Tara26 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I am currently on a 5 yr subclass 461 (New Zealand family sponsorship visa) with my kiwi partner. I am a fully qualified vehicle painter and have been working for my Australian employer for over 2 years now. I only have 2 years experience in the trade so have to wait until July 2014 until I'm eligible for sponsorship. I'm really nervous about doing this visa even though I have done everything by the book. To gain permanent residency and go on to become an Australian citizen means so much to me. Has anyone done this visa successfully and what visa did you transition from? Also do you recommend using an agent for this visa? As it's for permanent residency and may be a bit more complex than a temporary visa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I went for the rsms as my job didn't pay enough for the ens. Personally I used an agent as my employer had never sponsored anyone and I wanted to be sure they had everything right. They didn't really understand how in depth immigration are. For example job descriptions. I'm glad I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MigrateAustralia Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Hello Tara26, You may be eligible to apply for subclass 186 visa once you have worked in your current position for that employer for 2 years provided the employer is willing to sponsor you, and provided both you and the employer meet the criteria. It can be a complicated process and engaging a migration agent to assist can mean a successful and less stressful experience for you. All the best to and your partner. Warm regards, Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara26 Posted October 3, 2013 Author Share Posted October 3, 2013 I went for the rsms as my job didn't pay enough for the ens. Personally I used an agent as my employer had never sponsored anyone and I wanted to be sure they had everything right. They didn't really understand how in depth immigration are. For example job descriptions. I'm glad I did. Thank you for your reply. How much roughly did your agent end up costing you? I thinking it was definitely worth the money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Hello Tara26, You may be eligible to apply for subclass 186 visa once you have worked in your current position for that employer for 2 years provided the employer is willing to sponsor you, and provided both you and the employer meet the criteria. It can be a complicated process and engaging a migration agent to assist can mean a successful and less stressful experience for you. All the best to and your partner. Warm regards, Philip From what the op said they are not on a 457 visa, so they would need the skills assessment and it wouldn't matter what company they had worked for the two years before applying. Tara26, I used George Lombard who was very good. I'm not sure what his fees would be now, it was a few years ago that I paid my fee. It was over $3k then, but it was worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Collett Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Yes, I think the OP may need to obtain a 457 visa, work for 2 years on that visa, and then progress to permanent residency via the Transition Stream of subclass 186. Subclass 461 visaholders can't access the Transition Stream of the 186 visa (so far as I recall). Best regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Yes, I think the OP may need to obtain a 457 visa, work for 2 years on that visa, and then progress to permanent residency via the Transition Stream of subclass 186. Subclass 461 visaholders can't access the Transition Stream of the 186 visa (so far as I recall). Best regards. Yep, one of those silly rules where the two years only counts if you are on a 457 visa, even though you could be doing the exact same job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Collett Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Yep, one of those silly rules where the two years only counts if you are on a 457 visa, even though you could be doing the exact same job. 'tis all part of the Department's desire to ensure that employers who are facilitating permanent residency under the Transition Stream are fully signed up to the training obligations of the 457 regime. One of those areas where Kiwi citizens and their subclass 461 visaholding partners are often forgotten victims of the changes over the last 18 months. Best regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 And people on 485 visas... (And long enough on a bridging visa before hand to have worked for more than two years full time). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara26 Posted October 3, 2013 Author Share Posted October 3, 2013 Hey, no I'm not on a 475 visa but I am on a 461 and basically puts me in the same bracket. As it's a 5 year working visa and I have been working for my boss for over 2 years now. However due to the Gillard government I now need 3 years work experience instead of 2. Otherwise I would have been eligible for sponsorship now. I now have to wait until July 2014. Being on a 461 exempts me from a skills assessment because I would have already been working for 3 years. wow 3K, so that was just for the agents services? Obviously the actual visa charges were on top of that? Good job iv been saving! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Yes I'm afraid so. My employer would never have let me look at the application (as they have to show turn over etc) and it turned out our application was more complex than we expected, so I'm glad I spent the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 According to this link: http://www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/index/visas/subclass-186/ You do need the skills assessment AND the three years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara26 Posted October 3, 2013 Author Share Posted October 3, 2013 Yes that's right thank you for that. It looks like because I'm on a 461 and not on a 457 I do need 3 years and a skills assessment. That's ok though I'm only 9months away from application time now. And yes I really can't see my boss allowing me to see his application. It's a bit of a pain too though because I was going to obtain the information from him manually and do his online application for him as he's so busy all the time so it's looking more and more likely I'm getting an agent at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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