Agents
 

Does anyone have experience of using an agent to process permanent residency application?

Is it worth the money (£3000 - £4000 inc visa, medicals etc..) ?

Also, is it true that you can get state sponsorship for visa application? (i.e. from Victoria)

Re: Agents
 

Look on the immigration forum on this site. Good threads about costs.

I, along with many others reckon £3-4000 UKP is very steep. That figure in dollars is more realistic.

Steve

Re: Agents
 

Hi

If you post this on the immigration forum you may get more sense ;)

Not sure about agent fees we went DIY but you can get sponsorship, as I say post on immigration

Walla

Re: Agents
 

Moved this query to the immigration forum.

Re: Agents
 

we did it on our own and it cost us about £2000 so if you can get it from
an agent for £3000 that sounds quite good.the agent we was going to use wanted about £3600 plus costs,so it would of cost us about £6000 all in.
but anyway just do it,its only money ha ha only joking.
if it all in for 3 or 4 grand my view is yes its worth it.we would have used the agent at that price,we said that to each other before the meeting with them
but as i said we got told its going to cost about £6000 so i could be wrong
but check what you get for that price
all the best jonni boy

Re: Agents
 

Try George Lombard

www.austimmigration.com.au

Free initial assessment.

I bet it won't cost you £3-4000 UKP for the complete process. Maybe in Australian Dollars

He'll tell you his fees, and he has a superb reputation.

Again check the immigration forum for info / views on him.

Steve

Re: Agents
 

We are using Ian Harrop and he charges £995 +VAT, money well spent I'd say, saved us a lot of time, and you feel you have a better chance of success with a good agent.

I am sure you'll find other good agents with similar fees if you shop around.

Re: Agents
 

We paid $3500 for our agent who has worked for us for the last year ans has been suoerb, taken a lot of worry away from us and I would say was defo money worth spent

Re: Agents
 

hi wigan warrior.

i lived in rochdale and used the visa unit in london, they processed my state/territory nominated visa to victoria and charged me 1,850 pounds plus additional cost ie trade assesment, medical and visa fees. It took 18 weeks for my visa to be processed and I have now been in Oz for 7 weeks. money well spent and life on the beach today was great, 23 degrees in winter, I am a carpenter by trade.

andy thomas

Re: Agents
 

we are paying 3000 all inclusive with an agent, i posted a similar thread to this when we first started about a month ago and the general consensus seemed to be if you can afford it - it does make things a lot easier to use and agent.
also some agencies do a free initial assessment on line and then a free phone call to answer any queries or questions before you comit yourself - they would be able to answer your questions about which states offer sponsorship, i do know that that south australia does -but that is about all i know! :o
good luck
jax

Re: Agents
 

hello there
i'm using an agent in manchester at present with a cost for there services at arround the 1k mark. seem pretty good at the moment and they both worked in the aussie offices in manchester before they closed up.
They also were at the emmigration fair at sandown earlier this year giving a talk on the whole process. heres the web address www.conceptaustralia.co.uk
hope this helps

andy
:) :)

Re: Agents
 

Hello, just read your reply, we are new to the site and considering using an agent, my partner is also a carpenter, would you be able to give us any further advice/info which was useful to you, which agent did you use? Be very grateful for anything you may think useful - many thanks

i lived in rochdale and used the visa unit in london, they processed my state/territory nominated visa to victoria and charged me 1,850 pounds plus additional cost ie trade assesment, medical and visa fees. It took 18 weeks for my visa to be processed and I have now been in Oz for 7 weeks. money well spent and life on the beach today was great, 23 degrees in winter, I am a carpenter by trade.

andy thomas[/QUOTE]

Re: Agents
 

As a carpenter you may be able to look at a State Nomination if you are considering SA, VIC, or TAS ... the benefits of a Nomination being a lower points requirement (70, as against 120 with a Skilled Independent visa), and a faster processing time (though new visa processing arrangements since the 1st of July means that most recently lodged applications are seeing requests for medicals, etc within two to three weeks of the application being received at the Department of Immigration).

Either way you will need a skills assessment classification ...

Details of our team (which might be of interest) are here:
http://www.gomatilda.com/contact.cfm

Best wishes and good luck!


[/QUOTE]

Re: Agents
 

We are also using them (Zeno at the Wimbeldon office). Really impressed with his knowledge and he is a top bloke. The company has a very good reputation, do a search on the forum for more feedback.

ACE

Re: Agents
 

As anyone used any of the following agents?:

Overseas Emigration (approx £3200 for everything)
Australian Migration Specialists (approx £2400 all in)
Migration Bureau (approx £2950 all in)
Emigration Group (approx £3700 all in)
Concept Australia (approx £2471 all in)
Australian Visa Burea (approx £3500 all in)
Global Visas (no price of yet)
George Lombard (approx £2200 all in)
Ian Harrop (approx £2500 all in)

Prices are including visa, medicals, etc.. and are for skilled independent. These are an approximate cost based on convresations/e-mail with agents.

Re: Agents
 

Hiya
We paid £3500 AGENT FEES WHICH IS UMMMMMMMM AROUND £1500, THEN WE HAD THE VISA FEE AND THE MEDS FEE(WHICH VARIES DEPENDING ON WHETHER U NEED FURTHER TESTS)....I WOULD RECOMMEND MY AGENT 100%

Re: Agents
 

Which agent did you use Biggy?

Re: Agents
 

rything over the internet

used Acacia Immigration in Sydney....Mark Webster......did everything over the internet and courier...if u want website addy just ask :)

Re: Agents
 

We too used Ian harrop - first class service & a small enough company to give you the personal service that you need to get thru this process. Our visas were thru 10 weeks after we out in main application. Very professional & really approachable. Would recommend to anyone.


cheers

pockygoes

Re: Agents
 

For what it's worth our fees for a skilled independent application (including the skills assessment application) vary between A$2,000 and A$3,775 depending on the occupation requiring a skills assessment and the status of the applicant (ie single/married or de facto). At present exchange rates that equates to about GBP800 and GBP1,500.

The DIMIA fee is presently A$1,845, or about GBP735.

The assessing body's fee will depend on your occupation - say A$500, or about GBP200.

Add medicals, chest X-rays, and police reports - amount depends on age of family.

Might be of interest to some ...

Best regards.

Re: Agents
 

so is it cheaper to use an agent in OZ or in uk - is it just the VAT that is different?
H.

Re: Agents
 

It is probably more a function of the agent's underlying costs/expenses H, and their pricing policy, though the VAT will also be a factor.

Best regards.

Re: Agents
 

yes I can see that, so basically I should get quotes from agents operating in Melbourne and in uk too ?
as you have offices in both places you wouldn't compete with each other price wise? I guess its just that its easier for us to talk to Southamton rather than Melbourne because of the time difference?

BTW well done to the gomatildas on the AFL oz tips- it took me a few weeks to get into it and I am newish to AFL but it was fun competing :)

Re: Agents
 

If you talk to the UK office (T 023 80 488777) they'll give you the option of paying in GBP's or AUD's (so long as you are looking at a skilled visa application) ... or complete the details here and I will arrange for one of the team to call:
http://www.gomatilda.com/contact.cfm#appraisal

Best regards.

Re: Agents
 

We used him too, very efficient & would definitely recommend.