agent fees

[xzibit]

Thanks alot, so much to think about and want to get it all rolling before 1st July when it changes.

Do you know if you do your assessment before you apply for the visa?

 

Yes you should get your assessment done before lodging your application, because if they decide for some reason that you don't pass, the visa fee is non refundable.

[Gollywobbler]

I have just spoke to an agent who has told me that we need to go for a 176 visa, the cost of the whole process is £4763 then got to pay the agent a fee of £1800. Makes a grand total of £6563!!

I wasnt expecting it to cost so much, is this the norm??

 

Hi Liquorice

 

£1,800 for the agent's fees alone is about the going rate. Is the agent in Oz? (I ask because you have not mentioned VAT on his/her fees, so I assume that the agent is probably someone in Oz?)

 

The other £4,763 is converted from Aussie dollars to get the sterling equivalent, presumably? The exchange rate is lousy - sterling is on the floor compared to the AUD at the moment.

 

What occupation are you involved with, please? The costs for a skills assessment vary according to which professional body does the assessment.

 

Also, some of the State Governments now charge a fee for considering applications for State sponsorship, so again the exact amount depends on which State will be involved. You can check that via the link below:-

 

State and Territory Migration Sites - australia.gov.au

 

DIAC's own fees for the visa application are on their website. The DIAC website is very good in my view. The stuff about the subclass 176 visa is below:

 

Skilled – Sponsored (Migrant) Visa (Subclass 176)

 

If you go through the DIAC website by clicking on the link above, and then click on the various sub-links, you can get what the fees for each element are in AUD.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest m.jephcott]

We used Ian Harrop twice once back in 2004 to get our original visas and last year to get our expired visas extended. He also gave advice for a small fee so I could get visas for my two daughters. I cannot recommend them highly enough, expensive but worth every penny. If you need an agent they are great.

[Guest dean berridge]

sorry about that quite new the the site, but needless to say I am as confused as yourself. It so fustrating. Have been told now that when New rules come in, in July may not even get a look in!!! ah ah. So we best get cracking.

[Guest liquorice]

Its ok, I'm new to site too.

 

I know what I have got to do now but dont think I will get it all done by the 1st of July as havent started a thing yet. What stage are you at?

 

My husband has got to do an assessment, doing the online will be fine can do that asap but there isnt a practical test for Plumbers in the near future. I have looked on their website and it goes up to August and there isnt one booked for after Feb to Aug and the closing date for the feb one is Tues so we wont make that one.

 

I just dont know if we will beable to get in after 1st July, I know its getting harder but dont know how, do you?

[Guest dean berridge]

Well the requirement for specific work experience for the application is 3 out of the 4 years immediate to the application, so it depends on how long you've been out of work.

 

With regards to the skills assessment, they normally just want to assess that you have the correct qualifications, and for trades, will get you to do a practical. But as I'm an Architect I literally just had to have my qualification converted into an Australian equivalent.

 

Getting a start on the 1277 is a good idea, as would be printing out Form 80 off the immi website as there is information that may need you to do a bit of digging (like EVERY trip abroad you've made including dates in the past ten years).

 

Have you been on the TRA website?

 

Yes thanks last night I am going to apply thsi weekend to get the ball rolling. I am going to have a go with the visa myself, as my app should be straight forward, I had an email of an agent and stated that even though i have been supervisor/manager for 7 years but in the building sector this should help my cause. needless to say thanks again for your advise it has settled my mnd.

 

Oh just one more thing speaking to another applicant they said August it the next available practical for the skill assessment, do I need both parts to apply or will the recognised paper part allow my to start my process? In other word can i put my app in before passing the practical..... i do go on a bit..

 

Regards

 

Dean

[Guest liquorice]

I want to get the balling rolling asap....We are going to have a go at doing it ourselves, havent really got the cash to pay an agent, but have spoke to a few for abit of free advice!

 

My understanding was that you need to have done both parts of the assessement before you can apply for the visa but if thats not the case even we may be able to get in an application before 1st July!!

 

Ill put a thread on here to see if anyone knows!

[Guest liquorice]

it looks like you need both parts

 

Looks like we will have to try after 1st July when its all changed. I have tried to find out what the changes will be but noone seems to know!

[Guest dean berridge]

it looks like you need both parts

 

Looks like we will have to try after 1st July when its all changed. I have tried to find out what the changes will be but noone seems to know!

 

Seems that way,When I went the other year I was told to stay there and apply there. Chickened out of that one but on Ironside wished i had. Was hoping to get to South Australia but at this rate will move to different area for two years if helps my visa prospects.

 

Will keep you posted how the apps going and exchange advise.

 

Thanks alot

 

Dean:biglaugh:

[Guest dean berridge]

Hi Liquorice

 

I read last nght on an email from an agent that it broke down again in to points but you need 65 not 100 sounds good but, always a but! the skills in demand only give me 25(bricky) under 39 gives 10 ponts 0 for 6 or below on elts (7 is 35 out of 40) and you only get 10 points for 7. 5 points for relatives,and the rest that they mainly give you points for is any Ausralian qualifications you have. Not looking to good for me think i will have to swot up and get an 8 on the elts. I should get a point for spelling my name right!! lol. Can't believe they think they are going to get trades men who can get 100 percentage in an english exam. All this makes you wonder is it all worth it (yes it is!!) . I only wished I was applying for a visa for the UK They give them free at tescos'. ha ha.

 

Regards

 

Dean

[xzibit]

I had to do the IELTS exam to get enough points, and it's a right pain. Costs £100 although may have gone up since I did it, and you're not only judged on how well you can speak English, but how well you can write and use grammar, spelling and punctuation.

 

I had to write a letter in mine which I hated as I hate writing by hand.

 

But there's hope. I got an average of 8.5 in my exam, and I only scraped a C in GCSE English. As long as you practice for it, you should be ok but it's not uncommon for even us Brits to have to sit it a few times.

 

You may be able to gamble submitting your application before doing the practical exam for skills assessment, and then upload it as soon as you've done it, but it's a risk as if you get a case officer before you get the results, they may well refuse the application as it's not complete, or if the assessors decide your skills aren't adequate, you're stuffed too.

 

Nobody knows what changes will happen in July but, I couldn't get my visa again nowadays due to the changes since so it's worth getting it in if you possibly can. I'd hate to see the door slammed on anyones dreams on here!

[Guest dean berridge]

I had to do the IELTS exam to get enough points, and it's a right pain. Costs £100 although may have gone up since I did it, and you're not only judged on how well you can speak English, but how well you can write and use grammar, spelling and punctuation.

 

I had to write a letter in mine which I hated as I hate writing by hand.

 

But there's hope. I got an average of 8.5 in my exam, and I only scraped a C in GCSE English. As long as you practice for it, you should be ok but it's not uncommon for even us Brits to have to sit it a few times.

 

You may be able to gamble submitting your application before doing the practical exam for skills assessment, and then upload it as soon as you've done it, but it's a risk as if you get a case officer before you get the results, they may well refuse the application as it's not complete, or if the assessors decide your skills aren't adequate, you're stuffed too.

 

Nobody knows what changes will happen in July but, I couldn't get my visa again nowadays due to the changes since so it's worth getting it in if you possibly can. I'd hate to see the door slammed on anyones dreams on here!

 

 

Hi leigh

 

a "C" i got d and e, I'm doomed. I did a practice and got 6.5!

 

Thanks for the info. I will keep you posted.

 

Cheers

 

Dean

[leelee53]

I recently had an awful experience with migration 'experts' Go Matilda. Initially they were very helpful, stating on more than one occasion that I had a good chance of securing a 176 visa. After signing the paperwork to begin the process, and paying their initial fee of nearly £700, I was then informed that as my occupation was not on the SS list, I could no longer proceed with my app. I then asked for a refund which was refused (even though no work had been carried out) and that they would close my file! Ive since been doing alot of info seeking for myself and it turns out there is a way in for me and my family, so thanks for nothing, Go Matilda!!

I urge people to think carefully about if/what agent to use. It is possible to get help and support with your app from forums like this one, so my advice would be to go for it! Im currently awaiting my skills assess, then we will be applying for our visa for a new life down under, at last!! ;o)

[Guest boesman]

See if you could get an australian plumbers qualification in the uk. I am sure there must be companies that do that and it shouldn't take long with your years of experience. Then you apply by yourself for the skills assessment. Everything that you need is on the TRA/vetassess's website. If you go through an agent you still need to do all this, they just tell what to get instead of you reading yourself what to get for the applications. Take it one step at a time. First, get that qualification.

Come back to the forums for each step, you will find loads of info and help.

[Gollywobbler]

I recently had an awful experience with migration 'experts' Go Matilda. Initially they were very helpful, stating on more than one occasion that I had a good chance of securing a 176 visa. After signing the paperwork to begin the process, and paying their initial fee of nearly £700, I was then informed that as my occupation was not on the SS list, I could no longer proceed with my app. I then asked for a refund which was refused (even though no work had been carried out) and that they would close my file! Ive since been doing alot of info seeking for myself and it turns out there is a way in for me and my family, so thanks for nothing, Go Matilda!!

I urge people to think carefully about if/what agent to use. It is possible to get help and support with your app from forums like this one, so my advice would be to go for it! Im currently awaiting my skills assess, then we will be applying for our visa for a new life down under, at last!! ;o)

 

Hi Leelee

 

If you believe that the agents ripped you off, you would be able to lodge a formal complaint with the Migration Agents Registration Authority.

 

https://www.mara.gov.au/

 

You would have to show that the agents breached the Code of Conduct by giving you false hope that a visa might be possible. It is very, very unlikely that Go Matilda gave you any false hopes, hon.

 

It is more likely that you were eligible for a visa at the time when you first contacted GM but then you became ineligible later on because DIAC altered their rules. Are you sure that you were not caught out by the change in the rules?

 

What is your occupation, please? Joolya has just announced that she is going to fast-track applications for employer-sponsored 457 visas where the employee is needed in Oz in order to help to rebuild the places wrecked by the recent flooding.

 

Personally I don't think that Joolya is on the right track in suggesting that she will somehow speed up the processing of 457 visas. Surely, the Aussie employer needs to get out and do his bit towards clearing up the mess. How can he do that when he is sitting in his office poring over CVs and then trying to understand the detailed and complicated rules for 457 visas? The 457 visa was never designed to be a tool that would help the Australian Government to deal with disaster relief - mainly because they didn't foresee that a disaster might happen.

 

Nonetheless, if you have the right sort of occupation and you are willing to go to an area which has been wrecked by the floods then a fast-track employer-sponsored 457 visa would not be impossible according to Joolya. (Quite where you might live in a wrecked area is a bit of a moot point but I assume that Joolya has thought about that.)

 

My guess is that the really large construction/engineering companies will be the first on the scene and the large companies do have HR departments - so the boss need not worry about the visas when he ought to be outside supervising the electricans or whatever. Plus if I were a prospective employee, I would demand that the employer provides suitable accommodation at the employer's own expense. Australia are the people with the problem - not the rest of the world.

 

The main question, though, is what is your occupation, please?

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[xzibit]

It was Go Matilda that kept telling me that I shouldn't apply for a permanent 176 visa, and a temporary 475 visa would be the one to go for, even though I proved to them I qualified for the 176, and would be a much better visa, being a permanent one and all.

 

Hence me applying for the 176 myself - and saving a shed load of cash at the same time!!

[leelee53]

What more can we say?????....It just goes to show, they aren't always the 'experts' that we think we're paying them to be!

 

Well done you for doing it alone, im sure the end result is such an amazing feeling!! Cant wait to finally get there! ;o)