HJAMES

16 More occupations in demand have been added today.

Perhaps this is going to make the 136 visa take longer.

Definitely worth thinking about I would say, if considering front loading

Helen

Wendy

Yes, George Lombard has said something about it on the immigration forum.

HJAMES

Makes you wonder now, if this is why migration agents are advising more strongly not to do medicals until requested - perhaps people should not go against them as obviously the length of processing is being affected.

Helen

Wendy

I think they do that to cover themselves, if they tell you to frontload and then your application runs over for whatever reason the customer is going to blame them.

George doesn't think it will affect processing times that much, but it's one of them wait and see things that no-one can really guess at.

Here is the thread in question
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=364029 See Post 10

abergas

Gasfitter, odd that should be on the MODL list, as the problems we have had with hubby getting a job in his field. Just our experience is they would rather you were a licenced plumber with gas experience and a ticket for both.

HJAMES

OMG Feel really stupid now, starting this thread seeing as it has been mentioned. I am quite new to this. How do I check threads for the future.

I see from your posts your an expert at this. Cooooollllll!!!

Thanks

Helen

Wendy

Don't feel stupid. Some people don't look in the immigration forum so may not have known about the new list.

As you can tell I have a lot of time on my hands while waiting for the house to sell That is why I knew about the thread, I've been on all day

Alan Collett

I understand the desire to front end load, but there is a real risk of problems in validating the visa if a skilled application takes close to a year to process to a conclusion:
http://www.gomatilda.com/visas/faqs.cfm#07

Also, case officers are showing an increasing tendency to look more closely at claims in relation to work experience and to refer matters back to local DIMA officers to check the validity of claims (eg contacting past and current employers). This alone can delay processing times

Unless your skilled visa application is of a type that will be processed as a priority (eg MODL occupations, 134, 137, and 139 subclasses), I would recommend not obtaining medicals and police reports until at least 4 months after the visa application has been acknowledged by the Skilled Processing Centre.

Priority processed visa applicants might attend medicals and obtain police reports once they have had a file reference issued.

Best regards.