i know B.E was a godsend to me coming out here...but..?
Feb 11th 2011, 1:04 pm
#16
221b Baker Street
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Miles from anywhere, Victoria, Australia.
Posts: 14,125
Re: i know B.E was a godsend to me coming out here...but..?
Using an agent. I had filled in forms for a living for 25 years. I just couldn't bear the thought of doing anymore! Having someone to check them was a godsend. And they did fill mine in for me and sent them for me go through.
(and I didn't know about B.E. then
)
(and I didn't know about B.E. then
)
Feb 11th 2011, 9:44 pm
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2007
Location: Derby, UK
Posts: 131
Re: i know B.E was a godsend to me coming out here...but..?
i think to be fair migration agents have their place, we personally used an agent and were very happy with the service. As we both were working full time and have 2 then (now 3) children under 8yrs we didnt feel we had the timeor the inclination to try and understand the different skill lists and ever changing requirements.
OH is a bricklayer and his profession seems like it has been on and off the CSL more often than a ..................knickers.. well you get the idea.
we started off with the immense task of getting the various work evidence including references from years ago with no idea how to find the people, he agent was fantastic and had located the people via company house within a few hours, i wouldnt have known where to start. i think that more complex cases do benefit greatly from the experience of an agent. the agent was also brilliant at advising us exactly what the referees needed to be saying on their letters.
then we came to vetasses - OMIGOD, if youve dealt with them you'll understand,
they never speak straight only in riddles thank god the agent could translate for us and he thoroughly prepared my OH for what to expect.
That passed all well and good youd think, then as i said before bricklaying was dropped from the CSL and MODL - S%$t thats it we thougth but no again the agent has another idea up his sleeve and now we go for SS with WA which he led us through by the hand.
then a freeze on visas we thought thats it we've heard the last from him as we signed a contract for 18 months in feb 2008 but out of the blue in december 2010 we get a call to say the ball is rolling again, now its feb 2011 we have our PR visa and are validating end of march.
would we have got there without an agent - definetly NO
would we use one again - YES
so just another opinion of agents for all you lovely people starting that very long road to get your visas, if in doubt why not ring a few and see what they offer for the money - its not all just telling you to fill in a form they can be invaluable.
Good luck
Marie xxx
OH is a bricklayer and his profession seems like it has been on and off the CSL more often than a ..................knickers.. well you get the idea.
we started off with the immense task of getting the various work evidence including references from years ago with no idea how to find the people, he agent was fantastic and had located the people via company house within a few hours, i wouldnt have known where to start. i think that more complex cases do benefit greatly from the experience of an agent. the agent was also brilliant at advising us exactly what the referees needed to be saying on their letters.
then we came to vetasses - OMIGOD, if youve dealt with them you'll understand,
they never speak straight only in riddles thank god the agent could translate for us and he thoroughly prepared my OH for what to expect.That passed all well and good youd think, then as i said before bricklaying was dropped from the CSL and MODL - S%$t thats it we thougth but no again the agent has another idea up his sleeve and now we go for SS with WA which he led us through by the hand.
then a freeze on visas we thought thats it we've heard the last from him as we signed a contract for 18 months in feb 2008 but out of the blue in december 2010 we get a call to say the ball is rolling again, now its feb 2011 we have our PR visa and are validating end of march.
would we have got there without an agent - definetly NO
would we use one again - YES
so just another opinion of agents for all you lovely people starting that very long road to get your visas, if in doubt why not ring a few and see what they offer for the money - its not all just telling you to fill in a form they can be invaluable.
Good luck
Marie xxx
Feb 11th 2011, 9:49 pm
#18
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2007
Location: Derby, UK
Posts: 131
Re: B.E was a godsend to me coming out here....?
some non medical cases can be complex too and its not all form filling its locating the information needed too that can be the most difficult thing and then an agent can be very helpful if they know how to trace certain information.
Feb 13th 2011, 5:37 am
#19
Gone Senile Member
Joined: Sep 2001
Location: Sydney
Posts: 3,014
Re: i know B.E was a godsend to me coming out here...but..?
i think to be fair migration agents have their place, we personally used an agent and were very happy with the service. As we both were working full time and have 2 then (now 3) children under 8yrs we didnt feel we had the timeor the inclination to try and understand the different skill lists and ever changing requirements.
OH is a bricklayer and his profession seems like it has been on and off the CSL more often than a ..................knickers.. well you get the idea.
we started off with the immense task of getting the various work evidence including references from years ago with no idea how to find the people, he agent was fantastic and had located the people via company house within a few hours, i wouldnt have known where to start. i think that more complex cases do benefit greatly from the experience of an agent. the agent was also brilliant at advising us exactly what the referees needed to be saying on their letters.
then we came to vetasses - OMIGOD, if youve dealt with them you'll understand, they never speak straight only in riddles thank god the agent could translate for us and he thoroughly prepared my OH for what to expect.
That passed all well and good youd think, then as i said before bricklaying was dropped from the CSL and MODL - S%$t thats it we thougth but no again the agent has another idea up his sleeve and now we go for SS with WA which he led us through by the hand.
then a freeze on visas we thought thats it we've heard the last from him as we signed a contract for 18 months in feb 2008 but out of the blue in december 2010 we get a call to say the ball is rolling again, now its feb 2011 we have our PR visa and are validating end of march.
would we have got there without an agent - definetly NO
would we use one again - YES
so just another opinion of agents for all you lovely people starting that very long road to get your visas, if in doubt why not ring a few and see what they offer for the money - its not all just telling you to fill in a form they can be invaluable.
Good luck
Marie xxx
OH is a bricklayer and his profession seems like it has been on and off the CSL more often than a ..................knickers.. well you get the idea.
we started off with the immense task of getting the various work evidence including references from years ago with no idea how to find the people, he agent was fantastic and had located the people via company house within a few hours, i wouldnt have known where to start. i think that more complex cases do benefit greatly from the experience of an agent. the agent was also brilliant at advising us exactly what the referees needed to be saying on their letters.
then we came to vetasses - OMIGOD, if youve dealt with them you'll understand,
they never speak straight only in riddles thank god the agent could translate for us and he thoroughly prepared my OH for what to expect.That passed all well and good youd think, then as i said before bricklaying was dropped from the CSL and MODL - S%$t thats it we thougth but no again the agent has another idea up his sleeve and now we go for SS with WA which he led us through by the hand.
then a freeze on visas we thought thats it we've heard the last from him as we signed a contract for 18 months in feb 2008 but out of the blue in december 2010 we get a call to say the ball is rolling again, now its feb 2011 we have our PR visa and are validating end of march.
would we have got there without an agent - definetly NO
would we use one again - YES
so just another opinion of agents for all you lovely people starting that very long road to get your visas, if in doubt why not ring a few and see what they offer for the money - its not all just telling you to fill in a form they can be invaluable.
Good luck
Marie xxx
Mine was a medical situation and and Agent and BE were the answer
Feb 13th 2011, 10:17 pm
#20
Social Grenade Thrower
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: South Coast, NSW
Posts: 3,625
Feb 13th 2011, 10:23 pm
#21
Social Grenade Thrower
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: South Coast, NSW
Posts: 3,625
Re: B.E was a godsend to me coming out here....?
Are you asking about this as a business opportunity? If so, I think there is a market there for a really personal touch and having a ex UK person showing you the ropes and helping you with all sorts of issues, particularly if you have a family, would be great for the OH to deal with.
Feb 18th 2011, 12:12 pm
#22
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: No longer Scotland....Now Queensland Australia
Posts: 69
Re: i know B.E was a godsend to me coming out here...but..?
I used an agent to get our Visa for heading to Australia and I would do it again....Yes we still had to fill in forms and provided them with all the information.
Maybe if I felt I had the time I would have done it myself, luckily or maybe unluckily depending on your opinion there was no way I had the time to go through the different forms and work out what I could apply for. (Admittedly I work offshore for 183 days of the year)
If it wasnt for the fact I used an agent I would probably have lodged my application a 2-6months later as I was able to provide information via email and they could update on my behalf. Thankfully we lodged just before the change to the immigration system which made life easier and prevented a delay!!
Also little things like the OZ government changing the goal posts and me having to do IELTS exam to get the xtra few points! (Which was required when I first looked) Things like that I prob would have missed t ill later....or not as I didnt do it myself and for all I know they might have emailed me either way!
Yes the forms aint that difficult and yes I could have saved some money.....but would still do it the same way again!!
Each to their own! and credit to the people who managed it themselves!!
Maybe if I felt I had the time I would have done it myself, luckily or maybe unluckily depending on your opinion there was no way I had the time to go through the different forms and work out what I could apply for. (Admittedly I work offshore for 183 days of the year)
If it wasnt for the fact I used an agent I would probably have lodged my application a 2-6months later as I was able to provide information via email and they could update on my behalf. Thankfully we lodged just before the change to the immigration system which made life easier and prevented a delay!!
Also little things like the OZ government changing the goal posts and me having to do IELTS exam to get the xtra few points! (Which was required when I first looked) Things like that I prob would have missed t ill later....or not as I didnt do it myself and for all I know they might have emailed me either way!
Yes the forms aint that difficult and yes I could have saved some money.....but would still do it the same way again!!
Each to their own! and credit to the people who managed it themselves!!
Feb 18th 2011, 10:29 pm
#23
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Perth
Posts: 816
Re: i know B.E was a godsend to me coming out here...but..?
We did it the 'ourselves' way, probably taken a little longer in the end, but we here now so all the running around and paper chasing seems worth it
Feb 18th 2011, 10:42 pm
#24
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: Wigan
Posts: 13
Re: i know B.E was a godsend to me coming out here...but..?
i think to be fair migration agents have their place, we personally used an agent and were very happy with the service. As we both were working full time and have 2 then (now 3) children under 8yrs we didnt feel we had the timeor the inclination to try and understand the different skill lists and ever changing requirements.
Agree completely
