Guest pj Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Hi all Just curious if anyone has gone through or going through this process. I've had a verbal offer, awaiting the written version, and wandering what your experience have been. I've heard it takes roughly 6 weeks for visa approval but taking that with a large pinch of salt. Pj (PS, please don't flame me, I know how amazingly lucky I am as we were going through the normal visa channels until 4 weeks ago.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scoop Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 Hi Pj A colleague of mine went through employer sponsorship and if things had gone to plan it would have been very quick. Delayed due to health reasons!! Thinking of going this route myself as just been told I will have to wait another year as I now work part time due to childcare. So I would be interested to follow your story. Hope it all goes well for you. Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pj Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Sharon Thanks for the reply. That is a pity for your colleague, I'm keeping my fingers crossed it goes to plan. Only started having conversations with an agency 4 weeks ago so it's been a whirlwind so far. (Not to mention some busy mornings having telephone interviews at 7am) I'll defo post regular up-dates as I'm speaking to HR this week to find out the whole process. I've been told, and seen examples on the timeline website, that visas take around 6 weeks to process, so should be starting on 16th January all being well. Best of luck with your goal! Pj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JC Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Have just read this post (after posting something already sorry)...and FINALLY someone going through the same process!! We have started the 'whirwind' application too and are waiting to hear, have also been told 6 wks all things going to plan, we are expecting to hear on 1st November. We can then leave as soon as I have found a replacement for my current job so could be very soon or could take a little longer. Do you know any reasons why we could be unsuccessful? Am very worried, I was a bit previous in telling my current bosses, the excitement got the better of me, but it could be to my detriment if we are unsuccessful...! Where in Oz are you headed PJ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JC Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Am getting a bit excited with my postings now-Sorry all. PJ just read that you are going to work as a recruitment consultant in Melbourne. I will be doing the same job in Perth (fingers crossed). Good luck, Melbourne is a great place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pj Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 Hi JC Glad we are both in the same boat as I think the next couple of months is going to be madness. I'm not sure how the visa process works. I think your Oz employer applies for permission to employ you which takes a couple of weeks, then you can apply for your visa. Have you already done that? I think the only blot on the landscape could be the medicals andy if they do police checks. I'm still a bit unsure when to quit. I haven't received the written offer through the post yet, but should be speaking to their HR team this week to find out more. Best of luck with your application JC. Where are you heading in Oz? Looking forward to reading your up-dates. Pj xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicky Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 We have just arrived in Victoria with Hubby's firm sponsoring us. The temporary visa process is very quick with ours being done totally online (don't get your visa in your passport until you get here). We are now working our way though the Permanent Visa which takes a bit longer but if you are sponsored can all be done onshore. It was a stressful time but well worth it and in hindsight fairly straightforward, much of the stress was in the fact that we expected it to be more complicated. Good luck and enjoy the ride. Nicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pj Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Thanks Nicky, your comments are much appreciated. Everything has gone a little quiet at my end, until I hear from the company sponsoring me. I think they are applying for permission to bring me over and it takes a couple of week. Best of luck with your new life in Oz. Pj xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicky Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Ours went quiet for a while at the begining as well, it wasn't helped with the fact that the company were doing it all for the first time so it took a bit longer. Things do tend to go a bit slower over here though and it helps to remember that when you are used to the pace of life in the UK. Our application was made more complicated by the fact that we were living in Belgium at the time and it was still only marred by minor hiccups. Should be a few months for permanents residency to be done and then we can breath a sigh of relief and start looking for somewhere to buy. All the best. Nicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rico Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 Hi Everyone seems to be going over to work in recruitment! I too have been offered a job, based in Sydney. My employer told me it would take 2-3 weeks to process (3 weeks have gone!). I finish up at work today as I was hoping to have heard by now and I had to give a months notice in my present role. 6 weeks is much longer, than I originally was told, but I guess I will have to wait. Is anyone else moving to Sydney? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pj Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 Just wandering how you are getting along with the visa process. I faxed all the paperwork off to my new employer, who are completing the on-line form, but heard nothing apart from "it's being processed". Had the X-rays done but still waiting for a reference number and address to send them. Panic is starting to set in, as our flights are booked for 2nd Jan, our cats are almost ready to go, out rental house is back on the market and I haven't finalised furniture shipping date. AAAAHHHHH. Oh and my last day at work is 2nd December. The general lack of urgency is worrying, but I'm sure it will all fall into place. Does anyone know what happens if the visa isn't through before 2nd Jan? Can we go out on an ETA and get our passports propery stamped when everything is finalised? Pj xx (going greyer by the day) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicky Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 The 457 visa is really very quick and straightforward so I wouldn't worry (although I did throughout our application). Because you don't need to have a paper stamp put in your passport before leaving they can in effect grant it right up until you leave, as long as it is on the system then you are OK. You do have plenty of time to get it all sorted but I know that it is frustrating. If you are going through the employer sponsored PR route then this does take a bit longer as you have to get police checks and get your skills checked, not sure whether this would be done in time for the start of January. Things do move at a slower pace here and you have to get into the mindset or else it can drive you mad, we were lucky in spending 3 years in Belgium so we got used to admin taking for ever :? . Where are you going in OZ? We are still applying for the PR and are currently waiting on VETASS, we have everything else in place so it is just a case of applying once the skills are OKd. It is fine really as we are here so the waiting isn't too bad but we have to wait until we get the PR to buy a house so there are always stresses. Good luck with it all it is all worth it once you get here and you will be here in time for the good weather as it is starting to hot up a bit here. Nicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pj Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Thanks for your kind words. I know I'm stressing over nothing, but I hate the unknown especially as we are leaving in 5.5 weeks. We're heading for Melbourne. My sister lives in Ocean Grove so staying with her for a while whilst we suss out the city. Can't wait to be there. The weather is horrible at the mo. It's been minus 2 degrees in the morning for the past 10 days, it's foggy today and we're expecting snow on Thursday. Joy! Pj xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicky Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Good luck and let us know how you are getting on. There are loads of Ex-Pats in the Melbourne area so maybe we will meet up at one of their meets. They are fun and a good chance to speak to other people going through the same things as yourself. We don't make them all as we are 3-4 hours away (depending on where the meets are) but we went along to the last one and it was a good day out. In the mean time at least you have your initial accommodation sorted and your sister should be able to help you find your way around which is a big plus. We knew noone here and had never visited but it was all pretty straightforward as everyone has been really friendly here. All the best. Nicky p.s. I was a complete neurotic throughout our application process and still find myself getting stressed for no real reason about it all at times it is just hard when you aren't in control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ironmaggi Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 I finally found something about a 457! Nicky - can you give us more info please? My husband's company are very good at the "sell your house" but it's taken them 5 weeks to even tell him what his salary / package will be [not as good as we thought] and although he's going out in 2 weeks [but coming back for Xmas] and we're going for 2nd week in Jan we still haven't done any visas/police/health checks and I'm still really skeptical about putting my cat on a plane and selling my car! I couldn't even find much about the visa [apparently we're 475b] on the immi.gov.au website so I don't know the terms of Temporary / Permanent etc. and what it implies in terms of coming back for holidays / me working too / longterm citizenship - can you help? Interestingly enough I'm looking at a job in recruitment! and Rico - we're going to Sydney [near Macquarrie Park, North shores] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicky Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 I am not an expert by any means but can tell you what our visa gives us (a 457 not sure about any letters). Ian is sponsored by the company and the 457 visa allows us to live here for 4 years. We get no social security benefits (ie child allowance etc) and Ian can only work for that company unless he can find another company to take the visa over, not a problem for us as he is more than happy. We can come and go as we like during the 4 years and myself and our children have no restrictions on work etc. Each state is different concerning things like school fees though and I understand that NSW charge school fees for people on 457 visas. We aren't eligible for state help with University tertiary course fees and are treated as international students, also buying a house is much more complicated, but not impossible. You get reciprocal health cover if you are from the UK which covers you through medicare as you would be covered in the UK and is pretty good although your company has to provide private cover as part of the package as far as I am aware. Tax wise you probably get hammered but I understand that if you aren't planning to stay after the 4 years there is the possibility of negotiating an ex-pat wage which will include living away from home allowances but I don't really know the ins and outs of that. Ian's company are sponsoring us for PR and the 457 was just used as a speedy way to get us here so we haven't worried about the downsides that much. We hopefully will have the PR through in a few months as the process was started alongside the 457 visa so is chugging along. You only need the police checks done for the PR and the medical for the 457 is just X-Ray for adults and medicals for kids no HIV test etc, these have to be done later if you apply for PR. It is all very quick (in visa terms) but if your employer isn't sponsoring you for PR then you will need to start that application yourself here and go through the standard points scoring etc so I would be sure of what is happening long term if I were you if you are treating this as a permanent move as the 457 itself is not permanent. Feel free to PM me and I hope that this has helped. These things always seem to be taking for ever with a distinct lack of urgency at the other end but you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride as it is VERY stressful but we think that it has been worth it. Have fun and good luck. Nicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest majortom Posted November 25, 2005 Share Posted November 25, 2005 Hello everyone, New to the forum and would like to share our expierences with you. We have thought about immigrating for some time now, but looking at the various visa's thought that our chances had gone as our ages are now 48 and my wife is 44. The only chance that we had was on a RSMS visa which is a permanant visa to a designated area (we wanted Adelaide). For this to progress my wife needed to find an employer who would be willing to sponsor us. I put my wife's CV along with her qualifications and work expeirence and e-mailed 6 companies that deal in her field (childcare) that I found by doing a search on the web. BANG..........two days later we recieved an e-mail from a company interested in my wife. Since then my wife has had an interview by phone...been succesful.......signed contracts........appointed an agent.......now waiting to complete first hurdle. The whole process could take as little as 6 weeks, with my wife employers keen to have her by the 1st day of the new year. It's frightning............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pj Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 Hey Rico's gone and we're waiting in his place. Same thing for us, job offer and they wanted me to start yesterday. I cacked it when I had to quit a much loved job without even having confirmation of the visa, but sometimes you just have to go for it. I felt a little more secure when my new employers advised they had only ever had one visa refused and that was when someone had entered false information on their forms (regading their work experience). Submitted our paperwork, delayed for 3 weeks at my employers end (grrr), employer applied online 28th November, they've acknowledged and received our x-rays so now waiting for what comes up next. Apparently there is a bit of a backlog at Sydney CPD (online applications) so I'm gonna hassle them daily till they cave in. Stressed, me? I mean, I finished work last Friday, I've sold my car, we're moving out our rented house on 17th, the shippers collect our stuff on the same day, mycats leave on 20th and our flights are non-refundable and leaving on 2nd Jan. Crikey, I'm already 50% grey haired and increasing by the minute. I know it will fall into place, but jees, I wish it was today that's all. Pj xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest majortom Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 Bloodly hell PJ...that's some roller coaster your on!!!! Wish you all the luck in the world old son You only live once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pj Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 We got our visas approved today!!! Woohoooo. At last, I can stop stressing and start getting excited. Phew. Pj xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pj Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 After all the fretting, our visa took 10 days to process from the date my employer lodged it on-line (we posted the x-rays to them the same day). So we're off to Melbourne on Monday at 10pm. Happy New Year to everyone else in a smilar position, and we wish you all the best with your Australia plans. Take care Pj xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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