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:mad: Just wanted to have a good rant about IELTS, (since my poor husband has put up with it for last few hours!!) Yesterday I was merrily talking to my agent about putting in my SA SS application. I got paperwork together, I was finally beginning to get there.. And then I got my IELTS test results. Before I tell you my results, let me explain that I'm a primary school teacher, have already had my teaching credentials certified by Teaching Aus & English is my 1st language. I scored 9.0 on reading, listening, speaking, but lo and behold.. 6.5 on writing. I need 7.0 on each band. To say I'm gutted is an understatement! I could get the writing remarked, but that could take 8 weeks, & my mark could stay the same. So, I've now got to scramble around to get another test as quickly as possible, fork out more money & wait another 2 weeks. I can see my hopes of state sponsorship fading, especially if SA reach their required numbers before I can get my application in. Sorry for having a good moan, but I find it unbelievable that people's futures are reliant on a test, that seems to be so unreliable!!!:arghh:

Hi there, After working for two months for an employer and finally talking them into sponsoring me, i decided to go and see an immigration lawyer to see what i had to do next. GREAT! Right, i work as a fully qualified joiner (5years) i am 23 years of age and living with relatives whilst here on a WHV. So it turns out my employer cant sponsor me now as im not earning (or earning below) the Market Salary Rate. BUMMER! It has been hard enough to persuade my employer to do this finally, and i know for sure i wont be able to squeeze another $10k per annum out of them. So im back to square one peeps. Ill probably do my regional work in the new year and get my 12 month extension. So seeing as there aren't a lot of options for me (as i dont live in regional australia) I am toying with one of my final options which is a Student Visa. Has anyone done this before? I have found International student course fees to be very hefty indeed! ($10-30k) So i was wondering about a modern apprenticeship, and a complete retrain. Again has anyone done this? So for a 23 year old, English speaking, Fully qualified tradesman + Family willing to sponsor + Employment within trade. My options are to either 1, Get married 2, Find a new employer 3, Become a student AGAIN! 4, Go home. COMPLETE BULLS**T !!! :wacko::arghh::em0300::happy_face_mummy_go Thanks in advance folks! Mark

Immigration is a dirty word these days. In the minds of most of the native population, immigration raises the spectre of the boats full of illegals who have thrown their documentation overboard, all the better to gain entrance to Australia. It can reasonably be assumed that a percentage of those are not genuine refugees and are entering illegally as something in their backgrounds would mean legal migration would be denied. It can also reasonably be assumed that the rest, acting as their shield, suffer the consequences. A knock-on effect of the glaring publicity surrounding this issue is that (perhaps usefully to the Government) it has eclipsed the debacle that legal migration has become. I am a member of that most despised demographic, it seems. I am an international student applying for permanent residency. And I am neither a criminal nor a liar. In fact, on paper, I'm a desirable citizen. Previously, an international student coming here could apply for permanent residency subject to whether they had gained enough experience in the field and had graduated successfully. There has been a lot of debate whether this link between education and residency should have existed; I would debate that, in fact, that is irrelevant – the fact remains that it DID and that on the dictate of the Government. And naturally, where there is a entrance, there are people seeking to exploit it and the result was that some students were buying documentation in order to falsely claim their experience, gain residency and then jump ship into whatever other low-skilled job offered easy employment. This of course is a situation that needed to be rectified. Quite often the students were motivated by the fact that decent jobs are hard to come by when you are a temporary resident...most jobs demand PR and so a Catch 69 situation had developed. But nonetheless, it could not go on. An entire industry of shonky colleges had sprung up around this abuse of the system and that also was unacceptable. But now the pendulum has swung too far the other way and as we all know, two wrongs do not make a right. Ex international students like myself are now being systematically stripped of their finances by processes (unnecessarily repeated medicals, trade tests costing thousands, English testing imposed on native English speakers, etc.) which are begun at significant expense and then suddenly rendered obsolete once half way through by the continually changing rules. The Job Ready Programme most international students now undergo costs upwards of $4,000 and currently leads nowhere but another few years of imposed temporary residency. As an example, I use myself because that is the case most familiar to me. I studied and graduated as a cook in 2010 whilst working part time in the industry. Shortly after, I got a full time job as a cook and proceeded from there. I have followed every dictate of the immigration department for someone in my position. So far since my graduation, the rules have changed twice and now I have invested heavily in a process which will now not allow me to apply for residency under the new rules due to my age (over 40). My mental health has been challenged by the stress of living in limbo, and I am by no means inclined towards hysteria. Students can gain sponsorship through a 457 visa, which morally one could accurately call a “slave visa” in which the employer, good or not, has such power over the employee that the loss of the job for whatever reason can result in a 28 day edict to get out of the country. This can and does open up a world of exploitation and in the hands of a less than squeaky-clean employer, threaten the working conditions of the local Australian workforce. Now Perth is regional (but only for employer sponsored visas; you can have been in the same classroom as another student for 2 years and yet only one of you can claim points for regional study) and the 857 programme has opened up, it is yet to be seen if the brighter employers will take up the advantages of that. Another abusive aspect of the system is the bridging visa. Presumably it was originally designed as a short term visa to keep foreigners lawfully resident whilst their applications for other visas are decided, Now graduates are kept on this visa for a 18 months at least, whilst waiting for their 485 visas (Skilled Graduate) and when you realise that the restrictions include the need to seek permission and pay $105 for another kind of bridging visa which allows you to travel out of the country, and that the reason be pressing (sick family member, your wedding, etc) which effectively disallows holidays and such mundane things as visiting friends and family, it is bordering on scandalous. These are normal human activities and the denial of them can cause extra stress in an already extremely onerous situation. There are instances of people kept on this visa for years. As an example, I recently had a sudden death in the family; one of the younger members, a devastating loss. On learning of it, I scrambled for a flight in order to get to her funeral. At the immigration office in Perth I applied for my permission to travel and during this interaction I asked what the procedure was when the offices were closed and something of some urgency came up. I was told that I was “lucky” it happened at the time of week that it did otherwise I simply would not have been able to attend the funeral, or if I did, I would have been considered to have abandoned the previous 3 years of hard graft and heavy investment, the cheeky funeral-goer that I am. I need not point out to any intelligent person what is intrinsically wrong there. Can it really be said of a country that they give a “fair go” when they keep perfectly genuine and capable applicants on temporary residency status for many years after entry? International students have made a very significant contribution to Australian society both financially and culturally. Temporary residents here contribute fully into the tax pot but are not allowed access to health services, domestic study, and a whole raft of support accessible to the regular tax payer. Whilst this is an inescapable fact and entirely normal to have a waiting period before accessing such services, it also throws up questions of how long you can reasonably keep people in this sort of position where they cannot settle, whilst still calling yourself a fair society. I'm a little tax generator with diverse skills, world wide cultural experience, a high IQ, in good health with one doctors visit in the last ten years (and that was for immunisation), law-abiding and with years of voluntary work behind me contributing to the greater good yet the Australian immigration department is penalising me for my age (despite recent assurances that the work ethic, reliability and more robust experience of the older worker is now looked upon favourably) and my romantic status (single: someone with a partner with skills gains the crucial extra five points). This was not the case when I entered and by the time it is over for good or for bad, I will have been unfairly pushed over the age limit for which one gets any points at all (45). If I go back to the UK, it will be with the feeling of being at the receiving end of some very big failings in DIAC's policies; Australia has the right to decide who can enter and remain with sovereign immunity as can all countries and with good reason, but for goodness' sake do it with some degree of justice, or your international reputation, already looking tattered around the edges, will go completely down the drain. And Australians who think that temporary residents here have no right to feel the way I do? Walk a mile in my shoes.

Hi all, Seen many threads from others (mostly nurses) so not sure why I'm surprised but isnt there some madness in it being more of a pain getting registered than getting the visa in the first place! Need a rant so figure PIO is perfect place! Not AHPRA itself I'm struggling with and my case worker is fab (even takes direct calls, a novelty after DIAC), just the system's weird workings. Takes forever for posted documents to get to them and they don't like couriers...my universities here are either being sooo slow at sending transcripts due to lack of computer records (it was 1997, not exactly pre-computers!) or not doing transcripts for my post-grad, just certifying letters that are not good enough for AHPRA. Feel like I'm going around in circles... And then been told I need endorsement as well as registration with AHPRA so a load more documents I have to get certified and send...need to find a JP this time! AAAHHH!!!

Fed up with the house not selling after 10 weeks on the market so just given our current agents the boot and signed up with new agents from Monday next week! Have also dropped the price by £25,000 so let's hope that works :biggrin: Rant over :goofy:

can I just do a big rant at the exchange rate. ALL and EVERY thing is crashing. Dow Jones has never been redder and same for asia, russia, everywhere. WHO FOR Fś SAKE IS THE EURO STILL GOING UP :arghh::arghh::arghh::arghh::arghh: We gambled last night, that the euro would go crashing again together with wall street. So brought over our savings (about 20.000 euro, not tonnes). We have, in the space of 12 hours, lost 3000 dollars :cry: that is a lot of yarn :cry::cry: I bet it will go up to $1.80 now, just to spite us. Because for all the love in the world, we are not allowed to ever have any luck. :sad:

Unsure which room is best for a rant ??? :confused: Greetings one & All.... After Lemmings Excellent thread about Books Covers & Judgements I just want to have a Rant about a personal situation that's been bugging me, but cheifly it affects my Husband. He is a really great guy. Circumstances have meant that he is currently out of work. He lives in inner North Brisbane. Now he may not have a paid job but he is far from Lazy & has been working hard doing voluntary work, hoping to get a paid position, or to be in a place where he meets people, who can give him a heads up if they know of any jobs going. He has worked long hours at a charity depot on the loading dock. Also helped with labouring & rebuilding during the Brisbane Floods & also helped with pyrotechnics at Firework & monster truck events which were to raise money for the flood victims, He's often been doing 15hr days all unpaid trying to prove himself & get taken on by an employer. At the well known charity organisation he has proved popular with his co-workers & customers & has really made a difference in terms of their profits, I'm shocked at how much these charities throw away. He has been trying to stop so much being wasted & spotted several antiques the other guys wanted to trash & sent things through to the shop. One of the shop managers told him she'd taken $6000 dollars in one day with stuff he was organising & sending through to the shop. My husband is intelligent, hard working & a very polite guy, he is also scrupulously honest & very highly principled. However There is one man on the managerial side of the company, who has taken against my husband. It can be only based on his appearance as he is a Goth like me. For work he dresses in casual clothing the same as anyone else. But He does have one complete sleeve of Tattoos another large Tattoo on the other arm they are artistic tattoos & not ugly, a neck Tattoo & Several ear piercings & a pierced eyebrow. He has short but spikey black hair. & Is slim. Male Goths are often thought intimidating on initial appearance when not working he dresses Goth Smart good shirts & alternative suit jackets & Leather pants, ankle length leather coat in winter Goth boots etc. But for work it's just casual so I dont think he can appear any different to any bloke with tattoos its not unusual. However new people start working for this charity & get employed & he kept getting past over. So he asked several times if he had a chance at employment & was encouraged to keep trying. This has continued for several months while he's been working hard to get other jobs & been trying to help me sort my Visa. He asked a couple of weeks ago is their any chance of being employed EVER, after the latest new guy started there & was not only employed but also given a $500 voucher to furnish his unit. That guy was in a really similar position to my husband but was given preferental treatment my husband has bought loads of stuff & always paid for it, no vouchers for him. This charity takes on people with all kinds of social, & mental health issues. My husband Has No issues that prevent him from working , has No drug or alcohol issues & no criminal record. But this particular manager is very prejudiced. So speaking to an under manager my husband found out there was a rumour that he was Never going to get a paid Job because he was " too sick to work " he enquired what was supposed to be wrong with him & was told they'd found out he had advanced Kidney disease & was thus unemployable. He was baffled as how such a rumour came about. & went to clear things up with the manager who treats him badly. He told the guy that he had No kidney disease or issues that prevent him from working. & the manager said " oh I didn't realise you were wanting a job" so infuriating. So he asked my husband if he'd be a truckers off sider, & my husband said sure no problem he'd take any oppotunity & was also willing to go on any courses they'd send him on etc. so the guy said he'd bear him in mind. Well on saturday, my husband went to work & everyone he normally gets on with were being a bit off with him, & he found out the latest rumour is that " a guy who works on a saturday (HIM) has been passing goods on to people without payment & hiding furniture so people can retrieve it without paying. That would be totally against his principles & he is outraged to be placed in a position where he is under suspicion & spoils his reputation. Just so this guy isn't forced to employ him. It's all been set up as an implication, no real evidence but just enough to cast doubt over his honesty & integrity. But I doubt he can get so much as a refrence after months of working his butt off for a charity that wont even give him a fair go. So I've said just never go back, I'm All for making a stand but this is one we cant win. So this is another delay in my getting over to Australia. It would really make a huge difference if my husband could get full time paid work so anyone know of jobs in Brisbane let me know. Another issues in getting employed has been the fact he doesn't have a car, most jobs stipulate the need for your own transport. We've been advised it would help our Visa application if we could spend more time together. We are trying to be responsible by putting the search for work at the forefront of our plans. We dont have money to fritter away on flights but if anyone knows of any real cheap deals on Brisbane to London etc also let me know please. It's tricky searching from this side as most searches are showing flights going the other way. It will be for a three month return trip from now onwards..... Thanks your thoughts & advice appreciated :notworthy:

Hi Folks. To say I am steaming is an understatement. We have a small house that is faced by another, his houses property end faces our back garden as it were, so the meeting of the roof is facing me. Well, as you know I love nature, and often find myself wondering at its beauty, and in as much I eagerly anticipate the arrival of the yearly migration of Swallows to our shores. Many an evening I will sit outside and watch them darting amongst the houses, this year thankfully they decide to build their nest on the 'gentleman's' house facing us. I guess they are about three quarters of the way through their building. So there I was typing away and low and behold up comes a stainless steel pole from his house and he proceeds to scrape the nest away. So there now lies nothing, just a pile of nest material on the ground. I tried my best to ignore it, but had to ask in the end, politely. His response and I quote, 'They are noisy and leave a mess, they can feck off and nest somewhere else'.:mad: MAYBE, if he had small children or a health issue was concerned I would understand a bit, but no such issues exist. I just stared at him gob smacked. and said, 'Do you realise those poor buggers have travelled thousands of miles to nest there', this was met with a shrugs of the shoulders and he buggered off indoors, FECKWIT. Never mind, revenge will be mine, when my daughters 18th birthday party is in full swing tonight,:realmad::yes:. Some people have no idea of what is around us at all, and couldn't give a flying fig. I am no raving looney or indeed 'Greeny' but for gods sake what is the matter with some people. Cheers Tony.:mad:

Afternoon peeps, so in the light of the new points test which along with all the other changes seems complete and utter bulls%$t to me and i am totally p*&%ed off with it all, mighty ol oz who clearly is the be all and end all and ultimately so great they think they can simply mess with good honest peoples lives. i have just had a look at the canadian govs immigration pages and they actually want international students there! they have a class of visa whereby after qualifying you complete one years work exp and automatically can apply for PR! with all the new changes in oz the horrific exchange rates i cant honestly see the aussie education sector sustaining its $15billion turnover every year, well done Mr Evans youve committed yet another monumental cockup! I agree whole heartedly that the shambolic colleges should have been better managed but now because you and the previous gov took your eye off the ball the majority will suffer for the minority:mad: canada believes that students bring culture and experience to their country and that after studying 2/3 years are well placed to fit into the canadian communities so reward that with pr. I understand that nurses and IT folk and construction managers are well qualified professionals and obviously needed, but you cant tell me that in your growing society (who is apparently becoming a super power and to keep that going you will need to continue your population growth) you dont need painters and decorators to paint the new houses that will need to be built, or welfare officers to deal with all the community issues you will suffer from or cooks to feed the kids in the schools you will have to provide???????????????????????????? my god man open your eyes and smell the bloody coffee aarrrggghhhhhh there are other countries in the world that are just as attractive as yours and this whole "we want to pick the most qualified and brightest immigrants" crap is exactly that CRAP! you think that just because someone has had 3 years to sit and complete a phd that makes them any more "brighter" than pete the painter??? we all have different qualities and can offer something to your australian community otherwise we wouldnt all be interested in applying but my god to make it this difficult is an understatement. So with that, after all smps are released and theres full clarification on the points test malarky you watch all the thousands of potential migrants turn their back on you and your wonderful country for pastures new, fairer, and more appreciative! sorry everyone rant over im away to check out pics of canada! Kel:wubclub:

Skills assessment sent off (to education australia), special delivery one month ago! Today got an email saying as it was postmarked 22nd march they had to assess it against new criteria - could I please redo application - don't they read anything - it is all filled in to new criteria - aaarrrghhhh! And ANOTHER month wasted, starting to give up on australian dream:arghh: Ok, feel a bit better now

well its been over 4 weeks since i sent off for my police checks and only last week did they call me about my out of date passport they told me then that it was being processed and sent out still didn't get it chased them up friday was told would receive it yesterday and still nothing, just feeling little annoyed and wanted to RANT!!!!!

Sorry in advance but this is is going to be a bit of rant! :arghh: I live in Victoria, BC , Canada. We went and had our meds done on Dec 22nd and it has been a terrible experience! First off, that office is filthy. Normally i'd never go to an office like it but it is the only option so it had to be done. Anyway, we had a really bad feeling about this place right from the get go. They just seemed so disorganized. So in the new year I kept trying to get in touch but they never called back so I finally went to the office where i was told she had no idea where our files were. I was told I'd get a call...but no. Finally, I get through to them and am told they were sent on Monday. So last night I get the tracking number and look it up and it seems they sent them to the Australian High Commision in Ottawa rather than the address i gave them In Australia. So as you can imagine we are freaking out now. Where are our medicals and how long is all this going to add onto this already long and stressful journey! I am getting up at 6:00(9 Ottawa time) to call the high commission tomorrow to see if anyone knows where the package is and what they can do for me. Wish me luck!

Right Barcelona 2-0 Man utd....Just watched the final and yes Barcelona, apart from the first 10 minutes were fantastic.. These guys defended well with a makeshift back four and closed Man Utd down superbly, and when they attacked were awesome... Weldone Barcelona...BUT AND A MAJOR BUT...... They can thank their lucky stars as they shouldn't have even been in the final!! two blatent handballs in the box and 3 definate penalty decisions turned down for CHELSEA....Its these guys who have been the fall guys for a UEFA presidant who hates UK teams!!!!! THE PUFF FRENCH GAY ARSEHOLE PLATINI!!! Soz about the rant guys, to be honest i dont care who wins being a Sheffield Wednesday suporter...BUT I DO LIKE A COMPETITION TO BE FAIR!!!

:arghh: We had our visa meds on the 20th April and when there hubby was told he had some sugar in his urine. The Dr asked him to book in for a repeat test at our GP surgery. While at the meds hubby called the GP surgery, told them exactly what was needed and what for and that we needed the results to fax back for the Visa meds and booked an appt with the nurse. He turns up to the appt, not only has urine done but also fasting bloods. He was called this week to say all have come back as normal, no problems and he was invited to attend an appt to collect the results in paper. Hubby goes to the surgey for the appt yesterday and was told that he could not have the results in paper. The GP has refused!! Hubby spoke again to the receptionist today and was told he does not have the right to access his records and since the test was done for a private reason then they can refuse to allow him to have the paper result. Even after hubby offered to pay for them. I called the PCT and was told that he does have a right via the freedom of informations act and try and speak to the practice manager. I also called the complaints dept to look at ways of resolving this without having to put a complaint in and she said the same thing. I called the practice manager and was told by the receptionist he was refusing to talk to me!!!!! In the end we've had to go back to the visa meds people and book for hubby to go and do the test there. 1hour travel each way plus the £££'s. Tsk...... Bloody joke! So, dont trust your own GP to help out with any additional visa health investigations. Make sure its been agreed in writing that you can have the results after tests have been done. Im so frustrated i feel a letter of complaint coming on!

I'm on hold at the moment with my IP provider the company that likes to Talk 2 times. 17 mins and 48 second so far and I had to go throught about 5 different press 1 for crap service press 2 to be put on hold press 3 to end your life, type things the music is crap THE BUGGERS have just cut me offf:arghh: 19 mins of holding and they have cut me off I am so angry :realmad:Why are companies aloud to get away with crap service ( I am not racist) and people on the other end of the phone that you can't understand.... I'm after technical help and I know as soon as I get through they are going to send me to stage 2 help so I have to call another number and sit on bloody hold again This is a joke I need to go out side and Smoke my head off.

Well I had my first experience with the lovely dealings of renting in Australia. OMG... I can't believe how picky they are when it comes to vacating the premises. We were in our temporary rental for all of 5 weeks and yet we had to pay to have the carpets cleaned. They went through the Final inspection of day of handing over the keys and what a joke... we had spent 3 hours cleaning the place till it shone...not good enough for the owners, all they good say was it needs a good cleaning. This never happens in Canada, you pay a security deposit, in case you do major damage to the unit. Here it seems they nitpick every little detail. I spoke to a girl at work who moved from the UK 2 years ago, and I guess this is really common here in Australia. She mentioned that her first year renting was an absolute nightmare. So now we are on tender hooks to see if we get our bond back ($2000). I will be so upset if we don't get it back. The lesson I have learned from this lovely experience, is that it makes me even more determined to buy our own house sooner. What a joke there rental system is... Oh well mini rant over... on the other hand, I am loving my new job and life here in Perth...so as the aussies would say... No Worries LOL Karen

Hi all, Just wanted to have a good rant about my predicament. Put the house on the market April 08. Visa granted June 08. Can't sell the house, can't see a way forward. If it all goes T**'s up what do I do. Do I have to re-apply and pay again. Have reduced the house so much will have to find digs to save enough for Oz. Have tried the red envlopes etc, etc, etc, just want to :cry:. Thought we would be spending Xmas in Oz. Don't even feel like celebrating. I know there are others in the same boat but I really needed to get this off my chest so thanks for reading this. Regards Karen :sad:

i give up i totally give up. how is it that a hairdresser, tree surgeon and aromatherapist can get a skilled visa when my dh who has 13 years od experience and qualificatiosn to drive a crane - something we know they are desperate for in OZ - is not on the list. he has HGV and supervisory qualifications, NVQ2 in plant lifting operations. and still not enought to get in with. :skeptical: we have to beg for a 457 and go where they send us, not get PR status towards our citizenship untill at least 2 years down the line, then only if the company wants to apply for it for him. im just so hacked off. how do they decide which skills are skilled? you would think that a proffession that is desperate to fill jobs woudl be on the list... :no:

Hi Sorry guys just want to RANT housing market crap - estate agent valuation 40,000 lower than expected this country driving me wild :arghh: :chatterbox: i will rent for life [ after i sell this one] - sod this risk of losing thousands of pounds on a house that i have spent 8 years renovating OMG i'm mad Bev

Has anyone, ever, had any luck with getting sponsorship? I have been trying for nearly TWO YEARS to find employment in Sydney (a must for me, for various reasons), and barely get even any acknowledgements, never mind any interest. Only replies I get are 'Thanks, but no thanks'. And they are very rare. I've sent hundreds of emails, and getting nowhere. Unfortunately, my occupation (PLC software / electrical engineer) is not on the fabled most wanted list, so miss out on a whole load of points for getting a PR visa. I don't have a Degree either, and that seems to be what companies want. Experience it seems, counts for very little indeed. My little chat with Go Matilda basically told me to either 'get a Degree', or 'look elsewhere, less metropolitan'. I thought Oz was 'crying out for skilled people'. It appears not. Not from where I am standing at least. Really disillusioned with the whole process. Can anyone offer me any hope? :arghh: :no: Andy.

Went for my practical driving inst test on friday and failed:goofy: to be fare the examiner was lovely really reasuring and helpful but nerves got the better of me, he also told me that he should have cancelled the test as there was a recall on my car and for h&s reasons he shouldn't get in it unless I have the certificate for the recall. ERM YEh OK what recall????????????????? So got home knowing what an idiot i was booked next exam for today. In the mean time my car goes into the garage friday night with the promise to have it back saturday afternoon Ha you'll be lucky. Now I work for myself, no car no pay. I need my car to take kids to school ect, Still no car monday morn so hubby takes kids to school, I throw afew cleaning things in a bag and head for the bus, first house 3hrs cleaning 15 mins walk to the next house 2 1/2 hrs clean 20 mins walk to the next house and again 3 hrs clean, whilst getting soaked to the sink between houses, finally head for bus stop 20 mins walk in the pouring rain, every part of me aching. Phoned peugeot saturday and ask they email me the cert for my car recall thingie. Double Ha. phoned again 3 times today then decide to risk it, the last examiner was a great guy surely the next one might be too. Yeh who you kidding took one look at my car and refused point blank, not even me standing there doing my best kathy tate impression helped, Yeh! but! What! If! .Sent home like a naughty lil school girl. Straight on the phone to rebook only to find I have to pay another £99 as I knew about the cert and didn't get it. To top it all off hubby did shopping weekend and there's nowt in the fridge not even to throw out I'm starved, he's still a work i have to go and stand in a big field in the rain watching my Ds runing around thinking he's becks. Good job the offie's on the way home:biglaugh:

Im 23, i have a 1st class degree in Computer Science, 1 year of Australian work experience 1 year of British work experience, I also have IELTS, I have no criminal record and no health problems - my occupation is also on the MODL list. So you would have thought there would be nothing stopping me applying for a 175 visa. Wrong. Turns out i need my occupation "Approved" by the ACS (Australian Computer Society) - and because I didnt get my degree from an Australian University it means i need 4 years of experience in my field. b******t. How much does this suck? Heaps. And how would someone fresh out of an Australian Uni have the experience for a 175 but someone from a british uni with 2 years experience doesn't? Im on a 457 at the moment that runs out end of the year. Looks like its gonna be back to cold cold miserable england in January. If anyone knows a way around this or has manaed to get approved by the ACS without 4 years experience please let me know! thanks

How unbelievable that as someone one born in the uk, an English speaker with A level in English language and literacy plus a Diploma of Higher Education in Human Behaviour plus a BA Hons x2 would I need to take an IELTS test when my qualifications are easily recognisable, transferable and indicative of my skills in using the English language - so why why why do we still have to take a test to get the 10 extra points why can`t some common sense be applied instead!:arghh: Sorry guys things such as this which make no logical sense and cost time and money needlessly to all concerned make me stop and question :nah:

:realmad: I just had to share this as I still can't quite believe it. The area that we live in is not posh by any means, but it seemed fairly safe, we have the normal day to day stuff to deal with, parking problems etc, but on the whole the neighbours work hard and are (or were) a nice enough lot. However, recently, a company has been coming in and buying up properties, (on the quiet and cheaply some how - something smells fishy) refurbishing and letting them out. Anyway, someone decided to leave a pizza box on my front door step with a poo in it (I imagine human) and what looked and smelt distinctly like pee on and around it. Thankfully for me I was on holiday at the time and got this information from my neighbour who cleared it all up - What an angel. I am so annoyed, only a year ago, you could have accidentally left your key in your front door lock overnight right by the pavement and no one would have touched it, (between my neighbour and I we've done it a fair few times) but I wouldn't like to put that one to the test now. I can't wait until we're ready to start the process and to get out of this place. Angela:arghh:

So last Saturday as we dashed out of the house on the way to the airport to go to Spain (had a fab time) picked the post up and opened it on the way there. My hubby asked his previous employment for a reference to confirm his job and duties for his 457 visa. He left the company in Feb after 17years when they lost the contract and he had no choice. They wrote to him stating that unfortunatley in at this time of high litigation it was company policy that no visa assistance or personalised references were issued. The suggested that we try and track down a copy of his old job discription as they did not have one?? They then included a "reference" stating his enployment dates, job title, sickness and parental leave. That was it. We were both furious that they could not send a simple letter stating what he had done, further more non of his managers etc are able to issue a reference only a character ref that cannot be but on letterheaded paper unbelieveable. You give 17 years service to a company (with only 6 sick days) and thats the thanks you get! :mad: Sorry feel better for that! Em x