Domo 22 Posted February 25 22 hours ago, CapitalS said: What kind of strings?! Read up on the commissioners guidelines for inward travel, that way you can get a better idea. If you manage to find a job offer in a critical sector (relative to your occupation), stat dec and everything, hit up a member of parliament and plead your case, let DHA handle the rest. I'm in the process of doing just that. It's an uphill battle, and probably wont work, but it's my only shot and better then waiting another 12months. No 'what ifs' this way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
31Hillbury 33 Posted February 26 Hi Domo, what occupation did you apply under and when if you don’t mind me asking? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Domo 22 Posted February 26 39 minutes ago, 31Hillbury said: Hi Domo, what occupation did you apply under and when if you don’t mind me asking? I'm a tradey applied 14 months ago Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
31Hillbury 33 Posted February 26 Same here, but we applied under the wife’s occupation secondary school teacher. The company I’m hoping to work for when we finally get there is doing lots of work in the healthcare sector, so was wondering if I might be able to nudge our application onwards from that angle ?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Domo 22 Posted February 26 5 hours ago, 31Hillbury said: Same here, but we applied under the wife’s occupation secondary school teacher. The company I’m hoping to work for when we finally get there is doing lots of work in the healthcare sector, so was wondering if I might be able to nudge our application onwards from that angle ?? Honestly, I have no clue. It may work as the secondary applicant or it may not, I personally think that it would be the primary applicant, but who knows. Anything is worth trying i suppose, which is why I'm going for it. I'm not that optimistic about my chances either, but its def beats waiting. I just sent out my CV to some +200 employers and not a peep, other than a head hunter. I'll rinse and repeat for the next X amount of months. Have a read through the commissioners guidelines and let me know what you think. Maybe you can come up with an even better plan! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
31Hillbury 33 Posted February 26 @Domo can you send me a link to the commissioner guidelines please? I’ll have a read through and see if I can find anything! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Domo 22 Posted February 27 18 hours ago, 31Hillbury said: @Domo can you send me a link to the commissioner guidelines please? I’ll have a read through and see if I can find anything! https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/travel-restrictions Scroll to the bottom and open up the hyperlink. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Domo 22 Posted February 28 5 hours ago, 31Hillbury said: Thanks Domo Np, have a read through a formulate a plan. Let me know how it goes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NQ679 3 Posted April 7 Hi! Anyone received their grants of recent? Still awaiting mine (190 NSW, Offshore, Lodged 12 March 2020, Occupation: 511112/Project/Program Administrator) - logged in online and processing time has now changed to 9 to 14 months.... hopefully some positive news soon! Nate. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Domo 22 Posted April 8 5 hours ago, NQ679 said: Hi! Anyone received their grants of recent? Still awaiting mine (190 NSW, Offshore, Lodged 12 March 2020, Occupation: 511112/Project/Program Administrator) - logged in online and processing time has now changed to 9 to 14 months.... hopefully some positive news soon! Nate. Still waiting mate. I'm 14 months going on 15. I usually read every news article and forum daily, nothing new has come up from the DHA indicating that they may be granting offshore 189/190 visas more aggressively. Feel free to share if you hear anything positive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
31Hillbury 33 Posted April 8 @Domo Did you have any luck with finding a job offer and getting in touch with DHA/Member of parliament? This wait is getting a bit depressing now. A bit of an update from home affairs wouldnt go amiss. I know they're not the most vocal with updates of this sort, but it would be reassuring to the people who have been waiting what feels like a lifetime Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marisawright 7,105 Posted April 8 2 minutes ago, 31Hillbury said: @Domo Did you have any luck with finding a job offer and getting in touch with DHA/Member of parliament? What's the point? Only priority occupations are being considered and even if you got the visa, it's almost impossible to enter the country. 1 Scot by birth, emigrated 1985 | Aussie husband applied UK spouse visa Jan 2015, granted March 2015, moved to UK May 2015 | Returned to Oz June 2016 "The stranger who comes home does not make himself at home but makes home itself strange." -- Rainer Maria Rilke Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joe/Rose 8 Posted April 8 3 hours ago, Domo said: Still waiting mate. I'm 14 months going on 15. I usually read every news article and forum daily, nothing new has come up from the DHA indicating that they may be granting offshore 189/190 visas more aggressively. I’m still waiting to! For me it’s going onto 17 months now! Pretty anxious but that’s the nature of this beast. As Domo has mentioned, I’m on every article/info that arises daily, there is nothing to report. The determination will pretty much come when the quota is released in July & more importantly, when Australia opens its boarders! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
31Hillbury 33 Posted April 8 3 hours ago, Marisawright said: What's the point? Only priority occupations are being considered and even if you got the visa, it's almost impossible to enter the country. Seems you can still book flights on sky scanner, they might be expensive but looks like you can buy them. Just need the golden approval. Sometimes a positive thought can do wonders for the people waiting for a visa grant. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Domo 22 Posted April 8 10 hours ago, 31Hillbury said: @Domo Did you have any luck with finding a job offer and getting in touch with DHA/Member of parliament? This wait is getting a bit depressing now. A bit of an update from home affairs wouldnt go amiss. I know they're not the most vocal with updates of this sort, but it would be reassuring to the people who have been waiting what feels like a lifetime I sent out my CV to loads of employers and have a recruitment agency actively looking for me. There's lots of work, they just want individuals who are currently in Oz, so finding the right employer has proven to be a tad difficult. I have other priorities in life ATM, so I haven't been pushing lately. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Domo 22 Posted April 8 10 hours ago, Marisawright said: What's the point? Only priority occupations are being considered and even if you got the visa, it's almost impossible to enter the country. Priority occupations are being prioritized, there have been grants of non priority occupations both on and offshore, albeit very little for non priority 189/190 offshore. I know a number of families first hand that went back to Oz recently and got there without any issues and other people that ran into trouble. It certainly isn't impossible, far from it, just not as effortless as it once was. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Domo 22 Posted April 8 7 hours ago, 31Hillbury said: Seems you can still book flights on sky scanner, they might be expensive but looks like you can buy them. Just need the golden approval. Sometimes a positive thought can do wonders for the people waiting for a visa grant. Agreed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marisawright 7,105 Posted April 8 9 hours ago, 31Hillbury said: Seems you can still book flights on sky scanner, they might be expensive but looks like you can buy them. Just need the golden approval. Sometimes a positive thought can do wonders for the people waiting for a visa grant. But there's a difference between being optimistic and being unrealistic. It's not good for yourself or your family if you're putting your life on hold for something that isn't going to happen. Sadly the Australian government has made a complete pig's ear of the vaccine rollout and it's unlikely they'll be opening the borders this year to anyone but priority occupations. 1 Scot by birth, emigrated 1985 | Aussie husband applied UK spouse visa Jan 2015, granted March 2015, moved to UK May 2015 | Returned to Oz June 2016 "The stranger who comes home does not make himself at home but makes home itself strange." -- Rainer Maria Rilke Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
31Hillbury 33 Posted Friday at 07:42 10 hours ago, Marisawright said: But there's a difference between being optimistic and being unrealistic. It's not good for yourself or your family if you're putting your life on hold for something that isn't going to happen. Sadly the Australian government has made a complete pig's ear of the vaccine rollout and it's unlikely they'll be opening the borders this year to anyone but priority occupations. We are all aware of the situation. What is the difference between optimism and unrealistic? I think the majority of people in this thread are awaiting a visa grant for a 190 (Fair assumption?) Are you suggesting its unrealistic for us to get grants? I think the intention of this thread is so people in similar situations can chat and mention anything they have heard, if they have any updates on their situation and maybe to try and keep their hopes up things are moving forward (albeit a slow pace) Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. Sometimes peoples comments make people stop wanting to interact in this way, which only leaves people less informed and discouraged. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wanderer Returns 503 Posted Friday at 08:16 (edited) 21 hours ago, 31Hillbury said: Seems you can still book flights on sky scanner, they might be expensive but looks like you can buy them. Just need the golden approval. Sometimes a positive thought can do wonders for the people waiting for a visa grant. A word of warning. Skyscanner shows scheduled flights (those on the airlines 'timetable'), but most of those flights will never fly due to restrictions currently in place around the world. You will book, get your hopes up, and a week or so before departure you'll receive an email or text informing you that your flight has been cancelled. It's unethical that airlines still book these flights, but I guess it helps their cashflow during these difficult times. Airlines are only too happy to take you money right now, and you can find yourself waiting for months for refunds for cancelled flights. My wife and I went through all this last year, when she was trying to return to Australia. Forget SkyScanner. Your best bet is to check the airport arrivals of the destination that you want to fly to, and see which airlines are still flying there daily/weekly. If we're talking Australia, then there aren't that many at all. Good luck with your visa Edited Friday at 08:17 by Wanderer Returns 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ausvisitor 370 Posted Friday at 08:46 20 minutes ago, Wanderer Returns said: A word of warning. Skyscanner shows scheduled flights (those on the airlines 'timetable'), but most of those flights will never fly due to restrictions currently in place around the world. You will book, get your hopes up, and a week or so before departure you'll receive an email or text informing you that your flight has been cancelled. It's unethical that airlines still book these flights, but I guess it helps their cashflow during these difficult times. Airlines are only too happy to take you money right now, and you can find yourself waiting for months for refunds for cancelled flights. My wife and I went through all this last year, when she was trying to return to Australia. Forget SkyScanner. Your best bet is to check the airport arrivals of the destination that you want to fly to, and see which airlines are still flying there daily/weekly. If we're talking Australia, then there aren't that many at all. Good luck with your visa All true and well described. Airlinee are using future bookings as an interest free loan for cashflow purposes right now, so they are keen for you to book as it means they don't need a punitive bank loan 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Southlander 20 Posted Saturday at 13:32 A dash of optimism here and there can do wonders for the morale . Yes, still here too . We're into 16 months and it's s extremely difficult for us as well. Naive, yes somewhat , optimistic, hell yes ! Regarding grant numbers, I can't see how they could have exhausted their visa grant quota's of 190's for this year. As such waiting for July will be more a "default" way of consolidating for the next fiscal year, albeit with a profound backlog and 1000's more waiting for invites to join the race again, if they choose to complicate things further. Logically they should use up their given quota now before the next year starts. Also granting our visas, won't cause too many issues, we get the assurity that our visas are granted and as others have pointed out we may not get on a plane anyway. Also hopefully there are enough medical practitioners assisting with covid in their long awaited big roll out in oz and grants can now go to other fields! Let's hope for common sense and we all get out grants soon, maybe even share a beer when we get there and get off this dang forum and enjoy the lifestyle that is on offer. May tap in with an occasional hello and spout of knowledge, optimism for the next cohort as some have done for us! If we hear anything relative to us, let's keep updating . Best to us all. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Domo 22 Posted Sunday at 00:44 On 09/04/2021 at 17:42, 31Hillbury said: We are all aware of the situation. What is the difference between optimism and unrealistic? I think the majority of people in this thread are awaiting a visa grant for a 190 (Fair assumption?) Are you suggesting its unrealistic for us to get grants? I think the intention of this thread is so people in similar situations can chat and mention anything they have heard, if they have any updates on their situation and maybe to try and keep their hopes up things are moving forward (albeit a slow pace) Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. Sometimes peoples comments make people stop wanting to interact in this way, which only leaves people less informed and discouraged. On the on the other hand, quarintine capacity will be increase to >6,000/week again on April 17th. That would mean that the "40,000 stranded Aussies" would be returned in a matter of 3 months, after which they would probably begin moving onto some visa group into the country as they continue with the rollout. I for one find it extremely difficult to believe that the country will not fully utilize quarintine capacity from this point forward. It would be ludicrous not to, they'll import people so that airlines and quarintine facilities stay busy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toots 9,501 Posted Sunday at 01:06 1 hour ago, Domo said: On the on the other hand, quarintine capacity will be increase to >6,000/week again on April 17th. That would mean that the "40,000 stranded Aussies" would be returned in a matter of 3 months, after which they would probably begin moving onto some visa group into the country as they continue with the rollout. I for one find it extremely difficult to believe that the country will not fully utilize quarintine capacity from this point forward. It would be ludicrous not to, they'll import people so that airlines and quarintine facilities stay busy. Well let's hope there are jobs waiting for all those imported people. Things aren't that great here you know - no matter what some people will try to tell you. Just be prepared for that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites