Dates / Timelines for when to apply

[louisella]

Hi all, sorry this is so long! I’m trying to get my head round dates / timelines and could do with a fresh pair of eyes please

OH qualified as a solicitor in the UK in September 2014 and we’d be looking to apply for a visa with him as the primary applicant. Points wise, I’ve calculated we can only go for the 190 or 489 as follows:

190

Age – 15

IELTS – confident he’d get 20

Skilled Employment - 5 points in Sept 2017

Qualifications – 15

State Sponsorship – 5

= 60

Or 489 under family sponsored through my sister who’s eligible to sponsor us

Age – 15

IELTS – 20

(Skilled Employment – 5 points in Sept 2017)

Qualifications – 15

Family Sponsorship – 10

= 60 if we apply before Sept 2017 or 65 if we apply after

 

So the way I see it, the quickest in terms of when we can apply (rather than how quickly they’re granted) would be the 489 family sponsor however I know these are very rare.

From what I’ve read, OH would need to have his skills assessed by the WA Legal board (we’d be looking to move to Perth) and that in order to get a positive skills assessment, he’d need to complete additional units and be admitted to practice. If I estimate this to be 5-6 units (hopefully worse case scenario), I’ve read that you can only study 3 subjects per semester, so this would need to be spread over 2 semesters.

 

So my questions (eventually!) are -

 

1. How long is a semester in Australia? I’m not sure if it’s similar to a term in the UK? Also, what months do the semesters tend to start?
2. Do you know of anyone who has received a positive skills assessment from WA without having been admitted first? (this could just be wishful thinking on my part I know!)
   
3. If say for example, in 12 months time, OH had completed the units and was admitted to practice (and subsequently received the positive skills assessment), am I correct in thinking we could then apply for the 489 and just wait it out?
   
4. The other option is to wait until Sept 2017 when he can claim 5 points for skilled employment so go for 190?
   
5. If we lodged a 489 next year but didn’t hear anything, could we then change it to a 190 the following year when OH would have enough points?
   

 

All of this of course is assuming solicitor stays on the SOL (and I am just using the 12 months completion as an example to get an idea of timescales / process flow in my head)

 

If you've managed to stay awake this far...many thanks!

[VERYSTORMY]

I cant answer all your questions, however, i would speak to the universities in WA such as UWA to check things and look at costs - these modules will not be cheap.

 

Be VERY careful about considering a 489 as a solicitor. The vast majority of legal firms are based in Perth but under a 489 he would not be allowed to work in Perth for 12 months.

[louisella]

Hi @VERYSTORMY , thanks very much for your reply. I've been advised the modules will be between 10-15k (ouch!)

 

Re the 489, I thought that if you were family sponsored (rather than state / Territory) on this visa, then you could work in Perth from the off? This is what I read on Immi:

If you are sponsored by an eligible relative, you are to live, work and study in one of the following:

[TABLE=width: 1, align: center]

[TR]

[TD]Western Australia

[/TD]

[TD]Entire state

 

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Have I missed something about the 12 month stipulation which you mentioned?

Thanks

[VERYSTORMY]

Oops. Sorry - misread that it is family sponsored.