phoenixinoz

I suppose it all depends on how quickly they want to pass it based on how important they see it in terms of risk and how many people it will effect and the likelihood of an uprising?

Personaly I reckon this will go through fairly quickly.

As for the student issues and changes; this affects lots of people [directly and indirectly] in different ways and so this is why I reckon this is something they are moving on with a softly, softly approach ie to manage the change softly/quietly. I reckon this change could take slightly longer.

At the end of the day, the politicians are zoo keepers and we're all in the zoo.

They feed us when they say it's feed time

NewOZ

Who said we dont like oz and we want to get the citizenship and then leave?!

well as a citizen you can get a HICS loan and if you pay in advanced you can get a 25% discount, that will make a big difference in my case

as a citizen you can feel secured and if you buy a house you will not get worry that they will change the legislation and kick you out of oz

as a citizen you can accept any job even if in that job you have to travel out of oz for a while and not be worry that your visa will expire and then you need a RRV

Hels

Whats a HICS loan?

NewOZ

if you are a student HICS will pay your uni. fees and then you can pay them back when you get a job, and if you paid in advanced then you can get a 25% discount

Hels

Oh, you mean HECS?

As far as I know you can get HECS as a PR.....

NewOZ

hecs that you can get as a pr does not include the 25% discound and the loan

Hels

Oh well...I guess you will just have to wait one more year....pay a little more taxes towards the economy and then you will get to reap the rewards, huh?

NewOZ

1 year waiting is equal to 3 years in your normal years
i hate waiting

Ozceltic

Having had a brief read through the proposed changes it seems we will miss out on citizenship next October (We are due to celebrate our first Australian anniversary this week) Although we did spend a month here on validation which I am sure counts towards our total time we will still miss out.
It will affect us in that we will have to wait another year to be citizens of the greatest country on earth. A small price to pay when we consider the hardship and frustration we went through trying to get here in the first place. we would have taken this deal in a heartbeat had it been offered to us while still in boring grey dull UK.

DagBoy

It probably affects me more than most as I am on a spouse visa so have not even started the two years as PR yet. Having said that - as far as I can tell the legislation is still only proposed - it has not been finalised.

There was a thread a while back where people were talking aqbout this and had been writing to the local MP. I cannot be bothered to dig that thread out, but I wrote to my MP (at least, he will potentially be my MP when I get the vote) - mainly about the possibility of allowing holders of spouse visas to allow time spent here on the spouse TR visa to count towards citizenship qualifying time.

His office responded very quickly to say that he would reply to me and shortly after he wrote to tell me that he will bear my comments in mind when discussing with his colleagues and that he has written to the Minister on my behalf.

In the meantime, until the legislation actually changes, I will carry on living here and loving it and should be eligible for citizenship at the end of 2008 (or 2009). At least that gives me time to learn all the verses of the national anthem

Cheers,

DagBoy

JAJ

I think part of the reason the requirement is going up to 3 years is to deter people seeking Australian citizenship purely for reasons of convenience. And to ensure that those becoming Australian citizens have developed genuine links with Australia.




Jeremy

NewOZ

i think this what we can do now, write to MPs
the government for sure did not consider us, before if you tried to call citizenship enquiry line they will tell u they have no idea about the new legislation as its not been assent yet

now, if you call them they will tell that the current PR r not excluded

Ozceltic

I too am here on a spouse visa but my PR started immediately on arriving. This was because we have children and have been married for 10 years.

Are you on a temporary spouse visa?

phoenixinoz

And do they really think a extra year will do this? I doubt it.

If people don't feel comfortable in Aus [for whatever reason] after two years then I doubt they will feel any different after three years. Indeed they are likely to be more resentful and distructive and will leave after their citizenship regardless.

My understanding was the legislation was changed due to perceived terrorists.... or issues to that effect? which again, is a load of codswallop.

Most people who want to leave are just as likely to stay for the extra year until they can leave anyway. And terrosist activity is [thankfully] minimal in the grand scheme of things, yet the new legislation will affect the majority for the sake of the minority. A knee jerk reaction me thinks

The one thing the extention will do though.....is keep more money in the Aussie economy for an extra year

DagBoy

Yes. Started on a 457 (4 year sponsored business visa), then last year I finally pulled my finger out and did the spouse application. Now on a temp spouse visa. Should go PR in about a year. Then 2 (or three) years till citizenship.

Cheers,

SlackBoy