another thing if a private company took money then changed rules to suit themselves, they would be held responsible to some omnibusman telling them thery cant do this they cant do that etc.

DEAL WITH THAT you may be mod but your attitude stinks and if your the type of person Australia has well says alot doesnt it.

I am certain that Moneypenny was posting as a member of the forum, just as all moderators do. Being a moderator does not preclude her or any of us from having opinions or being able to express those opinions.

Now, can we keep the insults out of the thread? Perhaps a read of the site rules might be in order. http://britishexpats.com/site-rules/

As a poster, I'm interested as to why my attitude stinks. Perhaps you'd like to point out where I've said something incorrect. Getting a visa is hard work, we've all been there, we all know but it's not a given and too many people on here seem to believe it's their right. It isn't.

Well said!

I have not questioned if it is a given right, I do not believe it is so, it is a privelege, it still does not make it right to make people do police checks and meds which have to be paid for then change the goal posts knowing that they will not get seen for 2+ years and make them pay out all the fee's again ... it is not right.

It may not be fair, but as I said above its not the first time its appened, and I'm sure it won't be the last.

Does not make it right though, AND they will still take your money TODAY for an application that could sit there for years.

IF your not a CSL trade, spend the money elsewhere, like on a visa application to Canada

I opened this thread, seeking the way forward, the answer appears to be wait or get employer sponsored, so with that in mind

Those of you that made it, well done, those that are in limbo (like me) take it on the chin

I am still never going to get my head around it all......

PR applications to Canada also take a number of years. Take a read of the CIC website to see whether you even qualify. Besides, Canada is a very different place to Australia.

The Mods have spoken... and while you may not like what the Mods had to say about DIAC its basically just tough luck.

Aus Gov policy can and does, change pretty quickly. They respond to perceived public pressure to reduce the numbers of migrants during tough economic times... and they would be bloody fools not to respond to changing economic conditions.

Is taking your money while knowing full well it could take years to process your visa a con?. Maybe it is... but everybody knows up front that any monies paid are gone for good... no matter how long the process takes. So if you start the process off, knowing that's the deal before you start, then you can't really complain too much, no matter how annoying it is.

Listen to this interview with Senator Evans...

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/nationalint...09/2742507.htm

From this thread...

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=640466

Must admit that I'm in the camp of if they change the rules then applicants should have the option of a refund. We're lucky that we have our permanent residency visa and OH is on the CSL (formerley on the MODL), but we only got it is January which is recent enough to still remember just what an emotional experience it all is. If when we applied back in March 2008 we thought there was a possibility that it would take until 2012 to have our visa processed, I don't believe we would have even started the process and I'm sure many others are now in that position, who wish they hadn't. I understand that the government have to protect their own interests and that rules change, but it's unreasonable in my view to keep peoples' money. Why should the government keep the application fees - for many people they haven't done anything yet to 'earn' it. Just my opinion.

I agree! It reminds me of our Pay 'n Display car park here in the UK. Parking is free on Sundays, but the machine will gladly swallow your money on Sundays, rather than spitting it back out with a message on the LCD screen saying 'Parking is free on Sundays'.

They obviously forgot to program that part.

Getting back to visa apps, if the goal posts move then surely an applicant should have the option of continuing with the application or withdrawing it and get a refund. That would be the honorable thing to do.

You miss the point, when DIAC tell people to get medicals done as they have been allocated a CO then they change the rules and leave people high and dry knowing full well that they will not get a CO for another 2 years is wrong it is not tough luck. it is BULL on the part of the DIAC. I am a lucky one I was not told to waste over £800.00+ on medicals to be told wait now we have stopped looking at your application. and your medicals will expire before we do look again and you will have to spend that money all over again.

Yes it would be fair if they said all applications already allocated a CO by the 'cutoff' date will continue to be processed, since the medical and PCC expenses would have already been incurred.

Sorry but it is just tough because there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. It may well not be fair and honest... but Aus Gov make the rules... and they can make or break all or any of those rules anytime they feel like it.

The only choices you have are to either chuck it all in and forget about the move entirely... or play DIAC's game, using their rules, their ball and their referee.