Jade Mortlock

10 hours ago, GeeBee said:

Thanks both.  I had a chat with some migration agents and employment agencies for nurses at an exhibition.  Even they had conflicting information on the process but some things are a little clearer.

I'm now of the understanding it's not the AHPRA registration we're waiting to come through to apply for the visa, but the employers visa nomination form (which we had received but sent back a couple of weeks ago as it had errors).

We've dropped a note to all parties just to make clear that if the nomination and our visa isn't submitted by the end of the month there will be considerably higher fees for everyone when we apply for the TSS.  

This probably isn't feasible but if there's a chance we may as well do it.  My understanding is that if we submit the initial application and pay the 457 fee, we upload the supporting documents after straight after.  Anything not quite ready will be uploaded over the following week or two in March (so long as it's not essential for the application).  But if we miss the deadline, we just apply for the TSS and take the financial hit.

AHPRA time limits

With regards to the AHPRA registration in principle and the 3 months limit to confirm identity:  It sounds like it is what it is.  A trip to Australia to confirm the identity is probably going to be due.  What's disappointing is that nobody has raised this and it was probably always on the cards.  It seems that unless you're lucky and your visa comes in within 3 months of the AHPRA registration in principle, anyone applying for AHPRA should budget and plan holidays to make this (pretty ridiculous) trip to Australia to confirm identity.  One agent said a lady flew to Australia to do this and was told 3 weeks later the form had been filled in wrong and she had to fly out and do it all again!

The AHPRA time limit used to be 12 months, which gave plenty of time to complete the AHRPA and then visa processes sequentially.  The 3 month limit just breaks the process and you have to work around it.

A migration agent gave some good advice:  She said don't think of the process is logical.  The reason it doesn't seem to make sense is because it's not logical.  You're [we're] not doing anything wrong, you just need to work through it as best as you can.

All the above is just my current understanding of the process (which seems to change weekly) so please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Sadly you are not the only one going through this. My company have completely changed the way we manage our recruitment process with international nurses. We actually provide them a 'conditional letter of offer' at interview stage so that they can have assurance as soon as the AHPRA is approved they can lodge the visa application. We also thankfully have priority processing status with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) meaning it only takes 1-2 weeks to be approved. 

I really am sorry to hear that the process has been so stressful. Being an Australian myself I can promise you it is all worth it.

I hope you are very well taken care of when you finally arrive in Australia

Kind regards

Jade