176 visa time scale ???

[Cherrypecker]

Hi all,

 

We are just awaiting approval for nursing registration, which should be through in next few weeks. Then we will start our visa application. We plan to arrive in Adelaide 1st August 2011. Our agent has recommended that we apply for a 4 year 457 visa, and then apply for PR when we are over there. The reasons they gave was because it would cost about £10,000 to apply and may take about 2 years to process. Whereas the 457 would be sorted by January 2011. It was predominently the 2 years that is putting us off.

 

We entered into this with the view of applying for permanent residency, as we are 100% sure that we want to stay there, but we are now very unsure as to what to do.

 

Does anyone have any advice about current processing times & costs for the 176 or any other info about this subject.

 

Many thanks in anticipation.

[malkitek]

Hi

I am a RN and we have just applied for a 176 visa, so can't comment on processing time yet! Hopefully I won't still be posting in two years!? I can say though that we applied without an agent, and although a wee bit hassley, the online system stright forward and it has only cost £1600 so far, we will still have medicals (£300) and hopefully final installment to pay which is about £1500 if visa granted. So £10000 sounds an awful lot? Good luck

Gill and Mal x

[TheHarrisonFamily]

We applied for our 176 27.12.09 and had visa granted 14.7.10. ( I am a nurse also).

It seemed to take ours a lot longer to be processed than some other folks on other web sites, so could be sooner than that. With the benefits of PR immedietly, i would def go for PR.

 

Donna

[Guest The Morleys]

Hi folks

 

It might not be much use but we came here january 2010 on a 457 visa as we didnt want to wait any longer than needed as we were fairly sure oursleves this would be the place for us.

We then applied for our 176 in August and were told it would be just under 12 months. The costs so far have been approx $2500 for the visa and $800 for the medicals. The medicals were two quick visits and sent straight off. The only other cost are the police checks which are not much at all, about $150 for the two adults.

We are building at the moment and were told that as long as we get out visas within 12 months of starting our build that we will be entiltled to the first time home buyers grant, fingers crossed we will scrape in.

Send us a message in a few months and I will try to update you and then you will have an idea of the time things are taking......Good luck with everything, Marcus.

[Guest The Morleys]

ps sorry my wife is also a nurse and works at the RAH in the AD so if you need any advice send us a mail.........

[Guest guest3462]

Wow £10,000 is an awful lot of money!!! It's cost us a fraction of that including medicals and police checks. I think the agent is pulling the wool over your eyes and I would seriously consider applying online yourself. I can give you a list of all the docs you need to upload to make it a bit easier if you want ( well the ones we used anyway!!) I would say that you need the other £7000 once you get here never mind lining the agents pocket!!!

[Guest guest3462]

Also have you already applied for state sponsorship? I'd do it now If I were you! Xxx

[Cherrypecker]

Thank you all so much for your helpful replies.

 

I will email a couple of you directly if that is ok.

 

Thanks again

;-)

[andy and lindsey]

Agree with Julia don't use an agent apply yourselves and if I were you I would apply for the 176 rather than coming on temp visa. The benefits of coming with PR far outweigh the benefits of temp visa's or speed. As far as I can see processing times seem to be a speeding up a little too. Just realised you have children too. As permanent residents things like child benefit, rent assistance and child care benefit and possibly first home owners grant are so beneficial when you are trying to start new lives out here.

[Guest Mitchell]

I went to an expo in London and spoke to an immigration officer and she said only use an agent if you have a complicated or borderline case unless you have money to burn. I did use an agent only because my employer paid for it. I'm on an employer sponsored temp 457 visa as my employer needed me here asap. It doesn't help you feel settled and I've been asked if my Medicare card is real by an opticians when I got my eyes tested for an sa driving license as it's a different colour! Now I've passed probation work are sorting out PR which will be a massive relief. I'm sure if something happened with work I'd get another visa somehow but it is a worry when you're temp.