Category 5 News

[Guest neo1983]

Dear George

Where do international state sponsored students stands in this new 3500 grant category? specially those who had COs and done with medicals while submitting the application, (case officers don't have to specially ask for meds for onshore applicants).Do you think there is any luck for them?

Thanks

 

Im in the same boat too..

 

31/07/08 - Applied for 885 -

15/08/09 - Applied for SS

09/09/09 - SS Approved

14/09/09 - Application being processed further

23/09/09 - Waiting...

 

I have submitted my meds and police checks while applying. What happens to people like us? do we fall under 3500? or just outside? thanks for replying

[Guest keena]

Hi all,

 

Our agent sent a PLE to ask whats going on (as our meds are almost 2 months past expiry now, because we frontloaded them back in Oct 08). This was the reply by DIAC....pretty vague as one would expect.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Thank you for your e-mail in relation to your clients’ visa application under Australia’s General Skilled Migration program.

 

It is difficult to say if this application will be processed soon, we note that health has been done and only recently expired, it is state nominated and has Australian Federal Police clearances requested and these have been received.

 

I offer following the policy statement released today

 

"The Department is processing applications according to Ministerial Direction No. 42 - Order of consideration - certain Skilled Migration visas. The Department anticipates that a small number of State sponsored non-CSL applications will be finalised this program year. Finalisations will focus on applications where health and character checks have been requested by the case officer. "

 

I also confirm there are no gaurantees on processing time frames and suggest that the applicant should not at this time re-do the health clearances unless they are requested by a case officer.

 

For any further enquiries about the application you have lodged please refer to our website using the following link http://www.immi.gov.

au/contacts/visa-enquiries/professionals.htm

 

General Skilled Migration - Adelaide Department of Immigration and Citizenship

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Good luck to all waiting!

Woody

 

 

Hi! just want to know when did you apply? You mean until this time you have no case officer? Please share your timeline... Thank you :yes:

[Alan Collett]

Go Matilda News article:

Go Matilda - Your Gateway to Australia - News

 

Good luck to all those waiting - dig in, as good things come to those who wait ... don't they ...?

 

Best regards.

[Guest WoodyXRomford]

Hi! just want to know when did you apply? You mean until this time you have no case officer? Please share your timeline... Thank you :yes:

 

Hi Keena,

 

We were a 175 applicant and applied in Sept 08. Changed to 176 SS in July 09 and got a case officer in early September. We had frontloaded our medicals and they were all changed to met in September. C/O then requested police checks and they were submitted 25th of September, 2 days after the dreaded 23rd changes. Police Checks were met mid October after the changes. Our online status now shows all documents met, so I would think that it is decision ready.

 

We are hoping that although meds were not requested, police checks were so we may be included in this "small number of applicants". Our meds have expired but have been updated on the online status so once again we are hoping we have received an extension (but who knows!)

 

Hope this helps,

 

Woody

[mlsdq]

Thanks for the link Mr. Alan. But what about those who don't have COs yet? I just hope those who have pending pccs and meds are to be finalised first then the next ones will be those who don't have COs yet.

[Alan Collett]

Thanks for the link Mr. Alan. But what about those who don't have COs yet? I just hope those who have pending pccs and meds are to be finalised first then the next ones will be those who don't have COs yet.

 

My view is that the first applications which should be processed are those which are State/Territory sponsored, where a request for medicals and police clearance certs has been issued by the ASPC, and where the meds and police certs have been lodged in response to that request.

 

Whether this turns out to be the case remains to be seen - in the next few weeks we will see a pattern emerging ... I hope ...

 

Best regards.

[Guest JK2510]

Hi Guys

Really don't no whats going on i e-mailed our agent last night to see what they have heard and the reply that i got back today was as far as they where concerned they don't no anything about cat 5 been processed as they where concerned 1,2,3,4 where been processed and cat 5 was still 2012 don't no what to think of our agent why do they not no what is going on sorry for the rant

regards

pom64

Hi Pom 64,

 

Our agent is aware of whats going on but before he advises people he would like some comformation from DIAC.

 

Jodie

[Guest Sebbers]

I too was beginning to worry whether the statement from MIA was true, having heard from others that their agents had said they'd not had any kind of notification from DIAC or MIA. Our agent has confirmed they have had the statement from MIA and that nothing has been posted on the DIAC website about the processing of cat5 visa applications and in her opinion she doesn't think there will be. A PLE request was sent regarding our application at the beginning of the week, as yet no reply has been received so she's going to send another one today to see if the guy who was our case officer can give any indication what is happening with our application.

[Guest Gollywobbler]

if they will process those who have meds and pcc pendings, then what will happen to those who don't have CO yet? wait until 2012? if that's the case, my IELTS will expire since I am from Asia. Why not just process all cat 5 applications in due time? it makes no big difference for those who have COs and don't have COs yet in figure?

 

Hi there

 

We now know that all the applications which have been received to date and which fall into priority categories 1-4 are now under control:

 

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/faq-priority-processing.pdf

 

We know, too, that DIAC have in hand about 3,500 applications which fall into priority category 5. This includes applications in the following visa subclasses: 176, 475, 886 and 487 - non CSL occupations but the applicant has been nominated by a State or Territory.

 

DIAC have now made a start on processing these Category 5 applications as well. They cannot predict how many of the 3,500 Cat 5 applications can be processed to finalisation before 30th June 2010 because the 3,500 will be displaced as and when further applications with higher priority are received.

 

We know that they will continue to receive applications with higher priority than Cat 5. We will not know how many in total until after 30th June 2010 because DIAC themselves will not know the total figures until after that date.

 

There is no sense in endless speculation. For the remainder, we just have to take developments one day at a time and see what the facts turn out to be.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[McKlaut]

Contacted by CO today asking if I can make 5 March move date? No problem

Things are definatley moving

 

175 application July 08 Asco code 4112-11

Applied WA SS March 09

Received WA SS Aug 08

CO allocated Sep 09, all documents submitted

Rule Change 23 Sep 09

Hi asc1903,

 

do you have requested meds?

[McKlaut]

My view is that the first applications which should be processed are those which are State/Territory sponsored, where a request for medicals and police clearance certs has been issued by the ASPC, and where the meds and police certs have been lodged in response to that request.

 

Whether this turns out to be the case remains to be seen - in the next few weeks we will see a pattern emerging ... I hope ...

 

Best regards.

 

With due respect Alan, I understand the grounds for the DIAC position regarding this issue but I cannot understand why you agree with them.

[Guest Freaks]

My OH rang ASPC last night, to ask what was happening with our file. She then read out the statement regarding the ministiral Direction no-42, and asked if he had had his meds requested?

He said yes, she then looked up his file and asked what he wanted to know?!

She said that he did fall into the catagory, and that they may well process his file, by the program ending year. (but could not say for definate)

 

He asked if our file was still with a case officer? she said that after Sept 23rd they all got put in a pile with case pending untill they could get back to them. He then asked if they would our file back with the same CO, and she said that may not be the case, it depends.

But she also said that it may be better in some cases to put them back with the same CO, as they understand the file, she cant say.

 

So I do feel it is very much a waiting game.

I agree with pom64 our agent also has no idea whats going on! and we had to tell him. It doesn't give us much faith in him at all, he has moved so many times, and they didn't have the correct email and address on there files. He is now back in Oz in Adalaide!

We find it really hard to get hold of him and he gave us a mobile number to contact him, which costs a fortune to ring!

We are now very confused.

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Hi Freaks

 

I agree with pom64 our agent also has no idea whats going on! and we had to tell him. It doesn't give us much faith in him at all, he has moved so many times, and they didn't have the correct email and address on there files. He is now back in Oz in Adalaide!

We find it really hard to get hold of him and he gave us a mobile number to contact him, which costs a fortune to ring!

We are now very confused.

 

In your shoes I would consider ditching your agent and completing your application on your own.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest Justin JIANG]

Could anyone please tell me whether it’s fair enough to firstly proceed the SS, Non-CSL applications where meds and pccs were formally requested by COs and submitted by applicants thereafter?

(1) 176 offshore applicant, date of visa lodgement: May 2009, SS approval: 20 Aug 2009, CO allocated on 10 Sep 2009, Meds and Pccs have been requested by CO before 23 Sep and had been submitted---pending due to the 23 Sep 2009 change

(2) 176 or 886 application, date of visa lodgement: Jul 2008, SS approval: 2 Sep 2009, Case being recognized as 176/886 SS,NON-CSL on 10 Sep 2009, CO allocated late 2008, documents requested by CO and submitted by applicant in full shortly, Meds and Pccs frontloaded-------pending due to 23 Sep change

Methinks DIAC would not be in a good position to predict how many new applicants with the forthcoming NEW MODL list would be. So whenever there is a new application with the higher processing priority than CAT5, there is a hitback for the unfinalized CAT5 applicants.

This is the exact DIAC answer to MIA:

“The Department is processing applications according to Ministerial Direction No. 42 - Order of consideration - certain Skilled Migration visas. The Department anticipates that a small number of State sponsored non-CSL applications will be finalised this program year. Finalisations will focus on applications where health and character checks have been requested by the case officer.”

The reason why DIAC made the statement to concede to process those applicants where health and character checks have been requested by the case officer is that 'DIAC WANTS TO SAVE ITS FACE AS THEIR DELEGATES DID THE WRONG THING DURING THE WRONG TIME BY ASKING MEDS AND PCCS FROM THE APPLICANTS, WHEN DIAC DID NOT HAVE THE INTENTION TO PRIORITIZE SS, NON-CSL APPLICANTS ANYMORE. SO DIAC PAYS FOR ITS MISTAKE BY ALLOWING THOSE LUCKY ONES TO BE PROCESSED AGAIN.

That's why the statement would not be like this: those who have applied under state sponsorship before the 23 Sep 2009 would be prioritized under the original priority 2.

[Guest ragdoll annie]

Hi Justin,

Those are my thoughts also.

Annie x

[McKlaut]

The reason why DIAC made the statement to concede to process those applicants where health and character checks have been requested by the case officer is that 'DIAC WANTS TO SAVE ITS FACE AS THEIR DELEGATES DID THE WRONG THING DURING THE WRONG TIME BY ASKING MEDS AND PCCS FROM THE APPLICANTS, WHEN DIAC DID NOT HAVE THE INTENTION TO PRIORITIZE SS, NON-CSL APPLICANTS ANYMORE. SO DIAC PAYS FOR ITS MISTAKE BY ALLOWING THOSE LUCKY ONES TO BE PROCESSED AGAIN.

 

I have the same opinion.

They made a little concession to us for their own benefit.

However, even agents on this forum think a different way.

[chowy]

Could anyone please tell me whether it’s fair enough to firstly proceed the SS, Non-CSL applications where meds and pccs were formally requested by COs and submitted by applicants thereafter?

 

 

 

What is and isn't fair seems to depend on a persons circumstances.

 

I was under the impression that medicals should NOT be done until requested by DIAC, thats what it said when I did my application? did people do medicals off their own back in the hope of saving time? doing that can have a positive or a negative outcome but it is by no way a guarantee that you'll jump to the front of the line, may be thats why DIAC state only do them when requested?

 

A lot of it is predictions and guess work but the only safe thing to do is 'do as they say' IMO and wait in line, if it's fair to some and not to others this is down to timing and luck I'm afraid just like most things in life, fair or not! If I had my way all the people that had a SS application in before 23rd September would be looked at just like everybody else, that would be fair but I'm not in charge, the people that are will only do as they please and if it means saving face they will do that.

 

All people can do now is wait for a couple of months to see what pattern emerges and to who the new changes apply to.

 

I hope the next 3 or 4 months bring as much good luck and news to as many people as possible.

 

And a big thank you to the 'usual suspects' and those that went to London :notworthy:

[Guest ragdoll annie]

A lot of people get meds and police checks done in advance on advice from their agents...they pay a lot of money for this advice and trust it.

Annie x

[Guest pippa1]

Hi there

 

I was under the impression that medicals should NOT be done until requested by DIAC,

 

Unfortunately if you are an onshore applicant you MUST to do your medicals and police checks before you apply. Mine expire next week....so more expense!

 

Fed up with the whole thing at the moment:confused:

[luckyluke]

Hi Helen,

 

Like you I informed my agent of this informationa and like you am getting very vauge answers! I know how you feel about the fee.

[Guest Justin JIANG]

Hi there

 

I was under the impression that medicals should NOT be done until requested by DIAC,

 

Unfortunately if you are an onshore applicant you MUST to do your medicals and police checks before you apply. Mine expire next week....so more expense!

 

Fed up with the whole thing at the moment:confused:

 

Correct, so for an onshore applicant, if he/she waits for the visa grant for nearly two years while meds and pccs were not requested by CO, as those documents were submitted long time before the CO allocation due to an mandatory eligible requirement for the visa application, would DIAC be happy to see extra years for those applicants????????????

[chowy]

Hi there

 

I was under the impression that medicals should NOT be done until requested by DIAC,

 

Unfortunately if you are an onshore applicant you MUST to do your medicals and police checks before you apply. Mine expire next week....so more expense!

 

Fed up with the whole thing at the moment:confused:

 

Well if thats the case you have no choice I suppose and it's a big blow when things don't go to plan and I know like most people on here waiting and hoping is soul destroying.

 

What I have leaned over the last couple of years is expect the unexpected.

I wish you all the luck in the world just like the rest of us.

[Guest Aslan]

The email we received yesterday confirming our approval has the same CO as we had before

 

Hello,

 

I would just like to ask if you were requested before by your case officer to undergo medical...coz i got a case officer too last May 2009 but i received a letter this November that they are pulling out my case officer and will notify me once they reallocate one for me in the future...I haven't taken my medical yet as i was waiting for the request.

 

Thanks,

Aslan :yes:

[chowy]

A lot of people get meds and police checks done in advance on advice from their agents...they pay a lot of money for this advice and trust it.

Annie x

 

I'm no expert and agents know a lot more than I do but if a web site or policy clearly states that you must only do medicals when requested by DIAC then some agents must be giving advise out on assumptions or predictions rather than proper procedure? I suppose it all depends on visa type and application type but I can only go on what I have read and know about my 176 application.

 

I know how you must feel if your agent told you to do something that hasn't turned out how you expected, I had a nasty experience with a so called 'agent' a very long time ago when I was going to emigrate to New Zealand, thats the reason I did this application off my own back.

 

There is good and bad in all professions, there are some really dodgy agents about that seam to know less than their clients but at the same time there are some that are very, very knowledgeable and professional.

[TraceyT]

Please someone correct me if I am wrong, but I was led to believe, by a poster on this forum (can't remember who) that there were only 2000 cat 5 applicants with CO's before Sept 23rd, therefore they might be able to rush through those and get to the rest of cat 5.

It is a very frustrating time, as we don't have a lot of info to go on. However, lots of people on here have gone to great lengths to get our category moving. So lets be patient.

Tracey x