Low Availability on State Sponsorship List?

[Guest oidara]

Hi everyone,

 

I posted this on the tracker thread originaly, but I've since realised I should've probably started my own thread.

 

My husband and I were hoping to apply for state sponsorship and we were heartened to see everyone's stories of how fast the SS process was and how quickly you subsequently got your 176's granted.

 

My husband is a Software Engineer and a couple of weeks ago this occupation went from Low to High Availability. But when I checked today, it's back to Low again already!

 

What does this mean for us?

 

We submitted our ACS skills assessment on 5 September so we sill have at least 4 more weeks to wait. It could be as many as 9 more weeks. Does this mean there will be no hope for us as the occupation is already Low Availability? Or does it stay at that point for a long time?

 

I don't understand why all of the places seem to have gone in just 2 weeks and I feel so discouraged!

 

How often do they revamp the list as they did in early September to add more places again?

[Guest Helchops]

Hey Oidara,

 

The initial rush to get SS applications in was caused by a delay in South Australia opening the application process. I think that now things have levelled out a little, there will be a slow down in applications.

 

The reality is that nobody can tell you whether or not Software Engineer will still be available in a few weeks, it's just down to the amount of applications SA receive. There were jobs a few weeks ago showing low availability which have since jumped to high availability, so I don't know whether they refresh the list every month and add new positions to spread them out throughout the year or whether it's all in one big melting pot.

 

Regardless, keep watching the list. Can you do 175 if the SS isn't available?

[Guest oidara]

Hello. Thanks for your reply.

 

Yes, I saw how lots of occupations went back to high availability a few weeks ago, but I read somewhere that this only happens once per year. I don't know how true that is.

 

We could go down the 175 route but we want to get settled sooner as we have 2 kids and one more due in November, so the long wait is very off-putting.

 

If there was a way to go to Oz while waiting for a 175 then that would be okay, but I can't see any visa options that would allow us to go for 12-18 months and work out there. We're in a slightly unusual situation in that we don't need a job locally as all of our work is online so we could continue with our current job, but I don't know if that's allowed on a tourist visa. It looks like it's not, but one migration lawyer said it's okay if we're not working for an Australian company. I just don't know!

 

So confused and really hoping we can get our ACS approval in time to still go for Software Engineer SS and the 176...

[Guest Helchops]

If it were possible to settle in Australia while applying for a 176/5 we'd be doing it! I didn't find a way to do that through my research unless you're employer sponsored, or going out on a business visa (for which you need to earn circa $500,000) from the business you're going out with.

 

It really seems like the whole process is totally luck of the draw...we waited a little longer for our Skills Assessment - if we'd have had it just a month earlier, we'd have our Visa by now according to other people's timelines - it's a really stressful event, but I think the stress and difficulty in obtaining that illusive visa is (hopefully) what makes it so worthwhile - and makes people take it very seriously.

 

Keep your chin up; if you'e determined to get there, you will - whether that be now, or in a year or so.

[IrishStew]

Hello. Thanks for your reply.

 

Yes, I saw how lots of occupations went back to high availability a few weeks ago, but I read somewhere that this only happens once per year. I don't know how true that is.

 

QUOTE]

 

 

The SA website says - "The contents of this list are accurate at the time that it is viewed. The list is "live" and will change as decisions on State Sponsorship applications are made."

 

I think it's safe to assume that whilst they do an annual review, they endeavour to keep a live working document. To be honest I check it every couple of days - sad!!

 

I've seen occupations go from high to low and back to high all in the space of a week. I suppose if someone fails submit the 176 within 30 days then their slot becomes available

 

Regards

 

IrishStew (OH)

[Guest oidara]

Thanks, guys. The list is clearly very dynamic. I just wish I knew when they add positions to it rather than remove them. If our occupation goes to being unavailable then we're not going to know whether to hold on in the hope that it will be available again in a month or two, or whether to assume it's off the cards then until next July. I can't seem to find a definitive answer on this, though I did find the following:

 

"State Migration Plans are the result of formal agreements between State and Territory Governments and DIAC. The original intention was that their validity would reflects DIAC's program years (1 July - 30 June) and associated quotas, but in reality they're reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current labour market conditions."

 

And it looks like it was updated at least twice in the 2010-2011 year, so who knows...

[Guest jackd]

Hello. Thanks for your reply.

 

Yes, I saw how lots of occupations went back to high availability a few weeks ago, but I read somewhere that this only happens once per year. I don't know how true that is.

 

We could go down the 175 route but we want to get settled sooner as we have 2 kids and one more due in November, so the long wait is very off-putting.

 

If there was a way to go to Oz while waiting for a 175 then that would be okay, but I can't see any visa options that would allow us to go for 12-18 months and work out there. We're in a slightly unusual situation in that we don't need a job locally as all of our work is online so we could continue with our current job, but I don't know if that's allowed on a tourist visa. It looks like it's not, but one migration lawyer said it's okay if we're not working for an Australian company. I just don't know!

 

So confused and really hoping we can get our ACS approval in time to still go for Software Engineer SS and the 176...

 

 

 

HI, Odiara

 

Nothing is strange in that, I am waiting for 475 visa since 2009 near about 2.5 yrs.

As well As your question regarding SMP South Australia will revise their SMP in december, means not total change of occupation but they will add or less some occupation as per their requirement.

South Australia had released their SMP in July 2011 after that they update their SMP in Sep 2011 & again they will update it in Dec 2011.. for this Please check out South Australia Web site.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks & Regard's

jackd.

[Guest oidara]

Hi there,

It's interesting what you say about a new SMP coming into effect in December. I haven't seen mention of that, and I just looked at the website again and still couldn't find reference to it. Can you direct me to a specific page? Thanks!

[Guest Helchops]

To my knowledge this is not how the SMP operates but I could be wrong...

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

IrishStew's thoughts on why availability goes up and down makes sense to me - if you don't lodge in 30 days you lose SS, and therefore that SS position becomes available for someone else - combine it with my thought that they do 'batches' of professions (hence people seemingly 'jumping the que' sometimes on our trackers etc) this would make sense with regards to affecting availability of a single profession enough to change the status from 'high' to 'med' or from 'low' to 'high' etc.

 

Seeing as you can't predict how many people may/may not actually lodge their visa application within the 30 day limit, it would seem impossible to predict what will happen with the availability on the SSML.

 

I know its a nightmare, completely been there, just keep your chin up and think about the end game - if you do have to go for the 175, it is only about 10 months, which whilst not as quick as the 176, bear in mind the 176 is going insanely fast at the moment, since the 1st July changes - we were reckoning on at the very very least 6 months, and probably nearer 8-9 months for ours - we were not prepared for 2 1/2 weeks!

 

If you want something badly enough, 10 months is better than never, which is after all the alternative

[Guest oidara]

Helchops - I still can't find reference to the December update, so I am a bit bemused too as I wasn't aware of this being on the cards. If it's true, I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing. Might mean more places for our occupation but could just as easily mean our occupation is removed altogether. Yikes!

 

Adelaide_bound - Thanks for your thoughts and encouragement! What you said makes a lot of sense. I am just worried about the 175 as I have been told by a migration lawyer that current 175s are taking about 15 months (they just started looking at the Dec 2010 applications and it can take up to 6 months from now for those folk), and that people applying now shouldn't expect to be processed sooner than 18 months. I could just about swallow 10 months, but 18??? It's the uncertainty that bothers me as we have 3 kids (well, 2 so far, 1 more due in a month) and we just want to get settled. Time to keep everything crossed, I guess! But yes, even 18 months is better than never I suppose...

[Guest oidara]

One other thing: say we submit our application when there is still low availability, but then it goes to no availability before we're processed. What happens to our application then? Is it binned or do SA hold it in a queue until the occupation becomes available again?

[Guest Helchops]

I believe that SA would reject your application when they pick it up, but would say something like, 'feel free to re-apply if/when your occupation becomes available again'.

 

Im saying this from reading lots of the detail on their website, but I'm not 100% sure - I'm pretty sure it's in the FAQ though.

[Guest Helchops]

Also, Adelaide_bound is right: a 175 is currently being processed within 10 months...this is of course subject to change.

 

We too are waiting for State Sponsorship, and the 175 is our other option if we don't get it. Our agent suggested around ten months.

 

What you read on the DIAC website is the date that ALL visa applications have been assigned a Case Officer...but some are being assigned earlier than others for various different reasons!

[Guest oidara]

Thanks, Helchops. That's reassuring. At least if we have to go down the 175 route, it hopefully won't take too long.