Full Relocation Package as Social Worker on a 457 Visa

[vanir Freyja]

Hi all!! I have just passed my final interview for the advance social work position in Victoria and awaiting the next steps of my application!! Very exciting!! 

I am also being supported via McArthur and I think we all appear to be taking a similar route- the 457 visa works fine for me as I will be coming alone and want to 'try before I buy' so to speak!! 

 I have yet to catch up with the manager and will be doing this next week- but just a few questions, what is your understanding of time scales from this point, what are the next steps and do I need to do a skills assessment? I'm too eager and can't wait to speak to her haha! 

 

Thanks for for any help and advice 

 

F x

[Cheryl and Wayne]

2 hours ago, vanir Freyja said:

Hi all!! I have just passed my final interview for the advance social work position in Victoria and awaiting the next steps of my application!! Very exciting!! 

I am also being supported via McArthur and I think we all appear to be taking a similar route- the 457 visa works fine for me as I will be coming alone and want to 'try before I buy' so to speak!! 

 I have yet to catch up with the manager and will be doing this next week- but just a few questions, what is your understanding of time scales from this point, what are the next steps and do I need to do a skills assessment? I'm too eager and can't wait to speak to her haha! 

 

Thanks for for any help and advice 

 

F x

Hello, you definitely need a skills assessment, the AASW is currently taking 5-6 months to process, ACW seems to be quicker. Once you have skills assessment and international police checks you will be given formal job offer, DHHS will then nominate you for 457, mine was approved in a few days and then you lodge visa application, mine took 22 days x

[Zatara80]

45 minutes ago, Cheryl and Wayne said:

Hello, you definitely need a skills assessment, the AASW is currently taking 5-6 months to process, ACW seems to be quicker. Once you have skills assessment and international police checks you will be given formal job offer, DHHS will then nominate you for 457, mine was approved in a few days and then you lodge visa application, mine took 22 days x

Hi Cheryl,

Did you and the family have to do any health assessment? I was thinking they might ask us to do this next once the skills assessment comes back? Also, did you have to pay to lodge the 457 Visa or did the Department of Victoria cover this cost upfront on their side?

Have you made the move to Australia yet? How's it all going

 

 

3 hours ago, vanir Freyja said:

Hi all!! I have just passed my final interview for the advance social work position in Victoria and awaiting the next steps of my application!! Very exciting!! 

I am also being supported via McArthur and I think we all appear to be taking a similar route- the 457 visa works fine for me as I will be coming alone and want to 'try before I buy' so to speak!! 

 I have yet to catch up with the manager and will be doing this next week- but just a few questions, what is your understanding of time scales from this point, what are the next steps and do I need to do a skills assessment? I'm too eager and can't wait to speak to her haha! 

 

Thanks for for any help and advice 

 

F x

Well done Freyja,

I would send of my skills assessment ASAP without waiting for agency to get back as the process takes quite long, 5-6 months as Cheryl has confirmed. We sent of Husbands skills assessment in August so just waiting for this to come back and then we hope to lodge the nominated Visa.

Have you done your police checks? Took about 2 weeks once sent off, cost £45.

You could do a bit of research of areas you would like to rent etc in the meantime...what office did you get allocated?

All the best!

Edited September 21, 2017 by Zatara80

[Cheryl and Wayne]

Hi, we didnt have to do any health checks but you have to obtain health insurance when you lodge visa application. You have to pay for everything up front, keep original receipts and they will pay you back once you start employment.  They dont pay full fees, we can get up to $6000 for 2 adults and 2 children. My visa was only granted this morning so just trying to make final arrangements now x

[vanir Freyja]

Thanks for all the above-

i am going to look into the skills assessment and get the ball rolling with the police check- 

5-6 months is okay for me as I can then save some money up!!! 

I will be working in the Preston office so I want to do some research about where to live and get looking into this. 

Im really excited!

kind regards 

F x

[Zatara80]

13 minutes ago, Cheryl and Wayne said:

Hi, we didnt have to do any health checks but you have to obtain health insurance when you lodge visa application. You have to pay for everything up front, keep original receipts and they will pay you back once you start employment.  They dont pay full fees, we can get up to $6000 for 2 adults and 2 children. My visa was only granted this morning so just trying to make final arrangements now x

Thanks Cheryl,

Congratulations, so very happy for you and family, you are truly on your way.

I was hoping they would at least have paid the Visa upfront but wishful thinking...

Is the Visa electronic or do they need to stamp your passports, we were not sure as we are hoping to do a bit of travelling and not sure if we have to be in the UK whilst the process takes place.

We are looking into getting health insurance with Bupa, not sure if they are the best? Who did you go with and how many months insurance did you take out for you and family?

Edited September 21, 2017 by Zatara80

[Zatara80]

10 minutes ago, vanir Freyja said:

Thanks for all the above-

i am going to look into the skills assessment and get the ball rolling with the police check- 

5-6 months is okay for me as I can then save some money up!!! 

I will be working in the Preston office so I want to do some research about where to live and get looking into this. 

Im really excited!

kind regards 

F x

There is a Forum under Victoria of places to live in Melbourne and surrounding suburbs, worth a look and a good starting point. Also have a look at Real Estate Australia and Domain to give you an idea of rental costs.

Good Luck!

[Zatara80]

After sending off the Skills Assessment in Aug, we received a reply from the AASW 2 weeks ago stating Husband has to sit the English Test as he was born and completed his secondary school education in Ghana (which was taught mainly in English)...this is despite him studying in the UK, both at college a few years and 3 year University Social Work degree fully taught in English and being a British citizen...very frustrating but now we are looking to book the Academic IELTS test end of the month and will once the results come in have everything needed to apply for the Skilled Independent Visa - 189.  We will use finances from our house sale to fund this Visa.

So the plan is to relocate to Australia on the 457 Visa with relocation assistance so we can recoup some of the money...at the same time we are hoping to lodge the 189 Visa but haven't decided what is best- apply once in Australia or UK? As our address will change in the UK whilst waiting to relocate and wondering if we will have any problem with DIBP who might question why we are applying for two VISA's at the same time.

As I understand from forum members we can apply for both at the same time but please correct me if I am wrong?

 

[Quoll]

The recommendation is never to sell your home until you have the visa (permanent) in your hot, clammy little hand and, even then, you’d be wise to make sure you like it before selling Up! 

[Zatara80]

39 minutes ago, Quoll said:

The recommendation is never to sell your home until you have the visa (permanent) in your hot, clammy little hand and, even then, you’d be wise to make sure you like it before selling Up! 

Your answer does not address my question the slightest.

We were selling up regardless of going to Australia or not...the BREXIT FACTOR.  but also to upgrade to a bigger house in the Midlands prior to deciding to relocate to Australia. Our equity will be saved so no loss to us!

Edited October 4, 2017 by Zatara80

[Nemesis]

12 minutes ago, Zatara80 said:

Your answer does not address my question the slightest.

We were selling up regardless of going to Australia or not...the BREXIT FACTOR.  but also to upgrade to a bigger house in the Midlands prior to deciding to relocate to Australia. Our equity will be saved so no loss to us!

Which question? If you mean about applying for more than one visa, DIBP won't care. You can apply for as many as you like simultaneously. 

To answer an earlier query, the visa is electronic, nothing in your passport. 

Quoll's point is in the main good advice, even though it may not apply in your case. 

[Zatara80]

23 minutes ago, Nemesis said:

Which question? If you mean about applying for more than one visa, DIBP won't care. You can apply for as many as you like simultaneously. 

To answer an earlier query, the visa is electronic, nothing in your passport. 

Quoll's point is in the main good advice, even though it may not apply in your case. 

Thank you for clarifying, much appreciated.

 Quoll has previously given me this advice and I have previously explained reasoning behind our house sale, yes this does not apply to us.

My frustration stems from unhelpful advice on this forum in whole from individuals who seems to be bashing people who seek the dream of relocating to Australia, there is a negative sentiment pattern going on and although some might be meaning well by giving constructive advice and guidance, it is not always very helpful, especially when people have done their research and understand the pro's and con's of migrating and challenges facing ahead. Not everyone has had good experiences, I gather that but people have to allow others to experience their own journeys - it's not all doom and gloom for everyone!

 

 

[Mcguinnessp1968]

Thank you for clarifying, much appreciated.
 Quoll has previously given me this advice and I have previously explained reasoning behind our house sale, yes this does not apply to us.
My frustration stems from unhelpful advice on this forum in whole from individuals who seems to be bashing people who seek the dream of relocating to Australia, there is a negative sentiment pattern going on and although some might be meaning well by giving constructive advice and guidance, it is not always very helpful, especially when people have done their research and understand the pro's and con's of migrating and challenges facing ahead. Not everyone has had good experiences, I gather that but people have to allow others to experience their own journeys - it's not all doom and gloom for everyone!
 
 

I completely agree with you on this, while some people are extremely helpful there are others, and it seems to be the same ones all the time who just like to pontificate to others as if they were stupid and didn’t know what they were doing.
Sometimes I think they just copy and paste their posts they are that predictable

[Nemesis]

1 hour ago, Zatara80 said:

Thank you for clarifying, much appreciated.

 Quoll has previously given me this advice and I have previously explained reasoning behind our house sale, yes this does not apply to us.

My frustration stems from unhelpful advice on this forum in whole from individuals who seems to be bashing people who seek the dream of relocating to Australia, there is a negative sentiment pattern going on and although some might be meaning well by giving constructive advice and guidance, it is not always very helpful, especially when people have done their research and understand the pro's and con's of migrating and challenges facing ahead. Not everyone has had good experiences, I gather that but people have to allow others to experience their own journeys - it's not all doom and gloom for everyone!

 

 

If you mean Quoll, then I think you are being rather unfair as she has spent many years giving good advice on here and has helped a lot of us over the years.

Interestingly enough one reason why my husband's visa was refused was because he refused to give up a permanent job and home until he had his PR in his hand, DIBP considered it a lack of commitment. Even bearing that in mind though I would still follow Quoll's advice. 

 

 

[Quoll]

I really couldn't give a toss what people do or don't do.  It isn't just me that says don't sell up until you get the visa - that's just bog standard advice from anyone who deals with visas, given the vicissitudes of the visa system.  If people want to spend their savings on something which could or could not become a reality is up to them. Emigration is a very expensive process!

[ali]

I guess the thing to remember is that you are asking questions on an open forum and are going to get opinions (not expert advice) from the membership.  Some of it you'll agree with and some you won't

[Guest The Pom Queen]

On 04/10/2017 at 20:09, Zatara80 said:

Thank you for clarifying, much appreciated.

 Quoll has previously given me this advice and I have previously explained reasoning behind our house sale, yes this does not apply to us.

My frustration stems from unhelpful advice on this forum in whole from individuals who seems to be bashing people who seek the dream of relocating to Australia, there is a negative sentiment pattern going on and although some might be meaning well by giving constructive advice and guidance, it is not always very helpful, especially when people have done their research and understand the pro's and con's of migrating and challenges facing ahead. Not everyone has had good experiences, I gather that but people have to allow others to experience their own journeys - it's not all doom and gloom for everyone!

 

 

Hi @Zatara80 to say you only joined the forum in July I think your comments are quite harsh, to judge 98% of the members as unhelpful and negative really isn't fair on the rest of us who are positive and love our life here. Maybe we don't shout loud enough and people focus on the negatives.

In regards to @Quoll comments, yes she has moved back to the UK but has been on the forum for over 10 years and like the rest of us we have seen families sell everything they have, arrive here, things haven't worked out and they have no money and some don't even have enough for a flight home. You may not like @Quoll s advice but if she helps just one family by making them take a moment to consider everything and put a safety net in place then I think it's very worthy advise.

As I mentioned there have been numerous families over the years burnt. The worst one I remember was a locksmith, his wife had just had a new baby and they had a toddler. They were offered sponsorship as a locksmith in regional Victoria. They sold their house at a loss, sold their cars and belongings to pay for the flights and arrived in Melbourne, at the time I lived in Melbourne  so we picked them up and drove this family to their new life. What they didn't realise was that it was 4 hours away from Melbourne City, the rental the company had put them up in I wouldn't have placed my dog in there. Anyway, 2 weeks in the company decided they couldn't afford to keep him on anymore and made him redundant. They had no money or savings. There was only that one lock smith out there so he couldn't find another sponsor. There was nothing in Melbourne at all and they were told they had to leave the country. At first the company refused to pay for their flights back home, however, with the help of a member who was a lawyer they got them to pay for the return flight home and a  number of us clubbed together to help them with accommodation, food etc in the meantime.

Now there have been many more recent cases but this was one I found the most upsetting. They had no family and friends in the UK to return to. Another which touches my heart strings and brings tears to my eyes was a member who arrived in Melbourne with her husband and 2 children, they were such a positive, wonderful family, they sold up and shipped their belongings over. We helped them get settled, after 4 weeks they had just signed up for a 12 month rental, bought a brand new car and the day after she discovered a lump, she had stage 4 breast cancer, they didn't give her long (thankfully she is a fighter and is still here) They had no family or support here, they had come on her visa, so they had to fly home to be close to her family and a support network. Again they had no house to go back to and the furniture was still at sea in its way to Australia.

I know none of this is of interest to you, nor have you got attached and become friends with these people, but when you see members in these situations it really does break our hearts and you can understand why some of the longer term members try and warn people. At the end of the day 99% of members are probably head strong and will do what they feel is best for them and I pray it works out for each and everyone of them.

We sold our house without having the visa in our hand, but we did have equity so we could buy again if it hadn't been granted. The way things have gone over the years and seeing what I've seen I wouldn't risk it for a temporary visa. Just recently there is a thread in the migration section of a couple who thought they would have to return because of all the new changes that have come in. 

[Guest The Pom Queen]

On 04/10/2017 at 21:54, Nemesis said:

 

Interestingly enough one reason why my husband's visa was refused was because he refused to give up a permanent job and home until he had his PR in his hand, DIBP considered it a lack of commitment. Even bearing that in mind though I would still follow Quoll's advice. 

How ironic, when we applied for our 136 many moons ago we were told by immigration not to give up our jobs and not to sell any property. In fact I'm sure they had some disclaimer on the paperwork. 

[Nemesis]

1 minute ago, The Pom Queen said:

How ironic, when we applied for our 136 many moons ago we were told by immigration not to give up our jobs and not to sell any property. In fact I'm sure they had some disclaimer on the paperwork. 

I know, and it says it on the DIBP website, and its advice I've passed on to many over the years, after reading stories similar to those you posted earlier. 

when you are in your 50s you can't just jump into another job, hanging on to the one you have is just common sense until the last minute. Unfortunately DIBP ddin't see it that way. 

[Guest The Pom Queen]

1 minute ago, Nemesis said:

I know, and it says it on the DIBP website, and its advice I've passed on to many over the years, after reading stories similar to those you posted earlier. 

when you are in your 50s you can't just jump into another job, hanging on to the one you have is just common sense until the last minute. Unfortunately DIBP ddin't see it that way. 

I'm so sorry to hear that. You would have thought that there were grounds to escalate your case further based on the contradicting advice. We took a huge risk ourselves but we had PR and could take any job to get an income if required. 

[CharlieSmith]

Been waiting for AASW to complete my skills assessement.Its been 18 weeks now and l am fearing that DHHS might end withdrawing their offer of employment on 457 Visa.Anyone in the same situation?

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[mccusken]

Hi, iv just got mine back yesterday after applying on 5th May (all documents in). There has been a delay and processing times moved to 20/22 weeks although mine was slightly longer. Can't comment on the job as I'm applying for PR.

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[CharlieSmith]

Seems like l am in for a long wait

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[Ashy Dhlamini]

hello could you kindly share with me the name of the agent you used to get  a job with the Department of Victoria as a Senior Practitioner Child Protection Social Worker. I am a qualified social worker and would like to apply as I understand there are still openings.

[Zatara80]

On ‎28‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 07:32, Ashy Dhlamini said:

hello could you kindly share with me the name of the agent you used to get  a job with the Department of Victoria as a Senior Practitioner Child Protection Social Worker. I am a qualified social worker and would like to apply as I understand there are still openings.

 McArthur is the agency the Department of Victoria use for their vetting. They are still recruiting as far as I understand, saw a post the other day on the Indeed UK jobsite.

We put our application on hold for a while but are now back in the process again. 

We noticed that the relocation package has changed but for the better,  a slightly better financial incentive than before and they now carry out the skills assessment themselves free of charge, a process which usually takes months now takes weeks instead. Happy Days!!!