The Smith Clan Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 At the very start of our journey to move to Oz. I am a social worker and hoping I can get sponsorship there. We are a family and looking at visa costs alone looks expensive before we consider agent fees. Is an agency worth it? . Any information on any sw job sites, contacts much appreciated. Kind regards Maria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srh82 Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Visa costs are only just the start! To to answer your question, if you have time and the inclination to research, and IF you feel it's straightforward in your case then go ahead without an agent. However, if you have any doubts whatsoever, or the time to research visa options and the process, get an agent. Make sure the agent is MARA registered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Smith Clan Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 Visa costs are only just the start! To to answer your question, if you have time and the inclination to research, and IF you feel it's straightforward in your case then go ahead without an agent. However, if you have any doubts whatsoever, or the time to research visa options and the process, get an agent. Make sure the agent is MARA registered. Many thanks, do you have any recommendations ? Looked at emigrate to Australia and visa bureau. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amibovered Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Difficult decision, but remember, if your visa application is refused because of an error you make when applying you'll lose the fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 We used Visa Bureau many years ago when we applied and they were fantastic. There is a lot more information about now a days so lots of people do successfully apply on their own . For us, it was more for the peace of mind of knowing we had someone double checking everything and filling in the gaps if we got stuck,hence we dont regret spending that extra money on agent fee's. Lots of luck with your application. Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 I've changed my mind about this. We didn't use an agent, but that was 30 years ago and the whole process was far simpler. Having seen how complicated it is now, and knowing that one little mistake could mean getting rejected and losing your whole application fee, I think a migration agent is worth using. Just check to make absolutely certain they're MARA registered, never use one that isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Smith Clan Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 Difficult decision, but remember, if your visa application is refused because of an error you make when applying you'll lose the fee. Yes we are just finding this out from posts and its one of our many worries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Smith Clan Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 We used Visa Bureau many years ago when we applied and they were fantastic. There is a lot more information about now a days so lots of people do successfully apply on their own . For us, it was more for the peace of mind of knowing we had someone double checking everything and filling in the gaps if we got stuck,hence we dont regret spending that extra money on agent fee's. Lots of luck with your application. Cal x Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Smith Clan Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 I've changed my mind about this. We didn't use an agent, but that was 30 years ago and the whole process was far simpler. Having seen how complicated it is now, and knowing that one little mistake could mean getting rejected and losing your whole application fee, I think a migration agent is worth using. Just check to make absolutely certain they're MARA registered, never use one that isn't. Yes one would think paying all that money would be an option to resend without cost. I am going to get myself up to speed with it all and what we need to do and make a decision. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 If you are looking at sponsorship and a 457 visa then I would not appoint your own agent - we were sponsored and the employer appointed the agent and paid all the costs - agent and visa. As a social worker though I would have thought you would be better with an independent visa - 457 visas are fraught with problems. Of course this is where a migration agent can help too! It may be worth having an initial assessment - some even do this free, we used Overseas Emigration and they did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Smith Clan Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share Posted January 3, 2016 If you are looking at sponsorship and a 457 visa then I would not appoint your own agent - we were sponsored and the employer appointed the agent and paid all the costs - agent and visa. As a social worker though I would have thought you would be better with an independent visa - 457 visas are fraught with problems. Of course this is where a migration agent can help too! It may be worth having an initial assessment - some even do this free, we used Overseas Emigration and they did. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Collett Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Risk issues are generally: > The skills assessment process: are you eligible for a positive migration assessment? See here for info about your occupation: https://www.aasw.asn.au/careers-study/overseas-qualifications-and-overseas-residents > The skilled visa points test: how many points can you reasonably claim? Claiming points for the number of years of skilled work experience is the main problem area - ie when did you first start doing skilled work? In reviewing your skilled visa points you'll need to consider your visa strategy. Do you need sponsorship from a State Government to obtain sufficient points via a subclass 190 or 489 visa pathway? Which States/Territories are sponsoring your occupation, and are there additional requirements to be satisfied before you can secure sponsorship? It is often worthwhile doing some initial research and then discussing your situation with 2 or 3 recommended migration agents so you can have a discussion with some initial knowledge to hand. You'll probably get more out of the conversations with the migration agents that way. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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