Ben8899 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Gday chaps - hope everyone is doing well! I was hoping to possibly pick the brains of any of the folks out there who have recently obtained PR through the Skilled Independent 189 VISA pathway, or anyone who can offer me some advice in general. Essentially I have done the classic Working Holiday VISA > Student VISA > Graduate VISA pathway in Carpentry and am based in Melbourne. My understanding of the VISA 189 is that you need to apply via an EOI to then be invited to apply for PR. My concern is that the "Eligibility"' for the points tested stream is 65 points and from using the calculator my points are anywhere from 75-85 points depending if I decide to complete an English test through IELTS or the like. My question is; would people think this would be sufficient for my EOI to be accepted? As mentioned the profession for which I am applying is Carpentry - I will have completed a skills assessment, professional year program, have Aussie qualifications and experience etc. The crisis of confidence that I'm having at the moment is that I'm not sure what the likelihood of receiving a positive EOI application based on the above? I'm even further in a pickle as for the last 6 months I have been seeing an Aussie and like a right Hugh Grant I've found myself in what I know is a meaningful and long lasting relationship which also opens the door for the partnership VISA option. If possible though I would still prefer to go the 189 pathway as I have come this far on my own so would like to still do it under my own steam as I also don't want my scheming future Mother in Law to think I'm only with her daughter to get my hands on that tasty blue Aussie Passport (I jest she's literally fabulous). My tickling conundrum though is that I don't want to spend like $3500 on completing my skills assessment if there's not much likelihood I would have a successful invite to apply for PR at the end of it? Any help and advice in regards to this would be amazing as I've currently knawed off the majority of my fingernails and haven't had a blood pressure score of under 140 since November because of the pickle I've found myself in. Any help and advice would be supremely appreciated. - Much Love Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InnerVoice Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 If waxing lyrical was on the skills list you'd be in already. Unfortunately it isn't, and considering there are different options on the table you should seriously consider approaching an RMA for professional advice. If you feel confident about the relationship then a Prospective Marriage Visa might be you best bet. If you like it, put a ring on it. You know it's what Hugh would do! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulhand Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 3 minutes ago, InnerVoice said: f you feel confident about the relationship then a Prospective Marriage Visa might be you best bet. If you like it, put a ring on it. You know it's what Hugh would do! :- ) but that won’t work as it’s an offshore application … and it’s a bit early for a partner visa. It would be helpful to know when the OP’s current visa expires. That will inform what makes sense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InnerVoice Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 14 minutes ago, paulhand said: :- ) but that won’t work as it’s an offshore application … and it’s a bit early for a partner visa. It would be helpful to know when the OP’s current visa expires. That will inform what makes sense. Sorry, I hadn't realized the OP was in the UK - when he mentioned he had an Australian girlfriend I just assume he was onshore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben8899 Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 Howdy all and thanks for the replies! Just to confirm; I am indeed in Australia and have been since 2017 so all my qualifications and experience in my relevant field have been gained here. My current VISA ends in November of this year however that should present enough time to complete the skills assessment and register an expression of interest for the 189 should I choose that route. If worse comes to the worse then I also have the option of applying for a third working holiday VISA as I have completed the mandatory "Zucchini Picking in a hot field while being shouted at by an angry Queenslander called Dave-O"' eligibility requirement for the 3rd Working Holiday VISA. The main head-scratcher for me is that if I apply for an expression of interest with 75-85 points - what are the chances of getting a favourable outcome. My fellow pommy carpentry friends who are in the same anxiety laden ship as me have all been sold the Aussie dream by their respective Migration Agents saying they will be fine, however I suspect that those agents care more about my colleagues BSB and Account numbers then their possible VISA outcomes. The next step would be that I could get a consultation with a proper Migration Lawyer but I thought I would reach out here to see if I could get some advise from people who may have followed the same pathway as I. Any thoughts or answers to these questions would be very much appreciated! - Muchos Love-o 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulhand Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 1 hour ago, InnerVoice said: Sorry, I hadn't realized the OP was in the UK - when he mentioned he had an Australian girlfriend I just assume he was onshore. He's in Aus - that's why the Prospective Marriage Visa doesn't work ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulhand Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 41 minutes ago, Ben8899 said: I also have the option of applying for a third working holiday VISA as I have completed the mandatory "Zucchini Picking in a hot field while being shouted at by an angry Queenslander called Dave-O"' That's a shame in hindsight as it's not needed anymore for UK passport holders! You don't need a lawyer - consult a Registered Migration Agent ... and you are wrong about the motives of most of my colleagues. We take pride in helping people achieve their migration goals. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulhand Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 1 hour ago, paulhand said: That's a shame in hindsight as it's not needed anymore for UK passport holders! To clarify: for 2nd and 3rd WHV applied for on or after 1st July 2024. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip1 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 1 hour ago, paulhand said: That's a shame in hindsight as it's not needed anymore for UK passport holders! You don't need a lawyer - consult a Registered Migration Agent ... and you are wrong about the motives of most of my colleagues. We take pride in helping people achieve their migration goals. It is very evident that you and the other agents on here take exceptional pride over helping people achieve their goals. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben8899 Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 Hi All, Thanks for your replies, much appreciated. It seems that speaking with a migration agent seems to be the best bet as I think my situation is quite specific. And apologies for any offense caused by my tarnishing of the colleagues of your ilk. My experience and that of my fellow students has been that of dealing with migration agents who have been associated with the international colleges for which we completed our student VISA's (these are a completely different kettle of fish). When we were signed up by these agents the words "guaranteed" and "easy" were thrown around alot. Time has shown for all of us that this hasn't been the case though and many of us have felt let down by the Colleges that we signed up for and the agents that facilitated this. The state of student VISAs and Intenational colleges in my opinion need a serious overhaul as my experience with it has been nothing short of a dry lunch. Regardless though, I'm at where I'm at so I think I'll speak with a proper registered agent to gain some more clarification on this matter, however if there is anything else anyone would like to add then that would still be appreciated! Many thanks! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 2 hours ago, Ben8899 said: Hi All, Thanks for your replies, much appreciated. It seems that speaking with a migration agent seems to be the best bet as I think my situation is quite specific. And apologies for any offense caused by my tarnishing of the colleagues of your ilk. My experience and that of my fellow students has been that of dealing with migration agents who have been associated with the international colleges These agents are paid a commission by the colleges to recruit students, so they're not working for the student, they're working for the college. When you engage a migration agent, they're working for you. And of course, you're going to choose one that is MARA registered. Try Suncoast Migration, Go Matilda, Andre Burger. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InnerVoice Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 11 hours ago, paulhand said: He's in Aus - that's why the Prospective Marriage Visa doesn't work ... Okay, I'm with you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InnerVoice Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) 4 hours ago, Ben8899 said: Regardless though, I'm at where I'm at so I think I'll speak with a proper registered agent to gain some more clarification on this matter, however if there is anything else anyone would like to add then that would still be appreciated! The key word here is registered. As Marisa said, they need to be registered with MARA ,and if they are they will have a Migration Agents Registration Number (MARN). Most RMAs will provide a free initial consultation without obligation so I'd stay well clear of anyone asking you for several hundred dollars up front, which I've heard of happening on a couple of occasions recently. And good luck with it all, you sound like a nice lad! Edited January 19 by InnerVoice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 3 hours ago, InnerVoice said: Most RMAs will provide a free initial consultation without obligation.... That used to be the case, but much rarer now. Too many tyre-kickers trying to get free advice, apparently. That said, there is a difference between an agent charging for a one-off consultation, (which they should be able to give you a quote for) and unscrupulous agents who demand you hire them for the whole visa process sight unseen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 Why not start by contacting Paul who has replied to this thread. His details are in the post. Even if you decide to do the actual application yourself it is worth paying for initial assessment to be sure you are applying for the correct visa and how to maximise your chances. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InnerVoice Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 10 minutes ago, Marisawright said: That used to be the case, but much rarer now. Too many tyre-kickers trying to get free advice, apparently. That said, there is a difference between an agent charging for a one-off consultation, (which they should be able to give you a quote for) and unscrupulous agents who demand you hire them for the whole visa process sight unseen. On the Go Matilda website it states that they offer a free initial consultation without obligation. I'd have thought it would be blatantly obvious to an RMA when someone is trying to pump them for free information, rather than just finding out if there's a pathway available to them. I appreciate that there are a lot of time-wasters out there, but at the same time I don't think anyone wants to pay to be told they don't stand a cat in hells chance of getting in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 26 minutes ago, InnerVoice said: On the Go Matilda website it states that they offer a free initial consultation without obligation..... I can't remember who it was, but I often used to mention that you could get a free initial consultation and a couple of the agents on here corrected me, and said most of them don't do it any more. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulhand Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 Just for full transparency… I don’t offer free initial consultation's but I do rebate the initial consultation fee against any further fees if the matter progresses. My view is there can be just as much (or more) work involved in properly ascertaining that a person has no viable pathway as there is in identifying the best route. If it’s obvious from the initial information that an enquiry has absolutely no hope, then I will just say so and not take the consultation. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raul Senise Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 On 20/01/2024 at 05:59, Ben8899 said: My experience and that of my fellow students has been that of dealing with migration agents who have been associated with the international colleges for which we completed our student VISA's (these are a completely different kettle of fish). When we were signed up by these agents the words "guaranteed" and "easy" were thrown around alot. Time has shown for all of us that this hasn't been the case though and many of us have felt let down by the Colleges that we signed up for and the agents that facilitated this. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. Many of the "agents" working for the colleges are student agents or overseas operators. Student Agents are not allowed to give Migration advice, but unfortunately often do to sell courses. Overseas operators are not regulated in any way and can do or say anything. A Registered Migration Agent is not allowed to guarantee any outcome as this is against the very strict code of conduct which we are regulated by. The reality of the situation is that obtaining a student visa and studying in Australia, does not guarantee a Permanent Visa outcome in the future. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Elliott Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 On 19/01/2024 at 19:02, Ben8899 said: Gday chaps - hope everyone is doing well! I was hoping to possibly pick the brains of any of the folks out there who have recently obtained PR through the Skilled Independent 189 VISA pathway, or anyone who can offer me some advice in general. Essentially I have done the classic Working Holiday VISA > Student VISA > Graduate VISA pathway in Carpentry and am based in Melbourne. My understanding of the VISA 189 is that you need to apply via an EOI to then be invited to apply for PR. My concern is that the "Eligibility"' for the points tested stream is 65 points and from using the calculator my points are anywhere from 75-85 points depending if I decide to complete an English test through IELTS or the like. My question is; would people think this would be sufficient for my EOI to be accepted? As mentioned the profession for which I am applying is Carpentry - I will have completed a skills assessment, professional year program, have Aussie qualifications and experience etc. The crisis of confidence that I'm having at the moment is that I'm not sure what the likelihood of receiving a positive EOI application based on the above? I'm even further in a pickle as for the last 6 months I have been seeing an Aussie and like a right Hugh Grant I've found myself in what I know is a meaningful and long lasting relationship which also opens the door for the partnership VISA option. If possible though I would still prefer to go the 189 pathway as I have come this far on my own so would like to still do it under my own steam as I also don't want my scheming future Mother in Law to think I'm only with her daughter to get my hands on that tasty blue Aussie Passport (I jest she's literally fabulous). My tickling conundrum though is that I don't want to spend like $3500 on completing my skills assessment if there's not much likelihood I would have a successful invite to apply for PR at the end of it? Any help and advice in regards to this would be amazing as I've currently knawed off the majority of my fingernails and haven't had a blood pressure score of under 140 since November because of the pickle I've found myself in. Any help and advice would be supremely appreciated. - Much Love I first came to Australia 30+ years ago on a partner visa and switched to an independent visa at the first opportunity, so I totally get where you are at. I too don't buying a lottery ticket when I'm pretty sure my numbers aren't going to deliver. But I do enjoy the anticipation and small adrenaline rush. For many, the prize of PR is as good as a lottery win, some would say better. The visa application process is not based on luck and the probability of a successful outcome are shorter. Indeed, you can personally increase your chances of a successful outcome simply by investing in yourself. You really are in control of your own destiny, until the rules change, which they will. It's time to bite the bullet and seek out some professional advice so you know where you stand. It's time to take the next step and move on from your current Bridget Jones cameo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMcKie Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 On 19/01/2024 at 20:02, Ben8899 said: Gday chaps - hope everyone is doing well! I was hoping to possibly pick the brains of any of the folks out there who have recently obtained PR through the Skilled Independent 189 VISA pathway, or anyone who can offer me some advice in general. Essentially I have done the classic Working Holiday VISA > Student VISA > Graduate VISA pathway in Carpentry and am based in Melbourne. My understanding of the VISA 189 is that you need to apply via an EOI to then be invited to apply for PR. My concern is that the "Eligibility"' for the points tested stream is 65 points and from using the calculator my points are anywhere from 75-85 points depending if I decide to complete an English test through IELTS or the like. My question is; would people think this would be sufficient for my EOI to be accepted? As mentioned the profession for which I am applying is Carpentry - I will have completed a skills assessment, professional year program, have Aussie qualifications and experience etc. The crisis of confidence that I'm having at the moment is that I'm not sure what the likelihood of receiving a positive EOI application based on the above? I'm even further in a pickle as for the last 6 months I have been seeing an Aussie and like a right Hugh Grant I've found myself in what I know is a meaningful and long lasting relationship which also opens the door for the partnership VISA option. If possible though I would still prefer to go the 189 pathway as I have come this far on my own so would like to still do it under my own steam as I also don't want my scheming future Mother in Law to think I'm only with her daughter to get my hands on that tasty blue Aussie Passport (I jest she's literally fabulous). My tickling conundrum though is that I don't want to spend like $3500 on completing my skills assessment if there's not much likelihood I would have a successful invite to apply for PR at the end of it? Any help and advice in regards to this would be amazing as I've currently knawed off the majority of my fingernails and haven't had a blood pressure score of under 140 since November because of the pickle I've found myself in. Any help and advice would be supremely appreciated. - Much Love Hi Ben, I was once in the same predicament you now find yourself in. I am a Software Developer by trade and wanted to get my own skilled visa whether that was a 189/190. However, after taking the IELTS test to get another 20 points to boost my EOI chances, I didn't get invited (I can't remember how many points I had at that point). I also met an Aussie (who is now my fiancée). Initially I was sceptical about going down the partner visa route, but we both moved back to the UK for 2 years then decided to pursue it anyway. I never asked my fiancée about her feelings for the partner visa, she brought it up to me. I now have PR and will be marrying my best friend, so everything worked out perfectly in the end. I wouldn't rule out going down the partner visa route if I was you, but everyone's circumstances are different. James 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 (edited) 1 hour ago, JMcKie said: I was once in the same predicament you now find yourself in. I am a Software Developer by trade and wanted to get my own skilled visa whether that was a 189/190. However,..... I also met an Aussie (who is now my fiancée). I... I wouldn't rule out going down the partner visa route if I was you, but everyone's circumstances are different. However, two things to note. Pre-Covid, you needed a very high score (like, over 90) to stand any chance of getting invited for the 189. In the last year, even people with only 65 points have been invited in some occupations. So the OP might have much better luck than you. Also, @Ben8899 has only known his partner for 6 months, much too early to be eligible for a partner visa, so that's not even an option. As you know, they'll need to prove they've been in a de facto relationship (not just dating) for 12 months before they can even apply. Edited January 22 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben8899 Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 Good Afternoon all, Tremendous thanks to all of you for the replies and comments, they have helped put me a little more at ease. As per the numerous recommendations; I will be booking in to have a consultation with a registered agent this week which should be very helpful in helping with my decision. As it stands I believe I will continue the route of the 189 VISA as I have endured arduous years of studying and completing Skills Assessments and the like, that I feel like it would be best to give it a shot under my own steam. I will do what I can to maximise my chances of an invitation being granted by completing an English IELTS test in the build up to my application and by being an upstanding citizen by continuing to eat a 7 Eleven sausage roll daily and of course supporting locally run bars on the weekend. Failing this I will likely apply for my third year Working Holiday VISA - upon completion of this I will then likely apply for a partnership VISA as by that time I will have been with my partner for 2 1/2 years, lived together for 2 years and likely also be married (no shotguns necessary). I still would appreciate any further input or lines of questioning on this matter or my game plan - and again very much appreciate the help which everyone has offered! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BendigoBoy Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 (edited) Don't do IELTS, mate; that'd be my advice. Do PTE. As someone who did IELTS, TOEFL and PTE, PTE was far more rounded and true to life than the others. IELTS is just a cash cow for its operators. It isn't unknown for those with Masters degrees in English language/lit to walk away with a 7 in writing despite hitting 9s on all other aspects. It's one for "learn by rote" rather than "actually use in real life" learners. Edited January 22 by BendigoBoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InnerVoice Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 4 hours ago, JMcKie said: Hi Ben, I was once in the same predicament you now find yourself in. I am a Software Developer by trade and wanted to get my own skilled visa whether that was a 189/190. However, after taking the IELTS test to get another 20 points to boost my EOI chances, I didn't get invited (I can't remember how many points I had at that point). I also met an Aussie (who is now my fiancée). Initially I was sceptical about going down the partner visa route, but we both moved back to the UK for 2 years then decided to pursue it anyway. I never asked my fiancée about her feelings for the partner visa, she brought it up to me. I now have PR and will be marrying my best friend, so everything worked out perfectly in the end. I wouldn't rule out going down the partner visa route if I was you, but everyone's circumstances are different. James Congratulations to you James, that's the post of the day in my opinion. Opportunity knocks only once, so be prepared to open the door! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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