A few questions about the 190 visa..

[rycoombs]

I'm in the process of applying for a 190 SS visa and have some concerns about timescales.. I'm going for NSW SS against the System Administrator role on the SOL. I planned on applying earlier but encountered real difficulties in getting references from my UK employers posted to Australia.. :no:

 

Applied to ACS to have my skills assessed on 22/11/13 which went to stage 4 and is with an assessor.. I believe I included the exact required documentation so have no fears about further requests and I'm fairly confident of a positive result. Their website currently states 12 weeks wait but I read that it might take up to 15 weeks so I dropped them an email to find out and they confirmed 12-15 weeks is the current timescale due to volume.

 

I'm currently in Australia on a WHV that will expire on the 8th of May 2014. I'm working full time in a contract position that will hit the 6 month WHV employment limit on the 8th of April (I started 8th October so I assume this is correct?)

 

My worries are:

 

1. The ACS response wont come back until between the 14 February - 7 March 2014 (12-15 weeks).. if its the latter it leaves me with exactly 2 months to get an invite and apply for the 190 visa.. is 8 weeks to be invited and apply for the 190 possible? I would look to lodge my EOI and SS application on the day of receipt from ACS. Would it make a difference if I had a high amount of points? Depending on ACS and how many years they wish to deduct off my experience I may only have the minimum 55-60 points.. I would entertain the idea of sitting IELTS to get the additional 10-20 points if it would improve the speed at which I get an invite..

 

2. I have been offered a contract extension for 6 months which will take me beyond the 6 month WHV limit, obviously I would like to stay in work as the job market is a nightmare (it took me 2.5 months to find this job and its working as a System Administrator as per my ANZSCO job) plus there's a chance I could remain contracting here for a lot longer - should I get a positive result from the ACS and lodge my EOI/SS application is there any way to apply for a briding visa at this stage or will they only provide the opportunity once I have an invite/190 visa application in progress? Would it be worth discussing the situation with immigration or would they just advise I have to stop working and wait?

 

3. Worst case scenario, I have to leave my job on the 8th of April, my visa expires on the 8th of May and I have to wait for the SS invite in order to apply for the 190 and get on a temporary bridging visa.. I will need to leave Australia and re-enter in order to get a new visa (tourist) thinking I may as well use this to take a holiday in Asia as I would just be returning to Aus to sit and wait unable to work.. is there any problem in me being out of the country at this point in the process?

 

Any thoughts on the above would be appreciated.. I guess I'm just a bit panicked about what will happen on April/May next year.. Ideally I want to just stay and continue working..

 

R