GeeBee

Happy to share my timelines and the end of a long but relatively quick journey (comparatively) from arrival on a temporary visa to citizenship in 4 years and 10 months. My advice for citizenship application is to get the papers in early (copy/paste from your PR application, if you have a recent one) and get on with your life - it'll come around before you know it. Timeline: 482 visa: Submitted: 01/07/2018 Approved: 06/07/2018 Arrived in Sydney: 4/11/2018 186 Visa - Employee Sponsored DE - Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) - PMSOL - De Facto Partner Skills Assessment submitted: 25/01/2021 Skills Assessment Approved: 12/03/21 Employer Nomination Submitted: 22/04/21 Visa application submitted: 17/05/21 Visa Granted: 17/06/21 Citizenship - Northern Beaches Council, Sydney Applied: 17/11/2022 Appointment received: 03/02/2023 Interview: 21/03/2023 Ceremony Invite: 18/07/23 Ceremony: 28/08/23

You’re right. Ignore my 3 month comment. I don’t know what I was thinking when i wrote that. My current bond in Sydney was 4 weeks.

I’ve had a couple of rentals and was always asked for a deposit to secure the unit, rather than the full bond. Deposit would be first month’s rent, if I recall. Bond being 3 months Then meet with the letting agent and you have to sign contracts in the office with them and pay the bond shortly after.

I knew someone who moved from Sydney to Perth, after being on the ceremony wait list for several months. After updating their details, their citizenship ceremony invite in Perth came through within days. Perth had shorter wait times. This was a couple of years ago. have a look on the DOHA website. I notice the have a snapshot of wait times per council as of jan 23. Look up your current and new councils for a rough idea https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/citizenship-processing-times/ceremony-wait-times

My partner is a nurse. I work in IT (remotely 3-4 days a week). Been here in Sydney 4.5 years and loved every minute. Live in the northern beaches. Living the dream. only downside is we rent. We’re waiting for citizenship and when that happens if we stay we need to look to buy, but in Sydney the prices are ridiculous. Currently been looking at ‘rentvesting’ in regional areas but not sure yet and fist time buyer perks are forfeited. one thing to consider as a nurse (you’ll walk into jobs): my partner’s colleagues have moved to regional hospitals through an agency on short term nursing contracts. The nurses are getting paid more than in Sydney AND free rent (they are desperate for staff). Something to consider to get a foothold and an experience.

I’m not familiar with the 407 but sounds temporary. something to be aware of with WHV: when you leave australia at the end of your 407, you need to request your superannuation back via a DASP form. When you do this the super gets taxed at 35-45% If you hold a WHV and at any point get paid into a super fund (ie have any kind of a job while on the WHV) when you subsequently leave australia after your 407, your entire super will be taxed at 65% including what your earned while working for your employer in the 407. It’s a bloody scam alsk note the WHV limits how long you can work for a single company. DASP for working holiday visa https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/super/in-detail/temporary-residents-and-super/super-information-for-temporary-residents-departing-australia/?anchor=DASPforWHMs tax rates are here along with https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Super/In-detail/Temporary-residents-and-super/Super-information-for-temporary-residents-departing-Australia/?anchor=HowandwhenDASPispaid#HowandwhenDASPispaid EDIT: of course if it all leads to a permanent residency then you don’t have to worry about is as your super will be locked in until retirement (but you avoid the tax).

I selected ‘other’ and it lists a load of fields to fill in but they are mainly optional. I uploaded my international travel movements and filled in as many fields as I could which corresponded. I was tempted to just reference my passport again but I was already uploading it in for another section. For me, my first entrance to Aus was in 2016 so they’ll know the answer anyway. I take it this is more useful for them if you moved here a long time ago. that said I’ve only recently submitted my application so I may yet get questions On a related note, the international travel movements record was handy to refer to for the section where you have to detail all the times you came and went from australia.

My GF went through similar thought process back in 2018, also a nurse, also job secured via a uk recruitment agency (recruiter will always push you down 482 because it’s quicker and easier they get their commission faster) At the time the 482 was about to replace the 457 (which had pretty lengthy waiting times). I discussed the APHRA present in person vs visa timescales with a migration agent and was told not to try and make sense of it because it doesn’t make sense; They just aren’t joined up. In the end she did a aphra run and booked a short holiday to present in person. you can approach this with a VISITOR visa not working holiday. You are extremely lucky as a nurse in that you’re on the priority list which really has a different set of timescales. With that in mind you probably are better skipping the temptation of a 482 and going for direct for PR options. as a nurse I would even suggest trying your luck at contacting hospitals speculatively and requesting sponsorship on a 186 DE. Either via recruitment email addresses on a hospital website or set up a linked in profile and look for ‘talent acquisition’ job descriptions at your target hospital and message them. another potential option (I would confirm with a migration agent)presuming you are relatively young and single: do your ANMAC skills assessment (not that laborious for a nurse) and IELTS (ugh!) from UK and then move to aus on your working holiday visa and apply for a 189 from there. Do your ahpra there, get on local agency books and start banking at local hospitals and live your aus life while you wait out the PR.

I believe school fees are factor on 482 if your kids are that age, so know what you’re getting into with that. Marissa’s points are valid. It’s a risk and yes the 482 isn’t cheap and everything is due again for the 186 (+ more) on the flip side you get to actually live in australia while going through the PR process rather than waiting it out in your home country - and I’m sure a for great many, the wait for that PR opportunity never actually comes around.

We came on a 482 and after 2.5 years got PR from an employer sponsored visa - 186 Direct Entry. It was the same employer. Same job. You can go for PR through the 482 transition stream after 3 years (one of my friends is doing this) but the only benefit I could see is you skip the skills assessment. Otherwise, so long as you've got the 3 years experience, as soon as the employer is willing to sponsor you for PR you can apply for it as a 186 visa, unrelated to your 482. Obviously going straight to 186 is preferred in the first place, but realistically the processing times are too long for most employers. When you're here on a 482 you're in the job while you're waiting for the 186 but there's 2 sets of fees for both parties.

Just to follow-up on my post above, I didn't call the office but did try filling in the online application before 20 Sep but it wouldn't let me past step 4, so had to wait.

Following advice from online and probably this forum, I requested my international travel movements as proof of first arrival in Australia, and I've received it. However on Step 23 the question doesn't give the option to provide travel movement. First arrival was in 2002 so my passport then has long gone. Any guidance appreciated? Evidence of first arrival in Australia Does the applicant have evidence of their first arrival in Australia? YesNo Select one document from the list below DFTTA Other travel document Passport PLO56 (M56) Titre de Voyage

I would add to the 482 insurance warning: double check the insurance qualifies for the medicare levy tax exemption: If you earn over a threshold you’ll be liable for an annual Medicare levy surcharge if you don’t not have private health insurance which qualifies as a substitute and exempts you from it. Depending on how much you earn It can be cheaper to pay for insurance rather than pay the surcharge at tax time. I arrived on an Overseas visitor health cover which satisfied the visa requirements but turned out it didn’t qualify for the Medicare levy exemption and I got an unexpected tax bill. If you’re in this situation just change the insurance to one that does qualify, even if it’s after you arrive, but every day you’re not is counted and can cost. https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Medicare-and-private-health-insurance/Medicare-levy-surcharge/

Thanks Nicky. so if I forget about prior holidays the only one I’m still unsure about is the visa/aphra run in May 2018 - 22-31 May 2018 - in australia on eVisitor visa - 1 june - 19 sept 2022 - in uk - 20 sep 2018 - landed in australia on 482 visa and haven’t left - june 2021 PR granted - june 2022 PR held one year i had been planning to apply after 20 sept 2022 but now wondering if I can in June 2022. I put these dates into the residency calculator and it said yes but there’s no way to add visas to that.

In June this year my GF and I meet the one year PR requirement requirement for citizenship. She moved to australia in sept 2018 and has been in the country since. the four year lawful residence would be sept 2022. All good. but what about holidays beyond 4 years? There was a 10 day visa run earlier in May 2018 (eVisitor - to present in person for AHPRA nursing registration) and over the 10 years before that, my GF has clocked up about 3 months living in australia on tourist visas. I’m wondering if these trips beyond 4 years ago would form part of the lawful residence but can’t confirm either way from the wording.