Aywa17 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Hello, I'm new to PomsInOz and am looking to got to Oz on a 190 SS visa. I made the decision in June of this year to emigrate to Oz and had been looking at the 457 Employer Sponsored route but it seems extremely difficult to land a job without the existing right to work in Australia, especially if you're offshore. Plus at the time I didn't think I would qualify on the points based visas as I don't have a tertiary skilled occupation such as a teacher, nurse, plumber etc. I went to the London Opportunities Overseas Expo last weekend and after speaking to a few migration agents it would seem that I do qualify as my occupation is on the CSOL list. Yay! :-) As such I'm at that crossroads now where I need to decide whether to use an agent, which doubles the total cost (I've been quoted £3k in MARA registered agent fees - Is this acceptable/over the odds?) or whether I apply without the support of an agent. I fear that going it alone may slow the process down some what as I'm no expert at this and don't know where to find all the right information and when I ned to do each bit. To give you some background. I'm 29. A British citizen (born and bred) with a UK passport. I have no ties in the UK (partner/mortgage/tenancy agreement/dependants etc.) so can leave as soon as my visa is granted if I want. I have a BA Honours degree and would say my English ability is better than average (not excellent as such, but good nonetheless). I haven't done the IELTS, skills assessment or EOI yet. I have no medical conditions and have no criminal record. I spent 6 months in Australia on a WHV back in 2008/9 and always said I'd go back to live and the time is now right. So, what I really want to know is what's the quickest way I can get a 190? If you think you've gained one in record time I want to hear from you and know what route you took to get it. Did you use an agent for some or all of the process or did you do the whole thing on your own? What resources did you use? What documents do you need and which can you prep in advance to speed things up? Any hints, tips or warnings would be hugely appreciated. I want to get there asap and start my new life :-) Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I can't answer any of your queries at all but all I will say is if you do decide to go down the agent route then please please check them out first. ive seen enough posts on here to know there are a fair few charlatans around...you need to make sure the agent is fully registered otherwise is something does go wrong you won't have any comeback. Its very easy for these people to tell you what you want to hear. have a good look round this forum and I'm sure you will find the good from the bad apples. someone should be along soon to tell you how easy it is to do yourself if that's the route you want to take... What occupation would you be coming on. best of luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deano240 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Destination oz is only £500 Mick is an agent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Destination oz is only £500 Mick is an agent If Mick is doing it for that price he's not only an agent but a bloody saint.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Destination oz is only £500 Mick is an agent is he MARA registered....? Never seen an agent that cheap, true good to be true rings a bell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deano240 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 From what ive read on here hes good. When ive spoken to him hes been brilliant. Give him a call Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aywa17 Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thanks guys. @Fifi69, the agent I've been speaking with is a registered migration agent (Migration Agent Registration Number: 0641061 ) working for emigrate-to-australia.co.uk / Taylor Hampton Solicitors Ltd. If anyone's dealt with these guys please let me know what your experience of them was. @Deano240, who is this Mike saint and how can I contact him? Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30085 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 (edited) Hi Welcome to PIO For a start there is no 'quickest way', depending on what your occupation is and who the skills assessment body is, you will still have to wait for their normal turnaround, Vetassess quote 12 weeks, mine took 17 weeks. Some trade assessments seem to be quicker than some professional occupations. Some people take a few attempts to pass the IELTS, others pass first time. Plus you have to find availability at the IELTS centres, then wait two weeks for your results. It all takes time. Mine took 8 months from start to finish. You can deal with the application on your own, if you feel comfortable dealing with paperwork and trying to understand the requirements for your occupation and are clear on the process, ie don't submit an EOI before you have a positive skills assessment or have passed the IeLTS if you need it for your occupation or for points. Also be aware on DIAC requirements that work experience claimed for is post-qualification etc. or if you think you need help then use a MARA registered migration agent. The 190 visa currently seems to be being approved around the 2-3 month mark or even quicker in some cases from the date of submitting your application, but remember it could take you months to even get upto the stage where you are ready to even apply for it, you need skills assessment, IELTS, submit expression of interest, gain state sponsorship, then apply for the 190 visa, then you need medicals and PCC checks. Goid luck with it but be prepared that its not a quick process. Edited October 30, 2013 by guest30085 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aywa17 Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thanks guys. Fifi69 - The agent I've been speaking to is MARA registered and works for Emigrate-to-australia.co.uk / Taylor Hampton Solicitors Ltd. deadno240 - Yeah, who is this Mick saint and who does he work for? Is he MARA registered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 From what ive read on here hes good. When ive spoken to him hes been brilliant. Give him a call seems a bit odd to me...just looked at the website, in one bit it says running for 10 years, in another sentence it says they have 'helped literally hundreds' of people, in ten years that is not a lot of people. They do not appear MARA registered therefore I would not advise to use these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aywa17 Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thank you adonna. I appreciate it will never be a quick process but I've heard some people have gone through the whole process in 4-5 months, some 6-9 months, and other 12-18 months. As such I was just wondering if people had found that certain things had held them up and whether they had some tips in hindsight to make things go more smoothly. i.e. completing parts simultaneously rather than one after the other etc. Understanding the wait and processing times for each component would be hugely beneficial. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30085 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thank you adonna. I appreciate it will never be a quick process but I've heard some people have gone through the whole process in 4-5 months, some 6-9 months, and other 12-18 months. As such I was just wondering if people had found that certain things had held them up and whether they had some tips in hindsight to make things go more smoothly. i.e. completing parts simultaneously rather than one after the other etc. Understanding the wait and processing times for each component would be hugely beneficial. Thanks. For skills assessment, make sure you are very clear on the requirements for your occupation and you submit everything they need first time. I sent 350 pages on documents and most of them were signed by a solicitor. Mine wasn't the easiest application and two migration agents said I wouldn't pass it without undertaking another qualification. But I used my existing quals as they were at a level above what was required. But you can't speed up the skills assessment as such, you have to wait for the assessing body. If you feel you may need a migration agent if your case is difficult, then it may be a good idea to use one so you don't get it wrong so to speak, but plenty do do their own application. IELTS - start revising early and get used to the format they use. When you've submitted the actual 190 application, you can front load your medicals and PCC, but remember you have to validate your visa within 12 months of the Meds or PCC (whichever is dated first). I didn't front load, I waited until my case officer requested them and it hasn't seemed to have slowed me down, maybe a week or so longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkiwd Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Hi There, what is your occupation and which state are you hoping to get the 190 from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Hello, I'm new to PomsInOz and am looking to got to Oz on a 190 SS visa. I made the decision in June of this year to emigrate to Oz and had been looking at the 457 Employer Sponsored route but it seems extremely difficult to land a job without the existing right to work in Australia, especially if you're offshore. Plus at the time I didn't think I would qualify on the points based visas as I don't have a tertiary skilled occupation such as a teacher, nurse, plumber etc. I went to the London Opportunities Overseas Expo last weekend and after speaking to a few migration agents it would seem that I do qualify as my occupation is on the CSOL list. Yay! :-) As such I'm at that crossroads now where I need to decide whether to use an agent, which doubles the total cost (I've been quoted £3k in MARA registered agent fees - Is this acceptable/over the odds?) or whether I apply without the support of an agent. I fear that going it alone may slow the process down some what as I'm no expert at this and don't know where to find all the right information and when I ned to do each bit. To give you some background. I'm 29. A British citizen (born and bred) with a UK passport. I have no ties in the UK (partner/mortgage/tenancy agreement/dependants etc.) so can leave as soon as my visa is granted if I want. I have a BA Honours degree and would say my English ability is better than average (not excellent as such, but good nonetheless). I haven't done the IELTS, skills assessment or EOI yet. I have no medical conditions and have no criminal record. I spent 6 months in Australia on a WHV back in 2008/9 and always said I'd go back to live and the time is now right. So, what I really want to know is what's the quickest way I can get a 190? If you think you've gained one in record time I want to hear from you and know what route you took to get it. Did you use an agent for some or all of the process or did you do the whole thing on your own? What resources did you use? What documents do you need and which can you prep in advance to speed things up? Any hints, tips or warnings would be hugely appreciated. I want to get there asap and start my new life :-) Thanks. You have missed off the really critical information from your post, which is what occupation code are you thinking of applying under. Regarding speeding things up, I really don't think there is that much you can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickandange Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I'd be in favor of going down the agent route after our experience with Concept in Manchester. They've made everything so straight forward, and I think we've saved so much time under their guidance compared to what may have happened if we'd gone it alone. I think passing IELTS is the best place to start though before committing your time and finances to anything else. Rick had to sit it three times before he got the points we needed, so we only seriously started gathering evidence for the EOI and skills assesment after his second attempt (which like other people have said can take months and a lot of revision). Other things to consider are whether you've worked in a related occupation to your degree, and the number of years you have done this - both critical factors in achieving a successful skills assessment. There really is so much to consider, but it does all start to make sense once you get cracking with it. Good luck with it! Oh, and check people's signatures if you want to get an idea of timescales! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubbs75 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 We lodged our 190 NSW SS on the 2nd of July and visa been granted on the 20th of September using visa bureau. Neither me or my wife UK citizens. But you need to count with skills assessment and medicals and ielts for points or for your occupation if required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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