barbs

Hi All,

I have been too depressed to even check out this site let alone post this message since the points went from 115 to 120. My parter and I had applied for skills assesment as marketing specialist and engineering technican we were just waiting until April so I would have enough work experience for the bonus 5 points and we have the bond money for the extra 5 bonus points this gave us 115 by the skin of our teeth then just as I have the right length of work experience the points go up. We are so gutted, it looks like our only chance is the pool, which I have no faith in or else the new regional visa which is very vague. One other prob is that by next April I turn 30 and as the main application we would lose another 5 points

Please, please, please has anyone got any advice for us

Thanks
Barbs

wmoore

Well firstly don't give up. Search on here for SIR (Skilled Independant Regional) visa. If you haven't been on here since the points rise then you probably won't know much about this but in a nutsehll, it's a 3-year temporary visa and you can apply for PR after 2 years. More importantly the points threshold is 110 so you can put your $100k away for a rainy day and still meet the target!
Not all the details are available yet but there has been some useful info on here from the likes of Steven O'Neil, Alan Collet and George Lombard.

barbs

Thanks for this, I know this a the million dollar question but where is classed as regional??

Rob Morton-Jone

Hi Barbs,

My words exactly! Don't give up.

There are many other people in the same boat and so many are waiting for news on the skilled independent regional visa which is due to be announced shortly.

You will find this forum very useful, as we have over the last few months, so do not be put off by this 120 points madness.

Rob

Rob Morton-Jone

Regional...........Well, the regions have not yet been confirmed as yet but from what i understand that "regional" would mean areas outside of the main cities of Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin, Perth etc......

I am sure that someone will be a little more descriptive than i have been.

Rob

mlbonner

Dont give up!! There are a lot of people in the same boat as you, who were thrown by the points increase. SIR seems to be a good way forward for a lot of people & there have been lots of discussions on here about this. Like the others suggested, do a search & maybe contact a couple of agents, most of them seem quite willing to look at your situation before talking money

Good Luck

barbs

Cheers Rob,
The really ironic thing is we were over there for a year on working holiday visa and my parter the engineering technican was inundated with job offers........I know that engineering technicans are in great demand yet he only gets 40 points for this
Crazy

Rob Morton-Jone

They are crying out for haidressers apparently!

barbs

It must be a head thing, increases hair growh therefore dramatically increasing the demand for hairdressers!!! I just love it.

barbs

Soory typo......it must be a HEAT thing,

Rob Morton-Jone

We are still unsure what visa to go for yet as we were origionally going for the sponsor visa as my uncle lives in Melbourne but due to his ill health, we may not now put him through the stresses and strains of the application which means we may have to take the skilled independent regional route.

But we will see, as we have just sent out our skills to be assessed by AIM, via our agent, so wont know till July/August time if we will be eligable to apply for a visa

Rob

wmoore

That makes much more sense

Jcon

I was caught out by the 120 points waiting for my 6 months work experience as well. My employer has offered to go the Employer Nomination Scheme Route for me.

I'm in a fairly generic IT Management role, no particulary specialised skills and I'm worried about the labour market test. Has anyone else been through this or know how seriously it has to be taken? Is there anyway my 4 year visa is in danger if the ENS is rejected or anything?

Many thanks,

Joel.

el7

would it appear they will take these regions
http://www.immi.gov.au/migration/skilled/regional.htm
as a base for SIR .???

JAJ

Possibly. But state government participation will likely be required as well, and at this stage only South Australia has given a firm indication it will participate.

A key concern - that has not been addressed yet - is whether SIR holders who move to the regional area will still risk being ineligible for PR at the end of the three year process, and what would happen then.

Jeremy