ajs604 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Hi everyone, I am abit confused about the requirements for the permanent 175 visa and some of the paper work. I had considered the idea of using a migration agent but costs are so high!! My skill which is a podiatrist is currently on the critical short list so will get piority processing apparently. I have recently been offered a job in Victoria as a podiatrist and the company have emloyed a migration agent to sponsor me for a 457 visa - which I know ties you to one employer. Having been to Australia on a previous 457 and returned I have decided to apply for my own independent permanent visa and have the follwoing questions which would appreciate any advice from. How do you go about arranging police checks? Also I have had medicals done in Janaury this year for a previous 457 visa - which I have been told are fine for my new 457 lodgement - but from advice I have got I understand that I will have to re-do medicals for the 175 visa. On the DIAC website it says not to have medicals or police checks done until advised - can anyone outline this and can I book medicals soon. I am due to go to Australia in late January to start this new posistion and would like to lodge ASAP. Also does anyone have any relalistic ideas on how long the whole process takes. I have had my skills asessment done! Thanks:v_SPIN: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bevvygirl Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Hi! I am still rejoicing having just had our 175 approved! Woohoo! Like you, my skill was on the CSL and I decided to do the application myself without a migration agent. I found the process quite straight forward but you really need to get to grips with navigating the web site for as much info as you can! I also phoned the help desk a couple of times; they were really good. I applied in May this year having had my skills assessment completed and we got a case officer in October. We didn't get police checks or meds until we got our CO. We were given 70days to get the PCs and Meds back to Adelaide. We managed it in a couple of weeks, and the visa was granted as soon as they were received and approved. The application on line can be done over a few days, you just save as you go along until you are finally ready to submit it. They then ask you to email the required documents, which need to be signed by a Notory Public as true copies ( we used our solicitor). Your CO once appointed will then ask for Meds and Police Checks. You apply for police checks via a simple form that you download from the site that you can find via the immi web site. You post the form off, along with proof of address and a photocopy of your passport. Ours were returned within 3 days. Hope this helps! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wanderer Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Hi ajs604, Permanent migration issues = confusion Hi everyone, I am abit confused about the requirements for the permanent 175 visa and some of the paper work. I had considered the idea of using a migration agent but costs are so high!! My skill which is a podiatrist is currently on the critical short list so will get piority processing apparently. Bevvygirl [And Congratulations on getting the visa and doing it yourself] has outlined the process with a concise description, all about just navigating from Visa Options – Professionals and other Skilled Migrants – Workers – Visas & Immigration if you want to do the 175, the chapter on any visa you'll find being well laid out with five different sections, "eligibility" and "applying for this visa" the latter having a Checklist of great value. Very first step will be your qualification assessment by the Australian Podiatry Council, www.apodc.com.au so have a look at their site and you''ll need to do that for whatever visa you choose to be registered/licensed in states that require it [site will have details]. The 175 will not get you to Melbourne by January and in fact, even with being on the CSL, probably not until about halfway into next year. You could look at another 457 as an interim step, still needing the Quals assessed unless that was done with your previous 457 or if it is like nursing they may allow just straight state registration for temporary visas, but if need be it could be a couple of months or more. You can put your application in for both a 457 and a 175 at the same time, go over on the 457 and then when your 175 comes up for determination [and make sure you have it registered with DIAC that you're in Australia] , DIAC will advise you to make arrangements to leave Australia for a short trip [over to NZ] so the 175 can be granted. Sounds like a circus and it is because DIAC have this rigid separation on what they term offshore[outside Australia]/onshore[inside A] Visas and whereas the 175 is an offshore Visa, that's where you have to be to have an offshore Visa granted. And sorry, no direct onshore equivalent for a 175. The other PR approach you could take would again involve sponsorship via the ENS and though there is some thought about it not being binding, you do sign a DIAC declaration [part of your application] that you have been sponsored for a three year period. It's no big deal to fly out for the 175 grant and being done more and more often and a possible bonus if you want to negotiate is perhaps you say to the company prepared to sponsor you " A 175 visa will take well into second half of next year but you are prepared to do a 457 as an interim step to get there ASAP but would like some consideration to supporting the cost of the 175 and if I'm prepared to sign on for at least a year, will you include in the contract the payment of my 175 fees ? " . If they baulk at that, then say " OK, I'm going to be up for my 175 fees plus airfares/accommodation in NZ " on top of the 457 cost doing it this way, so what about the 457 fees and my additional airfares/accommodation? ". If they want to get you, I'd not be surprised if they do offer something. In fact, I've seen a couple of posts where settling in allowances have been offered, and a company wanting someone ASAP ought to also be preparaed to fund the initial 2-4 weeks accommodation, something that Australian companies often do for people moving just interstate. If nothing is to be offered, and you still have employment and aren't in too big a rush, you can always just tell them you'll be applying for the 175. And then you'll be free to consider any offers, working anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SD_MOA Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Hi everyone, I am abit confused about the requirements for the permanent 175 visa and some of the paper work. I had considered the idea of using a migration agent but costs are so high!! My skill which is a podiatrist is currently on the critical short list so will get piority processing apparently. I have recently been offered a job in Victoria as a podiatrist and the company have emloyed a migration agent to sponsor me for a 457 visa - which I know ties you to one employer. Having been to Australia on a previous 457 and returned I have decided to apply for my own independent permanent visa and have the follwoing questions which would appreciate any advice from. How do you go about arranging police checks? Also I have had medicals done in Janaury this year for a previous 457 visa - which I have been told are fine for my new 457 lodgement - but from advice I have got I understand that I will have to re-do medicals for the 175 visa. On the DIAC website it says not to have medicals or police checks done until advised - can anyone outline this and can I book medicals soon. I am due to go to Australia in late January to start this new posistion and would like to lodge ASAP. Also does anyone have any relalistic ideas on how long the whole process takes. I have had my skills asessment done! Thanks:v_SPIN: Hello There, From the information you provide I would recommend an ENS Employer Sponsored visa. These are being processed extremely quickly in Melbourne at the moment - less than a week for a 'frontloaded' (complete) application. You would need to get your skills assessed for this visa but it is a far better option than a 457 as it is Permanent and does not tie you to an employer in the same way as a 457. You would also need to have undergone Permanent Visa Medicals and Police CLearance within the last 12 months. I hope this helps. BTW - did you get any quotes from Australian based Agents? Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajs604 Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 Thank you Bevvygirl and Wanderer for your valuable advice - its been a great help. I am due to leave the UK in mid Janaury to start work in rural Victoria - my 457 is due to be granted shortly so I am told. After alot of thinking I have decided to apply for the 176 visa - this is the same as the 175 but you have to remain in that sponshered state for 2 years - which is not a problem for me as I really like Victoria. Can anyone advise me whether I should have my police checks and medicals done now - its just that it will be harder to do when I get to Oz? I will need to do medicals again as my previous ones were done in Jnauary of this year. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajs604 Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 Hi Stephen thanks for your advice - the fees I was quoted added upto over 1300 GPB for migration assitance which is almost the cost of the visa!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratchet Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 this has been an interesting read for me, thanks for posting the questions and for the feedback so far. one thing i did see. if you come over on a 457 and then need to leave the country to get the 175 offshore visa activated then you may want to sound your employer out about this before/on the first day. ive been with my hosp for nearly 2 months and am still not able to take annual leave as i havent accrued enough time to take off........ Also with the ENS - not all employers esp health are forthcoming with monies to support the application. I was told was that i would be paying for it myself. The only thing they would offer is to 'loan me the money' and pay it back via my wages (which barely pay for the cost of living at the moment, let alone a visa) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 Hi ajs604 Your visa meds can be done in Australia if you wish and it is usually cheaper to get them done there than in the UK. To do them in Oz you have to go to Health Services Australia: HSA Group - Online Bookings Do they have a base anywhere near the place where you will be? Cheers Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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