ACS Skills Assessment - how long?

[Guest DingDangDoo]

Actually guys,if its a thing i get ACS approved i believe they send you a pdf of skills assessment,is this true?

Am i then ready to apply for SS? If thats the case i can apply the next day because i have all the docs ready to go

and everything filled out online! (bar the why do you want to live in SS). Cant afford to lose a day:smile:

[zebedee]

Yes that's the case. Not that much to the form really.

[Guest gaz77]

Just completed the 176 online form....phew...that took a while!

Watching my credit card take the punishment wasn't enjoyable!

 

Anyone actually heard anything from mark recently?

[zebedee]

The 176 payment was like a major wake up call - hey, we are actually doing this!!!!!! We have moved up a gear since for sure.

 

No, nothing, but I hope he is planning his next move and is doing well.

[Guest gaz77]

yeah...thats definitely the feeling alright!

 

Going to ask a potentially obvious/stupid question....

Now that i've lodged my 176 with DIAC, the SA tracking site says i need toprovide the TRN number, so do i click the "request 1100 form" or willthere be a place to input this on SA tracking site at some point?

Just dont want to do something stupid! :-)

[zebedee]

I am a little unsure as our agent handled that bit for us - I think you do need to do something to accept the sponsorship and make SA forward the sponsorship to DIAC, so I would say yes.

 

 

When you get to the Visa stage and have a case officer assigned, make sure you fill out the form 80 - oh, and we had a shock at how much the medicals cost.......

[Guest gaz77]

thanks zeb, seems right.....any other form/app and i wouldn't second guess myself!

 

dare i ask the price? i think i heard something like 300 pounds or euros per person?

 

 

edit...just requested the 1100 form and it asked to provide TRN, all good. Ignore my earlier ramblings!

[zebedee]

It cost us 276 each for both adults and then 90 each for the three children - lucky they are all under the age of 11!

[Guest DingDangDoo]

Back to stage 4 with assessor now so heres hoping it wont take much longer:smile:

[zebedee]

Fingers crossed for you DDD!

[Guest gaz77]

cool, movement! best of luck ddd!

[Guest gaz77]

Zeb, you mentioned Form80, i've seen this mentioned loads on the forums and not in a good way!

I'm doing my 176 online and i don't see form 80 on the list of docs, seems some people are asked for it and others not....

Did your agent ask you to fill one in straight away, i.e. soon after lodging your 176? or was it the CO who eventually requested one?

Don't think i've got a CO yet...it's only been a few days...

 

I'm still uploading all the other docs and trying to sort out De-Facto evidence....

[zebedee]

I would wait for the case officer to be assigned first as I am sure the agent forwarded it to us after we had ours assigned.

[Guest DingDangDoo]

Guys,quick one.

Just gathering my stuff for SA SS incase i get acs approval.

Does the below docs look right for what i have to submit?

Do they need to be witnessed and in colour?

 

Passport pages (both me and girlfriend)

My IELTS cert (not applicable yet)

My Skills Assessment letter/certificate

My Degree transcripts

My Degree cert

 

Thanks

[Guest gaz77]

hey DDD

 

This is what i sent:

Application cover sheet (signed and witness signed)

Passport pages for me and girlfriend (although i think only primary applicant is required now...not sure so sent both)

IELTS cert

Microsoft transcript

ACS Result letter

 

Everything was either colour scanned and/or printed. No certified copies....

[Guest gaz77]

When you start your SA SS online, there is an application cover sheet that details what needs to be sent, which is basically what i mentioned above....

 

Also, (you may know already) but there's the section you have complete about why you want to go to SA and what research you've done. Writing things like this is easier for some than others.....took me and my girlfriend a while to do it!

We did about 600 - 800 words covering why, job/housing research, etc.

[Guest DingDangDoo]

Cool, i thought ielts was only needed for 176? I am applying from Ireland.

[zebedee]

I was a bit confused about the IELTS, I thought it was only for the Visa, but I submitted it for the SS as well. I would suggest you get it done as soon as you can.

[Guest DingDangDoo]

I dont think i need it for SS though (more specifically network administrator)

 

"All applicants must provide a copy of a valid IELTS test result with their supporting documentation, unless they hold a valid passport from, and are a citizen of, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, United States of America, or the Republic of Ireland, (these passport holders only need to provide an IELTS test result if the special requirement for their occupation is 7.0 or higher). This IELTS test score must be less than two years old at the time of sponsorship decision".

 

I will give them a ring tonight just to double check.

[Guest gaz77]

I added my ielts just in case, I know the SS form says its dependant on your occupation. I'm using my ielts for more points and I thought SA might do a quick points check....

But I agree with zeb, get it done soon if you need points from it. I had to do it twice to get 8s in everything.

[Guest DingDangDoo]

ya i will get on it, im too looking for all 8s in my ielts (neeed the 20 points). Did you do the general or the academic gaz?

Did you do much study for it as i believe its not as easy as some may think!

[Guest gaz77]

Did the general, found some study materials online. There's a good book called Cambridge IELTS 8, it has mock tests for both general and academic. It comes with a CD for the listening bits. It gives you a very good idea of what to expect.

 

It's true, don't assume its easy just because we're native speakers.

On my first attempt, I was more concerned about the speaking and writing but when I got the results it was my reading that scored 7.5, everything else was 8+. Second attempt was all 8+, paid more attention to the reading. I think its the parts where you have to say "true,false or not given" when comparing a statement to a body of text that got me. It's wise to brush up on the writing, its all typing on the computer for most of us these days! Make sure you show the basic structure; intro,main body - arguments for/against, conclusion. Provide good linking phrases, no spelling errors, etc.

Speaking is easy, don't know why I got worried about it!

[Guest DingDangDoo]

ok how much study time should i give it roughly before i sit it?

 

Thanks Gaz and sorry for all the questions :-)

[Guest gaz77]

i did about 8-10hrs before the first one.....bascially do some listening, reading and writing tests til your comfortable with them, i.e. format, what they're looking for in answers and how much time you have to complete each section. I think you have 50-60mins for the writing and on both attempts i was right up to the time limit! frantic scribbling...

There's always an IELTS thread on pomsinoz, some people get the 8s in one attempt, others after several. Many say a lot has to do with the exam you get, some are easy others not so...

People sometimes book two exams at once if test centres are busy, takes approx 10 working days to get the results.

Get that book i mentioned (might be at a new revision now) and if you're happy with the tests then you should be ready! ;-)

 

Are you doing the defacto route with your girlfriend?

[Guest DingDangDoo]

I am Gaz yes, we dont have the 12 month living requirement until 18th May this year though so I will have to wait until then to apply for 176.

Its a pain but not much i can do, we are both flying out on the 6th March on a WHV so will be bringing all the necessary docs with us and we will

have to make up 2.5 months in auz also. Will have to go to NZ to submit 176 and receive .We are visiting friends in Melbourne first so im thinking i will sit the ielts in Melbourne,just hoping there is not a backlog in their test centres! There really is quite a few hoops to jump through to get this haha.

But before all that we will see how the skills list shapes up:smile: