RMT1980

Hey folks... you may already know about it, but I thought I'd point out this thread... http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/77756-brand-new-pio-parents-visa-thread-866.html It has been running for years and has tons of really helpful POI'ers on it - both sat in the waiting room as well as those already granted and living the dream. Might be worth heading on over to that thread if you have any questions you want answered.

Many thanks Captain...... somehow I knew you'd be the person to respond to my thread! You are the unofficial (or official perhaps) guru of all things 189! Thanks again. Amendment....... didn't notice before captain.... you got your grant today! Huge Congrats!!!:wink:

Question for all those that have already been invited to apply for a 189 visa and gone through the actual online application form. One of the 189 visa document check-list items is to supply a photo of each applicant which is labelled with the applicant name. The check-list notes state that they can be provided electronically - which makes sense for 189 online applications. However what I want to know is the accepted methods for labelling an electronic photo. Do we simply need to ensure the photo file-name is the name of the applicant (thus labelling the file) or does the photo itself in the file have to have a label overlaid in a photo editor of the applicant name? Any advice from people already having gone through this would be appreciated. For info, then detail from the official site (https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/189-/Skilled-Independent-visa-(subclass-189)-document-checklist) is this; ************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Recent, scanned passport-sized photograph (45 mm x 35 mm) of you and each other person included in the application. Alternatively, digital photos can also be provided. Each photograph should: be of the head and shoulders against a plain background and be labelled with the applicant's name.

Hey Julie, great post, thanks for sharing the update. Just wondering... Do you think that they mean they have granted 100 CPV in 4 days, or that they have granted 100 visas of various sub-types in 4 days? Perhaps you would be able to Copy and Paste the email exert into this thread.

When it comes to the stage where we do Police Checks, how do you actually get the results to border.gov.au...? Do they get recorded electronically like the Medicals do so they can be automatically seen by CO, or do you have to physically scan, attach, email, or otherwise send the Police Check results some how?

... check out my signature on posts... all stats/points in there for me.

You would not be wrong, and it is as many suspected; http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/236919-skillselect-results-stats-july-6th-2015-invitation-round.html

Ok, so finally Border.gov.au have updated their SkillSelect area on the website with the results of the Invitation Round carried out on 6th July 2015 (first of new programme year), and as I had feared/suspected, the 3 pro-rated Occupations didn't receive any invites for anyone with an EOI less than 65 points. It doesn't reveal how many were invited from each points banding, but it is possible to see they invited the full pro-rated allotment (e.g. 447 for 2613 - Software and Application Programmers) - so it will have been a mixture of 65+ pointers. The second invitation round of this programme year has also just taken place on 3rd Aug but the website hasn't been updated to reflect the stats from this round yet, but it will be very interesting to see the points cut-off from that, as I would hope that some 60 pointers got through in August - to give a glimmer of hope for September also. The cut-off was only as far as 65 points in this round due to the large backlog of EOI from the end of the last programme year where those Occupation codes had already reached their ceilings and ceased receiving invites. We can only hope that a large amount of the backlog has been cleared in the July and August rounds, and that they will be able to invite 60 pointers from September onwards. Huge congrats to anyone that got an invite for the pro-rated Occupations in the July 6th Invitation round (or indeed August), and here's looking forward to the next round in September, where hopefully they will have already cleared some of the 65+ point backlog and then be able to provide invites to the large portion of patient applicants with EOI on 60 points. For those that don't know where the invitation round stats are then here is the link; http://www.border.gov.au/WorkinginAustralia/Pages/SkillSelect-6-july-2015-round-results.aspx Would be interesting to hear from others who have made an EOI for one of the pro-rated Occupation codes, and when the EOI was made and for how many points.

Oh well looks like another invite round has come and gone and I've not been lucky this time again. Hey ho, roll on September... surely my numbers have to come up in that one!

Thanks guys, just getting the name of some insurance companies that others have used is a big help. I'll do some reasearch in them.

Sorry if this is a topic which has been addressed before... I'm happy to be directed to another thread if one exists. We are in the process of getting shipping quotes, and are wondering what the possible options might be for insurance and what the POI crew think is good/bad about getting your own insurance as opposed to going with the shipping companies for this. Any advice on insurance companies that people have used before for covering their shipping/container would be appreciated, or indeed any other useful tips or advice that people have on shipping insurance. Thanks in advance.

Hey Pommie, yep I'm crossing everything too for an invite in the August round. I submitted EOI way back on 7th May, so I feel like many rounds have passed by since... Although I do appreciate the first few were irrelevant as my nominated occupation had reached its ceiling. I had all crossed for the first new round in July, but alas no, so as you say..... bring on August 3rd! Good luck to you Pommie and everyone else waiting.

I feel your frustration Birch4, I sat IELTS and failed twice by only 0.5 a point, on different ones each time to make it worse (one that I got 9.0 on the first time). I am biassed as I thought Pearson was so much better and I passed it first time, but that said you might want to take a look at these posts about it; http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/235286-ielts-english-test-help-please.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/231707-ielts-v-s-pearson-test-english-academic-pte-academic-my-personal-findings.html Good luck with whatever you decide.

Hi Pommie, yes you're right, Pearson email candidates to inform them that the results are ready (usually the day after the exam). Candidates can then log into the Pearson candidate portal to get the results and also download a PDF certificate. The results certificate will include an official Test Reference Number. It is this number which you supply in the online EOI form when filing the EOI. IMMI/Border then are able to see the same results electronically using that reference as Pearson will have already sent the results to them - when you book the Pearson PTE exam it asks who the results should be sent too. I.e. A school or college, or in our case IMMI. I can't pass comment how the same is supplied for the purpose of the actual Visa application when invited, as I've not got that far yet, although eagerly waiting and hoping for an invite in the next round in August.

Sorry to hear you didn't hit the grade you needed. I totally sympathise as I sat the IELTS exam twice and missed out by 0.5 each time. I then decided to revise for the Pearson PTE Academic exam, and it was so much fairer in my opinion. I passed the PTE first time with nearly full marks 90, 90, 90, 88. You may find this thread of interest; http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/231707-ielts-v-s-pearson-test-english-academic-pte-academic-my-personal-findings.html ... and also this one; http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/233591-pearson-pte-test-taken-yesterday-feedback-2.html Good luck with whichever route you decide to take for your english exam.

Hey shanners... We're also hoping now for August/September invite (although would rather it be the former). Where in Brisbane are you hoping to head? I have family north of the city towards Redcliffe. We're hoping to end up on the Sunshine Coast ourselves - Not sure exactly where yet, but we like Brightwater (Mountain Creek), Buderim and places in that vicinity. I hope all goes well for you and you get the invite in next round or soon after.

Hi there... There have been a few other threads recently on this very topic.... Might be worth you having a look at this one; http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/235286-ielts-english-test-help-please.html

Hi there, that's fantastic news for you all.... We are also a family of 4 and wanting to move to Brisbane. EOI submitted on 7th May for a 189, so had been hoping for an invite on Monday in the first 2015 round in July but alas no....... Waiting now for August with everything crossed. Hope your application goes smoothly from hereon. Look forward to reading the updates.

Hey Teejams.... first off, that is awesome news - huge congrats. I am somewhat confused though now from reading your post and hearing that you have been invited over 24 hours after the invitation round emails went out to all other people. If you don't mind me asking, then what is your Nominated Job Code that you submitted an EOI for, and also how many points do you have? Also, what time was the email sent by IMMI.... can you see the sent date/time on it? Many congrats again on the invite...!

Hi Teejams and AusApril27, I also have 60 points and made an EOI for 2613 on 7th May, but didn't receive an invite in the July round. I had hoped to have been in this round but looks now like I have to wait till August - hopefully I'll be invited in that round. Be good to hear how your EOI progress and what happens over the coming weeks.

I am biassed, but simple answer..... ditch IELTS and take PTE instead. I was driving myself mad taking IELTS TEST and practicing all evenings and waiting 2 weeks each time for my IELTS exam results, only to find out I had missed out on the required grade by 0.5 point. I took it a second time and got 9.0 in said module but then missed out on another module by 0.5 points. The IELTS exam format is, in my opinion, old school and out dated in its approach to point allocation and marking. You sit 4 modules and answer a question paper about each module, whereas PTE is much more modern and is totally computer based. Plus the questions go towards more than 1 module... So for any given question the answer could go towards the points make up of more than 1 module. Suffice to say, I sat PTE (having failed IELTS twice) and passed with almost full marks... the points system is different as it is out of 90, and I got 90, 90, 90, 88. Plus the best thing I found was I got my results the very next morning... had an email to say they were ready and so could login to get them. Tons better than waiting the 2 weeks with IELTS. Don'y get me wrong, PTE Academic is still a hard exam and you need to have some practice beforehand online. I certainly couldn't have gone in blind, but that said... it is so more relaxing (a dozen or so candidates versus 100 with IELTS). I was lucky on my exam day in Cardiff that I was only candidate so had exam room to myself. Would totally recommend the PTE Academic to anyone that has tried and failed IETLS a couple of times.

Using 2613 - Software and Application Programmers as an example, it basically means they will ensure that of the 5364 places available in the whole programme year, that they will not issue/invite any more than 447 people from that Occupation per month (that assumes one invitation round per month of course). Basically they are ensuring that because of the high demand for those jobs that they will not all get invited and filled up before the end of the 2015/2016 programme year. They are limiting the number of invites per month on a pro rata basis to avoid that. That's my understanding on it anyway... Anyone else is free to comment if they have a better explanation or find fault in my understanding.

Ok.... so the Occupation Ceilings have been updated/released for the 2015/2016 programme year. ICT Professionals should be encouraged by the slight increase in the ceiling to their job code compared to last year. Although they do state that the job code will be pro rated from the start over the whole coming programme year, along with a couple of other ones too - such as Accountants. Not a bad thing I suppose.... at least it means invites will happen for the entire year instead of being taken early on. "Due to high levels of demand, the below three occupation groups will be subject to pro rata arrangements to ensure availability of invitations across the programme year: ICT Business and System Analysts Software and Applications Programmers Accountants." References: http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Skil (then click on Occupation Celings tab).

Hi Benj, not sure if you read my earlier post, but I concur with your post. I sat IELTS twice... failed first time having been 0.5 a point off, then second time I got full 9 in the one I failed before but lost out on another by 0.5. IELTS felt like proper old school examination.... PTE was a totally different experience in every respect.

Just wanted to post an update in relation to my last post, since I've now looked at my PTE Exam results certificate and it does state that the validity period is 2 years. So even though IMMI require you to have done the exam in the last 3 years, it kind of doesn't make sense if you choose PTE since that itself is only valid for 2 years. Most people generally tend to have applied in this timeframe I guess anyway so it's all a bit academic.