JAJ

The ENS requirements are tricky, and should be taken very seriously.

You or your employer should be hiring a competent agent who is familiar with ENS. Fixing a messed-up ENS application after initial refusal by DIMIA is a lot harder than getting it right first time.

A refusal will not affect your 457 visa, although will create complications if you have moved to a bridging visa (if the 457 expired). However, you ought to be planning to get things right - even in the best case scenario where you eventually get accepted, a refusal means a lot of delay and hassle.

Jeremy

JAJ

If he can find an Australian employer keen to hire him, then sponsorship for an employer nominated PR visa is a possibility.

Mainstream ENS is tricky for diploma level occupations, but if you can find an employer outside Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or Brisbane, then the RSMS could be a possibility.

Employer nomination is complex, you'd need to consult an agent to know what your chances of success are if a job offer did come up.

Jeremy

celwyne

Hi barbs I just want to say, don't you and your partner give up hope mate. I must admit that I have been in Aus since 1998 on a 457 visa, which basically means I have been sponsored, and have always stopped doing my residency app when I have got busy at work (this was not a good thing to do).

The pts increase in April to 120 meant that I too fell below the passmark, and really got me down as I had re-re-re-started my app in Feb and needed another 2 months to get the app complete.

Sorry this does not really give useful advice but the one thing that I have learnt since April is too not give in and review all options open. I went from having 10-12 months to get residency to now having to wait for possibly 3-4 years to be independent in Australia, which is what it is really all about.

Having lived here though for a few years, 3-4 years at the outside is not so bad as it is a great place to live if you can obtain a degree of freedom workwise.

I have not used this site until today and I must admit I wish I had before, so good luck.

There is now more info about SIR, the regional visa I think you are talking about and over the next few weeks I am sure there will be more info about this on this site as many have been waiting for it who are in a similar position.

If you are both able to obtain sponsorship via a state such as SA then it would give you both a great starter. I have always lived in the sunshine state, 'beautiful one day, perfect the next' but am looking at SIR in SA as they seem to be the most upto speed on it so far.

Cheers Cel

Rob Morton-Jone

Have you approaced an agent yet?

There could be other avenues which you have not looked into yet. What have you too lose?

celwyne

Hi Rob

I have spoken to a couple over the past 5 months to see what options they can offer based on my circumstances, in case I have missed options and also to track down a good agent as there are a few out there with a variety of experience. Think I will try some off this site.

Cheers Cel

arnie2oz

Have you seen the DIMIA website lately? Points for jobs on the MODL have been increased if you have a job offer or not.

Here's the Link.


http://www.immi.gov.au/migration/ski...oints_test.htm

I don't know if this helps- Good Luck

celwyne

Thanks arnie2oz

I am no longer on the MODL as I work in and area in IT which went off the list in Dec last year. (They all went off). Although not on the MODL, which basically comes down to there not being a shortage in my work area, there is an acknowledged difficulty in matching people to jobs so I am hoping I can get sponsored by a state for PR as I get a few offers for further 457 visa's from agents in a few states for specific jobs.

Cheers Cel

arnie2oz

Good luck. Hope to hear good news from you soon.
Keep smilng & don't give up.
;0)