Where to start lol: skills assessment for quantity surveyor, 175 route

[cypruscj]

So my husband and I have decided to take the plunge and move out to oz, we were there on WHV last year, loved it and want to go back, mainly since jobs here in NI for a quantity surveyor are non existent!!! No quality of life etc..

 

We think we may decide to use an agent purely since we are both busy and he works away 5 days a week. Should we do the DIY option, my question is do people start a skills assessment first before applying for visa?

 

If so how would one go about that, if anyone has done the quantity surveyor one? Timescales costs etc? We want to get visa application in before these new "'don't call us we'll call you' to apply for a visa change takes place!

[lebourvellec]

So my husband and I have decided to take the plunge and move out to oz, we were there on WHV last year, loved it and want to go back, mainly since jobs here in NI for a quantity surveyor are non existent!!! No quality of life etc..

 

We think we may decide to use an agent purely since we are both busy and he works away 5 days a week. Should we do the DIY option, my question is do people start a skills assessment first before applying for visa?

 

If so how would one go about that, if anyone has done the quantity surveyor one? Timescales costs etc? We want to get visa application in before these new "'don't call us we'll call you' to apply for a visa change takes place!

 

 

You need to get your skills assessment done first (& IELTS), before you can apply for a visa.

For QS you apply to AIQS

http://www.aiqs.com.au/site.php?id=76

 

The assessment is $600, and it says in the interm info that it should be processed within 2 months. Also as you hold UK passport you dont need to to the IELTS before you apply for visa.

 

I'm a QS, but I didnt need to get skills assessed as Husband was main applicant as he had more points.

 

We did the application process ourselves and took 6 weeks to get visa after submitting application, but we applied for 176SS as we want to go to WA.

 

We found the application process quite stright forward, and not that time consuming as it is all done in stages. The longest bit was getting all the info/career episods for skills assessment for Engineers Australia, an agent wouldnt be able to do this.

 

If you know where you want to go in Australia, look at the State Migration Plan for that state as QS is on most of them. This will speed up your processing time from weeks rather than months if you apply for 176SS than the 175.

 

You will find most of all the info for the visa process on PIO if you decide to do the DIY option.

[cypruscj]

You need to get your skills assessment done first (& IELTS), before you can apply for a visa.

For QS you apply to AIQS

http://www.aiqs.com.au/site.php?id=76

 

The assessment is $600, and it says in the interm info that it should be processed within 2 months. Also as you hold UK passport you dont need to to the IELTS before you apply for visa.

 

I'm a QS, but I didnt need to get skills assessed as Husband was main applicant as he had more points.

 

We did the application process ourselves and took 6 weeks to get visa after submitting application, but we applied for 176SS as we want to go to WA.

 

 

Thanks for quick reply! think we'll have a sit down and decide which route to do, agent or DIY. I know it'll get stressful at times but I think it'll be exciting too! He's the main appliciant, my occupation isn't on sols so I'll be hitch hiking on his lol!

 

 

We're wanting to go back to Sydney, loved it, worked and lived there for nearly a year and have family there too, don't think NSW was on state sponsored list last time I looked, hard to keep up.

 

Have def found this forum very useful for getting peoples advice and reading about their experiences!