Help needed please!

[Rob and Mel]

We are waiting for a case officer at the moment on our 175 visa.

 

Due to the world climate we thought we should put our house on the market due to everyone telling us nothing sells for ages.

 

Well put the house on the market on Wednesday and a 2 couples came to view it on Thursday and the second couple have just made us an offer on our house.

 

Just in case you think you have read this wrong...

 

On market on Wednesday

Viewed on Thursday

Agreed price on Friday

 

We have somewhere to live until visa is granted.

 

Now for your help...

Does anyone know how to speed our 175 visa up?

Any numbers to ring?

Email address to send things to?

Any other info?

 

Spoken to our agent and she came back with this rubbish about the new order the visas are granted in.

 

We can not live at the in-laws for too long it will drive us crazy.

 

Thanks in advance Rob and Mel

[Guest brandyslad]

Well done on getting the house sold! Sorry have no ideas on the 175 front we have applied for a 475 but just good to hear some good news on the house selling front.

[Kimbo]

Hi

 

Huge congratulations on selling the house.

 

Know just how you feel on the 175 waiting game!! DIAC should be moving onto the 175's after 15 Feb (although I'm sure they can change the date again).

 

Fingers crossed we get some movement soon hey.

 

Kim x

[Rob and Mel]

Kimbo,

 

Can you tell us to how you know this?

 

'DIAC should be moving onto the 175's after 15 Feb'

 

We can never seem to find info like this.

 

Cheers Rob and Mel

[Kimbo]

Hi Rob and Mel

 

Below is an email we had off our agents at the start of the year, but also been following loads of threads on PIO. All sponsored visas have been given priority up to 13 Feb - apparently this has now changed to 15 Feb so they can easily keep moving the goalposts and are then supposed to be moving onto 175's - lets hope so.

 

Kim x

 

 

 

The Minister has just announced changes to the Skilled Migration program. In this context, "skilled migration" refers to both employer sponsored visa applicants and General Skilled Migration applicants. These changes will be effective from 1 January 2009.

 

Employer-sponsored permanent migration

 

Employer-sponsored permanent migration applications will be fast-tracked. In his press release, the Minister said that "this could see employer sponsored visas occupying an increasing share of the skilled program, with 36,000 visas likely in the current year"

 

General Skilled Migration

 

For General Skilled Migration applications, priority processing will be given to those who:

 

(i)have State or Territory sponsorship; or

(ii)have a nominated occupation in the new "Critical Skills List (CSL)" (attached to this email). This list focuses on medical and key IT professionals, engineers and construction trades.

 

Occupations that are not included in the CSL will not be given priority processing unless the applicants have a job offer or are sponsored or nominated by a state or territory government." It is not clear if this mention of a job offer is only for employer nominated applications or also for General Skilled Migration applications.

 

It would seem that these changes will apply to applications already lodged. However the MIA will meet with DIAC at the end of this week and we will be advised of any further details or clarification on these changes.

 

Shortcut to the the new Critical Skills List :-

 

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/critical-skills-list.pdf

 

 

 

The MODL list will still exist and you will get extra points if your occupation is on the list. The new CSL list is only for priority processing. In other words the occupations in the CSL, will take precedence over other occupations.

Just to add more clarity ... here are the processing priorities :-

1. Employer Sponsor Visa (457..)

2. State sponsor

3. Critical skills list. (175..)

4. NON-CSL, MODL's

5. SOL & others

[Guest BRG1200]

Nice one Kimbo

[Rob and Mel]

Thanks Kimbo!!

 

Anyone else have any more good info?

 

Rob and Mel

[Guest ReadyPenny]

HI Guys

 

Do you have a job to go to? We rang ASPC to tell them Sean had a job and could they help us, CO allocated day after and Visa shortly after that. With the recent changes in priority of visa processing,not sure if this would still work though. Maybe worth a try?

 

Mandy

[Guest hel&sam]

go through with the sale defo!!! and congratulations. if the worst comes to the worst you can always rent somewhere fully furnished and do a moonlight flit when your ready. you'd lose your deposit if you didnt stay the full 6 months but thats all, or there may be holiday/short term rentals in your area, i was surprised when i looked at that, living in gloriously sunny stalybridge, after all it has so much to offer for tourists! not.

[Guest tinad]

Hi

Well done on the house sale! We had a similar situation. We only lodged our 176 application at the beginning of Dec, but put our house on the market at that time due to falling prices. Nearly died when we had an offer within a week but decided to maximise on the equity and carried on. Well we completed on Wed, banked the dosh and have moved to a small open plan bungalow (getting ready for that Aussie living!!). I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off our shoulders, we have an eight month lease here, which we can roll on monthly, and we don't have that noose around our neck of wondering if and when the time comes, we will be able to sell the house and have any money to go with.

Hope the house sale goes through ok for you.

Tina

[Rob and Mel]

Thanks for the nice replies!

 

Hel&Sam i see you have put...living in gloriously sunny stalybridge

 

The world is such a small place.

 

Please keep us informed to your process.

 

Thanks Rob