zenamethyst

Hi

Somewhere along the line I got lost off and muddled!!!!! We are hoping to put in our visa application for skilled PR to Oz in June/July this year and thought that as I've rung an agent and done an online assessment of our skills/chances and we were told that we had 120 + points (more if we used my hubbys aunty in Oz as the family bit) then that was it we could just fill in the visa application and that would be it!!!!

I went to an Aus/NZ emigration fair thing in N Queensferry on Friday and an agent told us we had to have the assessment done before visas! Do you get this in writing from somewhere? Do we pay someone - who???? We are not wanting (well can't afford!) to use an agent but are going to have a consultation with Darren Chatt once we have gone through and filled in all of the visa app that we can and ask his advice for the bits we're stuck on.

But the visa assessment/skills assessment thing - I didn't realise it was more than just a thing to check we'd have enough points to get in! My husbands a web designer and we're hoping to be off in July 2006 at the latest.

Any help/pointers would be gratefully appreciated as a newbie

Alan Collett

One of the basic requirements when applying for a general skilled visa is that you have a Pre Application Skills Assessment classification. This is a separate and formal application to the assessing authority that is given due authority by the Department of Immigration ... if you lodge a skilled visa application without a PASA it will be returned to you.

Have a read of DIMIA booklet number 6 and the Skilled Occupations List for more info - both are available via www.immi.gov.au

Best regards.

yamahaha

If its your hubbys skillls only you are using you need to get them assessed by the Australian Computer Society (ACS).

We did ours last October and are in the final stages of our application now :scared:

I found that was the most time consuming part as you have to provide references proof of employemnt etc from your current and past places of work along with education certificates etc! Dont be too worried, just follow the instructions and double read everything and you'll find out that its all actually quite straight forward...take your time!


See:

http://www.acs.org.au/

for more detail on skill assessment, click the Assessment for Migration link on the left hand panel.

Good luck!!

coxfamuk

Hi there

We have just sent off our PASA and believe me they want loads of documentation to prove your qualifications and experience. It is important that you have a good few years experience in the occupation you are applying under. We had to get references from employers for the last five years, as well as academic schedules, professional body memberships, etc. We have decided to go with an agent and he advised us to give as much evidence as possible for the PASA. You also need to be very clear about which occupation you are applying under and to quote the right code (given in the info you are given when applying for the PASA) as your documentation is then forwarded to the appropriate assessing body who will determine whether your skills match their requirements.

Once the assessment comes back as positive, you then apply for the actual visa itself which involves all the character statements, medicals and character references. We haven't got there yet, but believe that is also quite an arduous process. Clearly they make it as hard as possible to make us prove that yes, we really really really do want to live in your beautiful country . Hope it all goes okay for you.

Best wishes,
Sarah

coxfamuk

Sorry, I forgot to mention that there is a fee to process the PASA and also payable to the assessing body. I don't know if it differs for each occupation, but we had to pay $300 in total (my hubby's a chartered accountant and so will be assessed by the CPAA).

Best wishes,
Sarah

JAJ

If they are applying sponsored they *might* be able to use Vetassess (for a 50 point occupation) which could be easier in certain circumstances.

Most agents dealing in skilled migration know about this option.

If the sponsor lives in or near Sydney (and they are applying sponsored), they need to have an occupation on the Sydney skill shortage list.

Jeremy