Ceri09 Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Hi, I have just quickly read over your posts. I am a hairdresser and was accepted in Feb for 489 visa in QLD. Regarding the skills assessment I didn't have to do an interview I did mine through TRA skills assessment, I did always wonder if I would have to do an interview or a practical test but it haven't and I have a visa. I originally went with an agency to help me, but they went into liquidation and later found out they were a fraudulent company and tell you you can apply and you are eligible take your money then don't help. The original visa they told me I was eligible for I actually wasn't. When I decided to go on my on with the application I found out I was only able to get the 489 visa, which once you have submitted an EOI and a state has selected you for sponsorship that's when you need to prove your funds, (me and my partner have been saving for a house so we had enough). Then you must also write a statement of why you want to work and live in that state, then you pay a fee to the state who then will tell you two weeks after you applied to them if they except you. If they have then you have 60 days to apply for the ACTUAL visa, which then takes 3months to process or for me just under. I hope that makes some sort of sense, please ask me if you want me to go over anything, it's so stressful. I still can't believe we are going. SUNSHINE COAST HERE WE COME Ceri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickiw89 Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 Hi Ceri, Congratulations on the visa, thats great news! Have you been to Australia before? Thanks for your info. Can I ask, when you say you applied through TRA did you do the skills assessment directly with them? For hairdressers now the only TRA approved skills assessment are Sydney Tafe, Vetassess and Vic Uni. It's great that you didnt have to do an interview though, you're lucky! I've been looking into my visa options, I have a job offer in Tassy so I can apply for the 190 for there, but having lived in QLD before I would much rather go there, even on a regional visa as it is where I would like to be permanently. When do you go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurahair Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Hi Ceri Thanks for the info! That's great you got your visa doing it yourself. I had a similar experience with an agent so I Want to continue the process myself. I have a fair idea of the steps because I still have my visa assessment but like you I have to apply for a different visa. If I pass vetassess I will deffo be hitting you up for some advice. What did you say in your statement as to why you wanted to live in that state. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurahair Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Vicki let me know how you get on with your result. I'm sure u will have passed. He pushed me aswell on a few questions so that might be a good thing that he was trying to help us. I am going to look into the eoi for the next phase just so i am prepared to get things going. I want to be there asap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceri09 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Hi, thanks very much, it was so stressful doing it on your own the not knowing if you have everything you need and if it is up to standard. Was told it was a big risk, But I got there in the end. I did my skills assessment when u was still going through my migrant agent so help me sort that out I just had to fill in a terrible long form with in depth work experience. I wasn't aware there were the likes of vetassess I just had this form to fill in and had to wait about 10 weeks for my result. We are going in October this year, would of gone sooner but gives us more time to save plus my brother is having a baby in September so want to see it before I go. We are heading to QLD, I have been there when I worked on the cruise liners and I have a cousin who lives there too, so on my statement to QLD I included this and just said why i liked it etc. did you have to do you Ielts test? Ceri x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurahair Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Your lucky you got to bypass vetassess because we had to make video's showing our work and then a technical interview which was quiet difficult. I should know in two weeks if I have passed. Great that you have a cousin out there. Are you hoping to stay in the same area as them. I did the ielts because I needed it for points. I had to do it twice but I got all 8.0 so it gives me 20 points for visa. Did you do it. How long have you been qualified in hairdressing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickiw89 Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 (edited) Thank you Laura I will do, s haven't heard anything yet, but have the money ready to book again, feel I may need that!! Ceri I haven't yet done the ielts, my skills assessment took two weeks instead of 10-12 so this has all happened a lot quicker than I originally expected and haven't had time to book it yet! Did you have to do it? I'm not sure if I will need the points yet, once I have passed the technical I'm consulting an agent and seeing what's best for me. Qld is amazing isn't it, I would be quite happy anywhere, I would preferably like yeppoon, mackay or port douglas but I would also love the sunshine Coast! Edited April 21, 2015 by Vickiw89 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceri09 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I'm glad I didn't have to go through all that, baffles my why I didn't but I did do my skills assessment in 2013 so it might have changed since then. The reason mine has took so long is because of my agent was messing me about then later went into liquidation but when I took it upon myself in September I then was granted the visa in Feb, so was quite quick, but got there in the end anyway. I did the Ielts test too had to do it twice also again got there in the end. I hated English in school so found it very hard give me maths any day. We are looking at moving to the Sunshine Coast although my cousin lives in Cairns which is like a 20 hour drive away, but I found Sunshine Coast was more central so preferred there. I've been qualified level 3 for 7 years nearly. What about yourselves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickiw89 Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 No honestly you are so lucky! Like Laura said we had to do videos of us doing hair and all sorts, I had to do facial shaves, something I have never ever done before, they wanted a lot! Which ielts do you have to do is it the academic one? I'm looking at booking mine soon, get another thing over and done with! yeah I agree with you the Sunshine Coast is a lot more central and it's lovely too, cairns is nice and my favourite place in oz is about an hour above cairns it's a beautiful part of the world, but the Sunshine Coast is much busier and from what I can see there are more jobs there! i qualified my level 3 in may 2009 so almost 6 years although I haven't worked in a salon since 2013 because of going to oz. i still haven't heard from vetassess, it's been over two weeks now! Have you heard anything yet Laura? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurahair Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I haven't heard from vetassess either they did say within ten working days so hopefully you hear by monday. For ielts you need to do general test. I did it twice because the first time I was short by .5 of a mark. But the second time I knew what to expect and did really well. I started hairdressing in 2005 but left my apprentice after 2 years to move to oz. When I returned I started from the beginning through college. so since getting my level 3 I only have 2 and half years experience which limits me to NT unfortunately. I'll let you know if I hear back. I'm logging on everyday to check. So impatient :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickiw89 Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 You're not the only one! I'm waking up in the night and checking my emails!! I still haven't heard a thing, its been 11 working days now, going slightly out of my mind! However I am positive that I have failed so in a way I don't want my results! Have you been to NT before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurahair Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I drove through NT when going from cairns to Perth I didn't go as far as darwin but went through the center. I assume I can live in darwin because it is rural city, I'll have to look into this. I'm not keen to live there but if it's only for 2 years and I can go elsewhere I don't mind. Have you been? I lived in northern queensland so I am hoping the weather will be similar. I got used to the humidity quiet quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickiw89 Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 No I haven't been to Darwin either, like you I have driven through. After leaving the cattle station I worked on for regional work I got the bus from Julia creek QLD to Alice springs. We went through tenant creek which I wasn't keen on. If I had to go to NT I would only go to Darwin I think! Whereabouts in QLD did you live? It's my fave state by far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurahair Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Ye i loved qld. I did my regional work in Bowen and stayed for 6 months and then went back for a second season. We weren't too far from arlie beach and the beaches in Bowen were some of the nicest I've been too. Where was the cattle station you were at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickiw89 Posted April 25, 2015 Author Share Posted April 25, 2015 Wow!! How lucky were you to be in that area! What were you doing? We were in the middle of nowhere! If you go in from Townsville for about 8 hours, you'll find Julia Creek, then the station was 2 hours from there. No signal, no people, postman brought the groceries, in the middle of a severe drought, and very rarely had internet. It was a bit of a shock going from a hairdresser to there, but I loved it in the end! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurahair Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Oh god couldn't imagine living out there. But isint it crazy how you actually come to love a place. We actually drove through julia creek when going to Perth. I was working in a bean factory just boxing them for the supermarket. Loved having the beach on my day off. What were you doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickiw89 Posted April 25, 2015 Author Share Posted April 25, 2015 You blink and you miss Julia creek, haha! It is crazy isn't it, I'd love to go back one day. That sounds really cool, and you were so lucky to have a day off, let alone the beach!! I'm super jealous! I don't even know where to start with what I did! I got up and had breakfast about 6am, 5am on a muster day. My job was to look after all the animals, so in the morning I'd feed the chickens, geese, horse. I had orphaned calves that I bottle fed, and sick cows that I nursed back to health. Then I'd go and feed their pet bull and dairy cows, on my quad bike (my fave part of the day, I'm dying for my own quad now!) then I had a herd of 156 weaner cows to look after as my sole responsibility. I was basically mum to them, which was great but I got beaten up and licked on a daily basis! I did lots of cleaning and gardening through the day and sort the animals again in the evening. Finished at sun down, usually 7pm, and no days off. Quite different from cutting hair!! Still an amazing experience though! It would've been so nice to be by a beach though, we had a lake but they had had no rain for a year, and it wasn't very deep, not quite the same as the beach! And it was above 40 degrees everyday which was hard work. Is there anywhere you didn't go when you were in oz? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceri09 Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 So did you both go on a working holiday visa first? Could you not get sponsored to stay over there whilst you were there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickiw89 Posted April 26, 2015 Author Share Posted April 26, 2015 Yes I went over on a working holiday, I actually went on holiday there first and met my partner and moved back to be with him, although he is from England in the same place as I am, I went over with mutual friends and met him! Small world! I only intended on going for a year, stayed 18 months in the end, would have stayed longer but my partners second visa expired. For me, I don't necessarily want to be a hairdresser over there, and don't like the thought of being tied to an employer. I would rather go off my own back and have the freedom to change jobs or places if I wanted to without being held in one place by someone else. Also it's hard to get a normal job as such when you're on a whv, they see you as just a backpacker and aren't really keen with hiring them when they can get a resident etc at least that was my experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurahair Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Sounds like an amazing experience Vicki something you will never forget. We covered a lot of oz we didn't do the Sydney to brisbane trip though we didn't want to do the typical backpack trip. Ceri I went over on a whv in 2007 with my bf and we stayed for 2 years. I didn't work as a hairdresser over there because I wasn't qualified and like Vicki didn't want to be tied down to one place. It would have been a lot easier if I did manage to get sponsorship, we are home since 2009 and I am only eligible since October so it feels like I have been waiting forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceri09 Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Ah right i see, I know what you mean about being restricted to one employer but to go over on the 489 visa you have to work within your occupation for two years. I love my job so will only want to do hairdressing when I'm over there anyway, and hoping that having a four year visa I will able to find a job ok. Sounds like you both had an amazing time though. But that is crazy you met your partner over there and he is from your home town. I met people on the cruise liners from where I live was mad, a client emigrated to oz 40 years ago recognised my accent and ended up she use to live a few miles from me. Super excited to go now 23 weeks and counting. Feels like forever!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurahair Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Wow 23 weeks will fly in!! Ye well i wouldn't work at anything else either now. I think it will be a different experience the first time was a holiday and odd jobs to pay rent and to keep traveling but this time is to settle in one area and get a good job. It really is a small world!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickiw89 Posted April 26, 2015 Author Share Posted April 26, 2015 You'll be fine on a 489, with a whv you can only work for each employer for 6 months during a 12 month period which is why most weren't willing to take a backpacker on, which I can understand from their point of view! I thought with a 489 that your only had to work full time in your profession for 12 months and live in the regional for 2 years? It doesn't matter if I had to work as a hairdresser for a few years, the money is good and I enjoy the job to an extent just don't want to do it forever! its crazy isn't it! I knew I was going over and meeting up with him at some point as I went over with his sister and group of friends, just never thought I would end up moving over there to be with him haha! id always wanted to work on cruise liners as a hairdresser!! Did you enjoy it? 23 weeks! That's so exciting, bet you can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozmaniac Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 (edited) Ah right i see, I know what you mean about being restricted to one employer but to go over on the 489 visa you have to work within your occupation for two years. I love my job so will only want to do hairdressing when I'm over there anyway, and hoping that having a four year visa I will able to find a job ok. Sounds like you both had an amazing time though. But that is crazy you met your partner over there and he is from your home town. I met people on the cruise liners from where I live was mad, a client emigrated to oz 40 years ago recognised my accent and ended up she use to live a few miles from me. Super excited to go now 23 weeks and counting. Feels like forever!!! You'll be fine on a 489, with a whv you can only work for each employer for 6 months during a 12 month period which is why most weren't willing to take a backpacker on, which I can understand from their point of view! I thought with a 489 that your only had to work full time in your profession for 12 months and live in the regional for 2 years? It doesn't matter if I had to work as a hairdresser for a few years, the money is good and I enjoy the job to an extent just don't want to do it forever!its crazy isn't it! I knew I was going over and meeting up with him at some point as I went over with his sister and group of friends, just never thought I would end up moving over there to be with him haha! id always wanted to work on cruise liners as a hairdresser!! Did you enjoy it? 23 weeks! That's so exciting, bet you can't wait! The highlighted parts are not how it works. On a 489, you can only live and work in an eligible regional area but it can be in any occupation. When it comes to applying for an 887 permanent visa, you must have lived in an eligible regional area for 2 years and worked full time (or part time in more than one job for the equivalent of full time) but again, the work can be in any occupation. Edited April 27, 2015 by Ozmaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickiw89 Posted April 27, 2015 Author Share Posted April 27, 2015 Thanks ozmaniac! That's good news for me. I assume that we don't have to stay in one place, as long as it's a regional area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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