nomadiccarpenter

Very good point. Enjoy time with friends and encourage them to visit. You know what - I've been also doing is using credit card points as a little savings strategy to help friends and family visit. It's slow growing but by the time I'm settled, should be a nice little fund for a future airfare ticket. And I also agree planning ahead becomes obsessive. I'm at that stage now so should pull back. Plus, everything will feel different when I do arrive and there's much to learn by just exploring a new place on foot. @ali Yes, then crack open an Aussie drink when the grant comes!

Thanks for the advice everybody. Some tips to those who are waiting and get frustrated like me: Don't: • check the news every day about borders. • bug your migration agent every week or month because they won't know either • parachute into the country Do: • read books about Australia • network online with Australians • research everything about the city you're landing in

Thought I'd make a thread to lighten the mood when it comes to the frustration of waiting for our visa grant. Feel free to rant, vent or share experiences that could help one another pass the time. How are you feeling? Have you found ways to stay productive during this massive delay of life plans? Has the wait turned into a positive experience or has it been destructive? My experience: Fortunately, I've had work to pass the time but I will be laid off in two weeks. My car has bit the dust so now I'm wondering, "do I buy a car when I may move next month... or next year?" Dating or relationships are a no-no and finding a new job would require me to lie about my future so they don't reject me for not committing a lot of time. Ideally, I'm entering the perfect time to move abroad this summer but times are not normal and I may end up waiting until summer 2022 at the earliest. So now, I have to fight to keep my savings as long as I can until I can actually go to Oz. I'm going to focus on my self-employment prospects and learn about real estate (though I can't get a license until Oz). I'll just be doing side hustles until a bigger opportunity arrives and work on being creative (music, skateboarding, writing).

My worry - hopefully just out of paranoia - is that the border closures go from being a medical necessity, to simply an anti-immigration policy. Australia cannot be robust without immigration yet there are a few people in power who have a fantasy of forever border closures who need to be voted out of office. Specifically pointing to Gerard Rennick's recent comments as reported in the Sydney Morning Herald by Latika Bourke, which makes me wonder how wide-spread his thinking is. I believe reality and common sense will prevail, as it usually does. However, this will be a teaching moment that Australians need to watch their freedoms closely. I'd gladly trade my spot in line with an Australian citizen stranded overseas.

Wow, thanks Domo. I had asked my migration agent and they had a simplistic answer saying it wasn't required for grant but they didn't amplify their answer by saying it would help. Honestly though, I'm fine with waiting. Fortunately, I have a job right now in the US, even though I'm burned out. If I were unemployed, I could totally see myself doing what you're doing. Thanks for the information.

I thought a job offer made no difference to a 190 application?

The closest Vetassess I could find was Belfast, Northern Ireland. Studied for months, flew to Dublin and took a train there a couple days later. Then I rushed to catch a train back to Dublin and flew back to Texas just in time for a 4am call at work. A couple months later, Covid started and Vetassess announced they would conduct interviews over Skype! haha

I went ahead and bought a refundable flight for myself for September, even though I'm not granted. I'm just trying to cover all the bases in case prices jump. If the grant keeps taking longer, I'll just keep delaying it.

If you think that is strange, I'm an American using a South African agency. There aren't any agents in the US as far as I know. They've been great. My medicals are expired too. Before deciding to get an agent, I mistakenly did a medical exam first but I'm told was okay to do so. Of course, it's expired but I've heard of direct grants happening anyway. Worst case, I'll do it again.

They're going to need them. I'm from the US so I'm probably the last person Australia wants granted into their country, sadly. However, the vaccination is going well here so hopefully my country's reputation will be better by the end of the year.

Carpenter here. Applied for the 190 in NSW, March 30 of 2020. No CO contact yet.

Waiting for a date for the interview and then can get back to you with advice and tips. I just got notice my stage one assessment was a success as a carpenter. I had a complicated work history full of self-employment endeavors mixed in with employed work. I had to make more than one self-declaration statement to explain gaps in work. Overall, the paperwork stretched out to about four months before I applied last week. I was pretty nervous but it only took seven days to hear back with the good news! I ended up not needing a letter from an accountant. I explained I didn't have one and do my accounting myself, which is true. Also had lots of taxes, bank statements, invoices and stubs to back this up. I went around collecting a lot of reference letters, including the supplier references. This ended up being close to a dozen brief letters but they were very necessary for my situation. Chances are, most applicants don't need that many.

Thanks!

Thanks everybody. So there is no further assessment regarding years of experience after Vetassess is finished?

Let's say I successfully finish the Vetassess process in my trade... While I wait for a visa invitation, how important is it that I stick to my trade in my daily work life? Can I work other occupations or would it hurt my chances doing unrelated work before I am invited to apply? I ask because I may have an opportunity to make more money outside of my usual trade but I am wondering if the Australian government will check before granting me a visa and if it will affect myself negatively. Once I get to Australia, I plan on doing the work in my trade. This is just a temporary issue. I'm applying for the 189 / 190 / 489. Thanks!