Skill assessment - DIY or agency ?

[ischa]

Hi,

 

Just going through the internet looking at immigration agents and the fees. We have also looked at the Vetassess website and it looks very straight forward to do the skill assessment online. Am I correct or did most of you use immigration agents to do this part ? Can you let us know if there is any pitfalls we should know about regarding this first step ?

 

Any advise will be great, just looking at saving some pennies !

 

Thanks,

 

Lindi

[Guest ReadyPenny]

Hi Lindi

 

We did all of our ourselves, TRA and Visa application. If your case is straightforward and you are sure what evidence etc you need to provide I would have a go yourself. For more complex cases agents are a god send, but for us it was simple, therefore not necessary. At the end of the day if you fail the vetassess and have to use an agent you have lost the vetassess fee, but if you are successful you are quids in! If, for any reason you fail, you could then instruct an agent to help you.

 

Mandy

[ischa]

Hi Mandy,

 

Thanks for the advise - think we are going to have a go at it. As you say, we can save lots of pennies.

 

Regards,

Lindi

[Guest brandyslad]

We did our skills assessment ourselves. Got our docs certified by our solicitor for free and then realised I had forgotten to get one signed so they post office signed it and it was all accepted. You can track it online. The only thing I had to order for it was a transcript of my marks and there was no charge for this either.

 

I worried about mine as my degree is in Marketing but my occupation is Community Worker but it was fine.

[Guest The Pottertons]

Hi there, we have used an agent but in hindsight wish we'd done it ourselves as it is quite simple if you're not a complicated case! If i were you ide give it a shot and save some cash- you can always change your mind if it gets too much! Good Luck Guys!!!!!!! Yvonnexx

[Guest steve.parkin]

Hi there .

Just reading a few threads and noticed your hubby had gone for the AQF III. Im a plasterer but only got 4 years in and every body tells me i need 6 for the TRA but i can go down south Brightom way and apply for the silver trowel AQF III in Plastering and then job done staight in , Is that wot you did.

Cheers. Steve

[Guest ReadyPenny]

Steve

 

If you were talking to me (am not sure) here's the response. Sean has been carpet fitting for nearly 20 years now, but the AQF did not specify how many years he had to have in. He did the paperwork online and by email and then the training organisation flew in two reps from Canberra to assess his practical skills in Nelson. Maybe this is different for plasterers? PM me if you need any more info or advice, if you dont find what you are looking for.

 

Mandy

[Guest Rob&SamThomas]

Hi

We did everything on-line and found it to be a really easy process. As others have said if your application is relatively straight forward you are probably best giving it a go. Good luck.

[Guest covfan71]

Steve

 

If you were talking to me (am not sure) here's the response. Sean has been carpet fitting for nearly 20 years now, but the AQF did not specify how many years he had to have in. He did the paperwork online and by email and then the training organisation flew in two reps from Canberra to assess his practical skills in Nelson. Maybe this is different for plasterers? PM me if you need any more info or advice, if you dont find what you are looking for.

 

Mandy

 

Hi, we are ready to submit our Visa but are wondering whether it is worth using our agent or not. How did the process go with yourselves. Do they write to you when you need to get medicals etc done?