Hi Jane,

Many thanks for the information. I was interested in your responce as I would like to avoid the cost of an agent. Where did you start with forms, are they available online? Does this have to be done by post?

We are going to visit my wife's Uncle early next year in Brisbane as an eye opener for my wife and kids as I used to live in NZ and visited Oz a number of times.

Thanks for your help.

Hi Mark,

Seems like I'm the only one not recommending an agent!

If you go to the website www.immi.gov.au, all the info you need is there. You can download the forms from the website. You have to pay a fee though, but its not much.

The hardest part for us was getting the skills assessment. You need references from all your employers, and as Jim is self-employed in IT, he has worked for a lot of different companies.

Apart from the skills assessment, the other stuff you need is fairly basic, birth and marriage certificates etc. You need to send certified copies but the website explains everything.

Hope this helps,
Jane

Hi Jane,

Just checked out the website you recommended - looks great - many thanks for your help in getting us started!