Paul&Nic

Ok, for a long time now I have received PM's from people asking about how the 'Study to PR' thing works. I have always done my best to inform with the limited knowledge I know, but I am not a Migration Agent and can not be 100% on all I say.

Anyway, for one reason or another I am struggling to reply to everyone so I'll post what I know here (feel free to add or correct anything anyone!!)

Now to be honest you might want to wait till July 1st as there's talk of changes to 'Study to PR'. There HAS been talk of this before tho, and if you hang around waiting for the right time you may be waiting a LONG time!

ALL THIS IS AS WE SPEAK OK!

2 'academic' years of study in Australia, obtain a min of a Cert III, and you can apply for PR. An 'academic' year is 8 months so if you train at a private school (like mine) which don't take the normal school term breaks, then you can apply for PR roughly 16 months after you've started ... if you're competent!

There was a 900 hour work experience issue with getting a skills assessment from the TRA, but that's all sorted now at MY school. Other trades and schools I don't know!

Hairdressing is on the MODL and will give you at least an extra 15 points, 20 with a job offer at the end.

My school is Mon - Fri 9am - 4.30pm for first 8/10 weeks and then you can drop to 3 days a week with slightly diff hours 8.30am - 5pm to satisfy DIMA and their 25 hours per week of study rule.

Cost is roughly $20k for the 2 years, but as I say you can finish it sooner if you're up for it. DIMA want at least 16 months so if you take no breaks from school you could be applying for PR after only 16 months!

All 'as we speak' tho and a change in July could affect anyone!! There's talk that after your studies you will be required to obtain 12 or 18 months work experience. A visa will be issued to allow for this, but bear in mind you will probably still have to pay for dependants education!! Medicare I haven't a clue, but 'as we speak' you are eligible after your studies on a 'Bridging Visa'.

Applying for visa from UK all goes roughly like this:

Apply to school and get COE (confirmation of enrolment). You will also need Health Cover, but school can arrange this. We pay $340 per year for 2 adults and 2 teens.

Enroll any dependants in their school and also obtain COE

Get medicals for all going on your visa - Cost varies loads but we paid £800 odd for us 4. Medicals get sent directly to Immigration.

You put COE's with fee and apply for Student Visa (we applied to Oz House in London, not sure if you can apply elsewhere) and if granted will take ONLY 10 or so days to come back!

Once you're here and have commenced your course you can apply online / go to your local Immigration building and apply for 'Working Rights' of 20 hours.

Now as to finding suitable employment with these restrictions I could write heaps on, and how HARD it is, but the best thing I can say really is don't 'bank' on it! You REALLY want to be coming with enough funds to cover you for at least 2 years as even with applying for PR after 16 months of study, you are still liable for kids fee's etc right up to the point that you get PR which could be a further 6 or with new changes 12 or 18 months!!

Ok, there IS the people who frown upon 'Study to PR' but there is a *LOT of people who do it! People like me who basically had NO OTHER way! ... period!!

*By 2004-05 there were more visas issued under the skilled onshore student visa subclass (880) than there were under the offshore skilled independent visa subclass (136).

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/research/gsm-report/Ch5.pdf

Biggest gamble of your life? .......... YOU BET! ... but more than a 5% chance of success! ...

Hope that's of some help to someone ...

jonah38

Fantastic Paul

I was one of those pestering you about all the above. You and Nic seemed to be like the mysterious duo. Heard rumours of name changes, you couldnt get to a computer or you had gone to live with the eskimos. Legends in your own lunch time.

Good luck with the course and good luck to Nic getting that admin job

Cheers

Blue skies

welshtony

I am a Registered Agent and I refuse to take on any such cases from my off-shore position.

In relation to trade occupations, it is not the gaining of the AQF Certificate III that allows you to apply for the PErmanent visa, it is the, amongst other things, getting approved in the trade by the TRA. So TRA need the AQF Certificate III plus 900 hours of practical experience to look at approving such cases. It is the 900 hours requirement that seems to be catching people out as the experience has to be evidenced to TRA's satisfaction and also has to be separate to any practical component of the course.

Added to this that an AQF Certificate III is usually less than 1 year full-time study, providers have to try and "beef out " their courses as Immigration require 2 years of study to meet their requirements. So providers are also providing a diploma in the trade or combining the AQF Cert III with a business and/orIT Diploma. 2 years can be as little as 16 months as Paul&Nic say but again, be careful that yo uare getting good advice from your agent as one slip-up, and the whole 2 year plan goes down the tube. When doing combined courses of study in different disciplines, both qualifications have to be assessed by Immigration as being relevant to teh nominate trade. Hairdressing and business seems to be an easier combination to argue as a hairdresser would need business skills to set up own business in hairdressing. Not so obvious for a cook as a newly qualified cook is unlikely to be setting up a restaurant in teh near future, nevertheless, Immigration are accepting IT and business qualifications as rele4vant to trades but there is no guarantee.

The main courses available for this avenue are Hairdressing, Commercial Cookery, Pattisserie cook and horticulture but other mainstream trades are becoming available like Bricklaying.

I would recommend engaging a TRA expert from the start of yoru studies or earlier. so yo ucan ensure that any employment that you are considering will be counted towards your 900 hours and also that when yo uapply to the TRA, your references are presented with the information that TRA require.

Regards


Tony Coates
MARN 0635896

goingozwards2007

Thanks for so much information. My family are due to come out to Brisbane in July, so that I can start my Hairdressing training in September. We have used a migration agent, and are selling up everything in UK to make the most of the opportunity. We are not waiting to hear what changes have been made because its now or never for us, so we are just going to go with the flow, and hope that whatever the changes will be, will be, and we will just adapt our plans. P.S. We are "newees" to this site and have found it really useful!

Clarie

hello,

i'm completely new to this also - me, my husband and 2 little children are planning on coming out oct to start my course. if the new rule came in to effect in july, having to work an extra 12 - 18 months work experience before obtaining PR does anyone know whether the 20 hour work limit for spouse would still be the case.

and

whilst i am doing my course can my husband find a full time job sponsor with an occupation not on the sol or does he still have to work 20 hours only. - i think that sounds like a stupid question!!!

Paul&Nic

Yeah this is why I chose hairdressing. My school has over 1200 hours of 'TRA Approved' on the floor training from paying clients, so no further work experience is needed to get a positive assessment from TRA. New DIMA ruling in July I'm sure my school will argue is still covered, but we'll see. I have NO issues with having to do further 'work exp' other than the fact that I will still have to pay $16k per year for my kids education, but that's the way it goes! ... at least I'm not going home! ...

Good on ya! ...

Pretty much the same story for us.

From what I read you WILL be given full working rights. I say 'you' as I mean the student. I can't find anything to say whether the spouse or any dependants will also have these rights ?!?!

I have a friend who came out on a Student Visa, but her partner has recently acquired a job sponsor and his own visa. His occupation is on the SOL, but I cannot say if it HAS to be! ... as far as I know it does! ... someone will know. Whether they'll respond is another question! ...

shears

For anyone who has already applied for their student visa: Do we have to pay the kids' school fees for the 2 years in advance before we can apply for the visa, or can we just pay for one term to enrol them?

cheers

shears

Paul&Nic

We paid for the first year only, that was with Education Queensland.

Other states may want the full duration paid up front, but as we knew we was gonna go for 16 months of study we went this way and recently paid the kids fee's for a further 6 months.

shears

Thanks for that!

Clarie

thanks all,

i'm a bit worried about it all, i need to shut up and enjoy the whole life changing experience ahead of me - aaaahhhh.

i just hope to god i enjoy my new hairdressing skill and am good at it. and my husband gets decent paid work for 20 hours a week.

anyway i'm paying a deposit for the academy today - no going back (hopefully)

Paul&Nic

Can I ask what your husbands field is, and where your heading?

Clarie

hello,

my husband is an area manager for a contract catering company, he has done chefing but not to the extent needed for skilled visa. we have lots of family in brisbane so heading there - which is lucky because the academy is there.

i've been told by a migration agent that getting in the student visa route is very costly and will not guarantee PR after course. at least my children are not school age yet!!

thanks for your help, it's nice to talk to someone who has been there and done it.

clare

welshtony

If you have family there who can later sponsor you then the risk is less for you as, if your proposed 60 point nominated occupation comes off the MODL, you should still be OK. Others going this path without any relatives to sponsor may risk having to return to the UK and lodge an SIR visa if their occupation comes off the MODL. So although there are many ifs and buts, as long as you are aware of them and, if possible, have a plan B or C, then any risks can be minimised.

Regards


Tony Coates
MARN 0635896

sean

HI claire,
My oh has just paid a deposit for a hairdressing academy course in Brisbane. We are in the same boat as you, i am just hoping i can get 20 hours work somewhere.
Sean.

shears

Does anyone know if you can book One Way flights or do they have to be return, going over on a student visa.

Also, what about shipping stuff - do you need a permanent visa for this?

cheers!

shears