites etc?

Employment etc (showing payment into your account).. is it needed? I have all my bank statements downloaded, that's all. But I don't think they're needed!

Hi. She can apply for the Graduate Visa (http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/485-) which allows the international student to stay in Australia after their graduation. Look at if she can apply for it on the "Eligibility Requirements" section.

Firstly, you need to see if his occupation is on the Skilled Occupations List (SOL) 2014 - 2015: http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/SOL [TABLE=class: table-100, width: 497] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #DDEEFF]Carpenter and Joiner[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #DDEEFF]331211[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #DDEEFF]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE=class: table-100, width: 497] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #DDEEFF]Joiner[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #DDEEFF]331213[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #DDEEFF]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Secondly, does he have a NVQ or any trade qualifications. If so, how long has he had them for? The above two seem to fit what you described. If that is so, he will need to have a Skills Assessment from Trades Recognition Australia. In order to achieve a positive Skills Assessment, he needs to have been working at the required skill level for 3 years (including in the past 12 months) and has to have 3 years POST qualification i.e. NVQ Level 2 - Carpentry & Joinery. If he doesn't hold a NVQ Level 2 or higher, he will need to gain Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) through a relevant body such as Skilling Australia (see link below) which will cost you roughly £1500-£2000. They will send him lots of paperwork and will come out to site to assess him. Depending on the outcome, he should then receive the Australian qualification in Carpentry and Joinery (or whatever it's titled). Skilling Australia - http://www.skillingaustralia.com Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) - http://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx TRA Application Guidelines - http://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au/Programs/Migration/Documents/33.%20TRA%20MSA%20Applicant%20Guidelines%20V9.0.pdf

Hi all.. tried to use the search facility but was just bringing up too many results! How many of you submit bank statements as your evidence or are they not needed at all? I had a look on the document checklist and they are not on there... just got me thinking!

The most important part! Haha..

I have just been looking at the TRA Guidelines - 2.6 and it doesn't say anything about "you must have done an apprenticeship" etc - it does give you the option if you are an apprentice to get your Skills Assessment, but it doesn't stop those who aren't getting the skills assessment relevant to their occupation. I hope that makes sense! Full TRA guidelines here: http://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au/Programs/Migration/Documents/33.%20TRA%20MSA%20Applicant%20Guidelines%20V9.0.pdf

@nobbi - It depends on the trade you're qualified in now? What does it say on your NVQ Certificate?

@nobbi, Skilling Australia does carry out the Skills Assessment for Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC30611) – Painter which is what you may need for your positive Skills Assessment if you don't want to wait around for your Level 2 NVQ to go past the '3 YEARS POST QUALIFICATION' stage.

Nobbi - feel free to PM me with anything. Although I'm not an agent or anything of like, I've been studying the system for the past 3 years trying to get my head around it too! Do you know who your assessing body will be?

In short: Option 1: If you achieve your NVQ in January 2012, you would have to wait until January 2015 before submitting your skills assessment with the relevant evidence (payslips, references, qualifications etc) Option 2: If you don't have an NVQ but say... Have 5 years or more in the trade, you can get a thing called a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) which then gives you the Australian qualification in your trade Once the Australian qualification has been awarded, you then have to do your Skills Assessment and submit your evidence etc In summary: you still need a Positive Skills Assessment to be invited to apply for your visa Someone please correct me if I am wrong - I am not an agent!

The NVQ I presume was through OSAT? (On-Site Assessment & Training) To get the skills assessment, you need 3 years POST qualification (dependant on the assessing authority requirements) Recognition to Prior Learning is 5 years - but you have to be interviewed usually through webcam or on the phone with another assessing body in Australia relevant to your trade. They then award you (or don't) your trade qualification for Australia. You then need to get a skills assessment from the relevant authority Hope that clears it up

Oh right! Well at least you got the result you wanted in the end :-)

Yes, you will just need to get registered in the state you move to by the relevant authority. You may still need a Skills Assessment when you get to Australia, but everything can be sorted there. :-)!

Hi Susanbro, Why was he knocked back the first time?

Skype is cheap enough.

Thanks CapC I have copies of my original documents. What I am asking is, once they've been certified by my solicitor, can I then photocopy those as all the certified copies will be going to Trades Recognition Australia If that makes sense...

That's correct - it does breach the Data Protection Act for them to not give you a reference and to give you a bad one however, they can refuse to give YOU there reference, but cannot refuse it if a company requests the reference...

Do I need to get certified copies of my payslips etc?