ktandsm

Nothing yet! Not expecting anything for a week or two yet - they're probably focusing on the delayed grants I would imagine...?

If you read the ts and cs of a working holiday visa it actually says that you are supposed to be in Australia to travel, and any work that you undertake should be to subsidise this. Granted, no one really uses it for that purpose anymore, but that is the reason behind the 6 month rule. You should definitely look into a permanent visa if you can - is your occupation on the skilled migration list? In my opinion (and it is only that, so not to be taken as gospel at all), companies are just not really willing to sponsor as many people as they used to be. I was here five years back and I got work straight away - this time I've been in and out of work with regular bouts of unemployment. I am a lawyer back in the UK and I've been working as a receptionist. We're waiting to hear about our 189 visa which I'm hoping is going to make me more employable, but it is very difficult to get work on a working holiday visa. I actually think that it's hard to get work anyway at the moment. Working with a temping agency I meet a lot of other temps that are Australian, and they have been in and out of work the same as I have, not able to get anything permanent. I wouldn't think that what they are doing is illegal. Sponsoring employees is very costly, and recruitment costs are so high that they don't want to have to do it over and over every 6 months because people can't stay any longer. Explore your other options - and good luck

I agree with Bungo. It seems like you will only be able to get the one year in on working holiday visas. The requirements for the second working holiday visa are the same as the first - i.e. you and your partner would have to be aged 18-30 (take a look at https://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/49whm.htm). As far as I know I don't think that family can sponsor you unless it's a child sponsoring a parent to come over or they are your only remaining close relatives. http://www.immi.gov.au/work/pages/work.aspx is useful for searching which visas you can apply for, but I'm afraid that if you're not on the skilled migration list it's very difficult (if not impossible), as I don't think an employer can sponsor you, and you can't get an independent visa/sponsor yourselves. Best of luck!

Are you a dining club member? Gusto tastes even more delicious when it's 40% off!!

To be honest we're the same. What I meant was that I miss the nice bars and restaurants. There isn't a whole heap going on here...unless we're visiting the wrong places! I like the sweep of cocktail, rum and theme bars that have sprung up around the place back home, like the Alchemist and Revolution de Cuba (which I think is Alma de Cuba in Liverpool), and I miss my favourite living ventures restaurants (Blackhouse, Gusto, Olive etc). We've heard that Melbourne has a great scene for us as foodies so we might think about looking at getting work there since we have no ties anywhere yet. I've only ever visited Brisbane for a few days back in my backpacker days doing the East Coast...

I suppose it is a lot of messing if ultimately you know that Aus is where you want to be! We originally tried to get work in NZ but there wasn't anything about which is how we ended up here. Not that I'm not happy that it worked out for us the way that it did, but it does seem a lot easier to get residency in NZ from most angles... I love Liverpool's nightlife. I definitely miss the nightlife of Manchester, too, being out here. Perth is pretty quiet!

I suppose it is a lot of messing if ultimately you know that Aus is where you want to be! We originally tried to get work in NZ but there wasn't anything about which is how we ended up here. Not that I'm not happy that it worked out for us the way that it did, but it does seem a lot easier to get residency in NZ from most angles... I love Liverpool's nightlife. I definitely miss the nightlife of Manchester, too, being out here. Perth is pretty quiet!

Same with my partner, holidayed and travelled together for the past 4 years and doesn't have too much before that. Could you not have gotten NZ citizenship yourself? We were in Auckland and Wellington for a month in November. What a beautiful place, but damn cold! I'm from Manchester myself

Thanks jac2011

Where abouts in the UK are you applying from? We did ours with Bupa. Just another quick one about Form 80 - is it meant to be filled out by everyone on the application or just the actual applicant? (I.e. I'm de facto on my partner's. I've finally finished filling it in but now I'm not even sure whether or not it's needed...)

Ours took about 2 days to be uploaded, they're fairly efficient . We have had a lot of holidays, and I lived in Sydney for a year on my first working holiday visa. Nothing particularly unusual, though. I think we'll submit them anyway like you say as it's worth it for things not to be held up. It's just such a lonnnnng form!

Ahh I see, thanks guys! No CO yet so I'll continue the wait

Nothing yet...Hoping to get a case officer by next month as we're heading home for a month in August for weddings, babies etc. Really hope that it's all sorted by then so we know we can come back out permanently . Any news on your end? We submitted our application around the same time as you so fingers crossed we'll both be getting results soon... Have you completed Form 80? It's the only thing that we're yet to upload. So far I'm up to 12 addresses and 29 countries visited for holidays in the past 10 years.... :confused:. I'm wondering whether to wait to see if they ask for it. I can't work out from other posts whether it's asked for more often than not...it seems to be a mixed bag

Hi itegoa - just wondering where the 'request complete' button is that you're referring to. We haven't been waiting that long so I haven't really been checking but we already have all of our documents uploaded so if there's a button to click we should probably click it!! Thanks in advance

I'd definitely suggest getting your 189 visa if you're actually thinking of staying here long term and working in your professions. My partner and I are here on WHVs and trying to get our 189. He's been lucky enough to get a job in his field for now but he has to leave pretty soon due to the WHV restriction which means that you can only work for one employer for 6 months. I think he'll struggle to get another engineering position, and I haven't been able to get any work as a lawyer at all; I've just been doing temp admin work - which isn't even that much easier to get! We're desperately waiting for a decision on our PR visa as it's a lot tougher than it used to be coming here on a WHV (I was here on my first one just 4 years ago and got work so much easier). That's my opinion anyway...it might have a lot to do with the fact that my first WHV was spent in Sydney, whereas I'm in Perth for my second one. What's made you decide on Perth? Good luck, whatever you go for!

Thanks CaptainC! We're currently in Australia on WHVs and desperately trying to get this through before my partner has to leave his job (due to the 6 month working restriction). Not holding our breath but at the same time still hoping for the best. From previous threads it looks like it takes around 6-8 weeks for people to get a case officer/grant anyway, so grants for May hopefully won't actually be held up at all since July would fall into this time frame. It's an intense wait!

Anyone know if it's worth requesting an extension past the 6 month work restriction of a WHV if we're awaiting a decision on a 189 visa? It says that the extension, if granted, would only be likely to be a matter of days or weeks, but I'm wondering if anyone has any experience?? We only lodged our application a week ago so we're expecting a good few months of waiting, but my partner's 6 months runs out in his current job on 4th July. We were hoping to get an extension until we get a grant, or at least until we get a case officer assigned so we can see what else we need to do.

I would say not, since she's not going to have anything to do with your visa...but that's just my opinion. On Form 80 there is a place to put people that you know in Australia (e.g. relatives, close friends etc), so it might just be worth putting her there instead...

Hi, I think you can submit an expression of interest but my understanding is that no more invitations will be issued for Accountants until 15-16 as the invitation ceiling has been reached.

Lodged our application last Saturday 23rd May and currently in the process of uploading our documents. Just waiting for police checks from two of the countries we've lived in and have our medicals booked in for next Tuesday. Looks like it takes around a month and a half to get a case officer assigned. Good luck everyone!