Help !!! Where to first 495 sir visa

[Matt & Suzi]

Hi,

First time on here and applying for 495 visa for me and my family to come and live in SA. Going it alone without an agent. Does anyone know or have a kind of check list of things that you need to do in order to lodge an application.

The way I understand it I have to get my skills assessed first, however im a bit confused coz VETASSESS only seem to assess qualifications and not skills ( or are they the same thing? ) At what point in the visa process do you get asked for proof of work experience i.e references from your employer etc.javascript:emoticon(':lol:')

Cheers Suzi and Matt

[Django]

Hi people,

Welcome to PIA. :D What sort of work are you applying for? It will depend on what and who you apply for. We are doing it alone also. Good luck.

Pete

[betty22]

Hi,

If you have a trade you need to have your skills assed by the TRA
http://www.workplace.gov.au/workplace/Category/SchemesInitiatives/TRA/

Then you need to lodge an application with SA govt for sponsorship

http://www.immigration.sa.gov.au/site/Index.php

and then you can apply either on line or by paper with the DIAC

http://www.immi.gov.au/

And then do lots of research before you apply for sponsorship as I have heard cases of refusal as they hadn't done their homework.
Good Luck
Liz

Ps we didn't use an agent

[The Bowmans]

Hi Suzi and Matt,

Welcome to PIA. We are in the middle of a 495 appliacation too and we are doing it without an agent. To start with you need to find your skill or occupation on the Skilled Occupations List on the DIMIA site
www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf.

Once you have found your job, the list will then tell you which body will assess your skills or qualifications. At the end of this list, all the contact details for the various assessing bodies are listed too.

Have a look at the relevant website - TRA etc and the rest should be straightforward. Getting your skills assessed seems to be the hardest and most time-consuming part of the process.

Once you have a positive skills assessment (fingers crossed), you then apply to the SA government for sponsorship. As Liz says, you need to do a bit of homework on Adelaide to support your application. Have a look at the Adelaide Bound site

www.adelaidebound.com

this will provide you with lots of relevant background info.

Good luck and if you need any more advice/help - just shout.


Deena

[Matt & Suzi]

Thanks so much for all this usful advise, when you say do your homework about Adelaide before sending off for sponsership does someone ask us questions about different areas and places etc???

Suzi xxx

[The Bowmans]

Hi Suzi

No-one will ask you any direct questions about areas and places. On the SA sponsorship application form, they will ask you what sort of research you have done with regard to contacting potential employers in SA, so you need to be able to demonstrate that you have been looking at relevant websites, e-mailing prospective employers, researching the cost of living in SA, schools (if applicable).

It's not a test so there aren't any right or wrong answers, they just need to be sure that you are serious about making the move and are going to be able to find work and support yourselves when you arrive.

Hope this helps, any other questions just let us know.

Thanks


Deena

[Matt & Suzi]

Thanks so much for your help, its really good to talk to people that have just been through the same process.

Cheers Suzi