Hi Sandra
Tried to send you a pm but you have no more room left!

Just wondered did you have any problems getting your paper work back from your first agent?

Partial deafness is not defined and deafness does not necessarily mean that an indivdual will not meet the public interest (health) criterion. There is no public health risk involved. In law it comes down to a question of whether the individual is likey to use scarce resources, and the projected cost of medical treatment. If it can be shown that the child will not need special education services and that the cost of likely medical treatment will not be over a certain limit (as defined in the regulations) you might have a fighting chance. The law on health issues is complex, and applicants are not well advised to hope for the best if there is a health issue. If you had been properly advised, you would have had the child's medical examination conducted as the first step. In health matters the opinion of a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth is conclusive and MUST be accepted by DIMIA. If you had no prospects of making a case on the medical issue at least you would have kept your costs to a minimum.

Westly Russell
Migration Agent

I TOTALLY AGREE with your concise summary here of the issues and would of loved this sort of advice before shelling out a fortune and a half.

I have one question - I did not think it was possible to have a medical assessment done before making the full application and everything that entails so any pre medical assessment would have been a best guess as to what the MOC would decide.

As it was we dumped the first agent after spending the money and came here on temp 457 through work and then appealled after that was refused for our daughter....just pure luck the appeal for the 457 resulted in approval for a 136 - go figure?

So I am here in Aus with my family as PRs for the last 18 months after a very hectic and traumatic first year.

Cheers

You can have a medical done whenever you choose. We do not advise our clients to "Front End Load" skilled applications with medicals, because they expire in a year.

It is possible that if you had prepared substantial submissions in the first place that you would not have had to appeal.

If Health Assessment Services were not inclined to render a decision in the absence of a visa application, it would have been open to you to have applied for (for example) a $65 visitor visa.

I do not have enough information to comment further on your case.

You got here, well done

Westly Russell

We didn't use an agent and there was no stress. Ok there was a wait and I had to email DIMIA once for our file number so we could change the application after we got married and I had a new passport. It was really plain sailing. Maybe we had an uncomplicated application who knows. But we were granted in 6 months and we have now been here 6 months.

I do realise that some people have harder cases and need an agent to help but it really is easy and I did not find it stressful. Only the waiting.

Jo

To put the nurses application with an agent in perspective:

1 family of 4, with the principal applicant being a nurse will cost us $3000 all told.

This includes 3 x 2 police checks and 4 medicals.

So if you paid gbp3000 then I would consider the difference in hiring an agent would be roughly equivalent to the prevailing exchange rate. ie we paid aud3000 as compared to gbp3000.

I'd say the form filling was a pain, but we got great help from DIMIA over the phone on exactly what to do and how to apply. If you have a straight forward application I say DIY, but if there are likely to be issues or you are borderline go with the agent.

I was charged £975 by my agent in Manchester, that was for 2 adults and one child. I had to pay for certified copies of the relevant certificates and the usual police checks and meds etc etc.
I was quoted £4000+ by the first agency i contacted and decided to look about, to which i think i got a better deal.
Keep your chin up and think about what you will be getting when you finally get to oz.
Regards
Gary

Hi Sue,
We also used an agent and it has been worth every penny. I did my own trade assessment as mine was straight forward, I could provide them with everything they needed. Our agent for main application cost £1,395. It has saved me being stressed out by forms and Andrew. We did think about going it alone but things got complicated as Andrew had been married before and has children. Look at it this way... If you use an agent there is a much higher chance that all your forms will go staright through first time, going it alone there is always the possibility that you may have missed something. Don't feel down, the money is spent now and your visa should be winging its way to you very soon. All the best.
Sarah

hi sarah,
would you recommend your agent and is there any chance you could pass on the name and number by pm please. i have been in contact with a couple had quotes of £3,300 which we are willing to pay, mainly because of the same reasons as you, ex's and children involved! i was also thinking of doing the skills assessment myself, does it take about 4 months to go through?
debbie

Thanks everyone for support + info
I`m going to double check our agents papers then change.
I`m going to have a shop around some agents + also look a doing a DIY?

You`ve ALL been a great help

Hi Debbie,
I will pm you now with all info.
Sarah

Hi again Sue

In answer to your question where abouts in Brissie we don't know yet, just be near to a hospital or on transport links to one. I have my fingers crossed for you, I hope you hear back from the TRA soon. I hate waiting for things myself. Were you thinking of settling in Brissie yourself?

From katie

Hi Katie

Not too sure yet will be going out in November for 3 weeks to have a good look around.
Bayside has come up alot on forum so will start off there can`t wait!!

Our agent fees were £1800. (£900 up front and the final £900 when the final application was submitted. On top of that we had TRA fees , £400 ish I think, plus medical fees of £180 (£60 each for the 3 of us).

£9000 is taking the p.

Hi Debbie,

Alot of people on the forum seem to recommend `Go Matilda`. I am going through an agent mainly to cut the stress out of things. I must admit it did help having an agent when I was going through my TRA assesment. I am applying on an Indepdent Skilled 136 and the agent advised me to get as much detail and information as possible. Some things I would never of thought of if I had done it DIY. With working and having kids driving me up the wall I opted for the agent to save hassle, mind you I have had stress through it all. I had my first assesment declined and paniced, I contacted the TRA, lovely guy there told me exactly what the problem was, I sorted it ( with an appeal form and more money!) and eventually had it passed! Phew
I have now sent the application form away for DIMIA, so its fingers crossed now. I am sure if you search the threads for agents you will find some useful information.

Good luck

Deb