where to start

[Guest nicandchris]

Hi can anyone please advise me on the process of applying for a visa with a skilled occupation? Im being sponsored for a temp business visa but have been advised to go for a perm instead. Cant afford to go through a company to help with this so would have to do on our own but feel overwhelmed by this. Can anyone help?

[Guest guest3462]

First of all before you do anything with the visa application you have to sit and pass the IELTS exam, then send off to the NBSA for your nursing skills assessment. (You can pay the NMC £30 for them to automatically send your registration details to the NBSA instead of chasing round and getting everything yourself, but the Aussie nursing board needs to be aware of your application before you do it.) Once they come back you can commence your online application at Department of Immigration & Citizenship

The best visa for you to go for would probably be the 175 or if you want to be definately tied to SA for at least two years the 176 state sponsorship visa which is getting processed a bit quicker these days. It's quite a lot of complicated reading, but when you have ticked all their requirement boxes, its not too bad!!

We are just waiting for state sponsorship to come back, then we'll be all good to go with the 176 application! We are applying through the medical board though, not the nuring board, as I have decided my nursing days are pretty much over!

Good luck!! It is definately worth applying for PR while you are still in the UK, but I would still get your employer to sponsor you for the 457 and get over here as quick as possible!!! It's better to wait for the visa over here in the sunshine than over there in the cold! :-) The only downfall of the 457 is that you will not be entitled to any childcare benefits or social security of any kind until you have your PR.

HTH a little bit, don't qutoe me on being perfect on this cos as I said, I've decided to give up the nursing so havent bothered with the skills assemssment or ielts!

JC x

[tean]

I think you need your skills assessed by the ANMC (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council), they are different to the registration department and they will then issue a Letter of Determination once your application is approved and then you can apply for the visa. You will need to pass the academic IELTS before anything else though, so book a.s.a.p! Prepare yourself for that, as it's not as straight forward as people assume. All the best with that. Just take it all step by step and it's not so daunting then.