sooperlids

Had a reply from my Agent, not the best of news for any of us.

"The latest from the Immigration Department is that applications not state
sponsored or on the CSL will remain idle, there has been no announcement of
how long for but it could be up to a year if not longer."

We are all stuck in & ever growing pile until further notice it seems. They suggested we consider a State Sponsored Visa.

Sonn

Thanks for posting this, we havent got an agent so its good to know people are being told!

I cant believe this, it is really unfair that we will 'remain idle'.....Is our money remaining 'idle' in their back account??????

sooperlids

I am sure our money has already been spent

AndyR

We'll see what happens after the 12 months goes past and DIAC still haven't done anything. I'm sure they'll suddenly take notice when they start getting lots or requests for refunds of the visa money which they have effectivly scammed people out of!

sooperlids

If another years does pass with no end in sight I think I will contact my credit card company!

Annoying that it isn't just the Visa fee that may be a waste. Best part of £2000 to an agent, TRA fee etc. at least £100 in shipping docs etc. etc.

Sonn

Thanks Jen.... I am not really holding out much hope. I didnt mind live with Mother in Law knowing that we will be going OZ at the end of it....now i feel like i am living there for no reason!

concretebob

One of my Ex-house mates had applied for a non-CSL 175 late last year, and like myself he had been on a 457 for over 3 years. Once the rules changed he was in the shit because his 457 was due to run out in around September, he wrote a few emails and just got the standard response of Tough Luck. Anyway he was going go ENS as a backup plan and then someone phoned him up asking a few questions about the 175 application then about a week later he got an email from a CO asking for PCC , X-rays and details of travel plans. He went of to USA for 3 weeks and got granted 175 about a month ago. I think his girlfriends father knew someone and they must have pulled his file. Jammy ******.

ajt

The moral of this story is .......
DIAC doesnt necessarily grant visas based on the priority list..........So it would be worth it if someone tries their luck via the backdoor

paklaihung

I put my first app in in march 2007 with a melbourne agent wont mention any names.She was supposed to get me to send everything in for the Sept deadline before everything changed to vetasses.I did everything she asked ,got to Sept paperwork got thrown out as it was wrong.Ditched agent no refund went with agent in Edinburgh Overseas emmigration.Checked everything she had done ,nothing was correct had to start from scratch with references and work history.Put application in in NOV 2007 got accepted did test in April 08 passed last lot of paperwork went in still awaiting to get a case officer this should have been July-August 08 still waiting.cant plan nothing.now the agent has suggested to apply for state sponsored alongside.does anyone know what extra cash that is .and how long that would take.We would need $35,000 in total.we would only get that if we sold everything here.

JuilePaul

Hi

We applied for SS at the end of March 09, it didnt cost us any extra cash to apply for SS and luckily the agent didnt charge us any extra for submitting it for us!

Depending on which state you apply (which has your occupation on their Eligible Skills List), depends on how long it takes, we applied for QLD and we are still waiting for a decision 10 weeks on - hoping to hear in the next couple of months!

We have left our 175 visa running with DIAC until we find out if we are successful with SS, if we are we will just switch our visas over but if not the 175 will keep running and running and running..........................until the good old time when someone picks up our file!

concretebob

It all about who you know but to be honest he is a volunteer bush fireman so that might have something to do with it as well, put that in an email and send it to the right person well who would need a backdoor.

paklaihung

Always the same look at all the immigrants here they must know gordon brown I will fill in the app anyway it will cost 100 squid +vat for the agent to send it in.Cheers daz

ajt

yes bob..guess I went a bit overboard and used the word "backdoor"
But its true , contacts and recommendations work at almost every place in the world, and DIAC is no exception

Gillyboots

My main frustration is the not knowing. Will it be later this year? Will it be next year or even the next? It's only been 9 months since we submitted our application, and although it's still within the 6-12 months guidelines they were quoting at the time of application, we now know that it isn't going to be granted within that timeframe. I just want them to give us the updated timeframe! No more, "we don't know" or "your app WILL be processed" with no idea of when, it's not good enough any more. Kids asking every day "are we going to Australia now", they're only 4 & 2 bless em, so it's difficult to explain. We've been trying to sell our house since Sept 08 and when it eventually does sell, i'd like to know whether I need to arrange a rental here, and for how long, or do I just give up and buy something else here and get on with our lives, albeit not the life we had hoped for?

I personally think DIAC should only take half the money until a CO has been assigned, if that. At no other time would you expect to part with such a large sum of money and have no idea when you were going to get what you paid for - we're left dangling in mid air here.

I don't blame DIAC themselves for this confusion, it's the Government that needs to sort this out. I understand the introduction of the CSL etc, i'd just like to know when they will get round to the non-CSL/MODL 175s. I like the idea of bombarding Chris Evans with emails..... i'll go send one now I think.

Gillygirl

It's very frustrating and annoying...
We applied for 176 family sponsored (MODL) in March 2008, got a CO in November 08 who requested medicals PCC's, did those in December 08 and then nothing since...
I'm going to be really p*ssed off if we spent the money on the medicals and PCC's for nothing and have to do them again due to their rule changing.
I've emailed several times for an update on our status but just get the bog standard reply.
My son needs to start applying for Universities in September...we kinda hoped we would know which country we would be living in by then, save having to plan for 2 lives just in case.