George

I have just read the link that you referred to and note that it says they are still processing Permanent residency visas for skilled individuals under the Employer Nomination Scheme and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme - so long as an employer can be identified who is happy to help.

For the Regional Sponsor, does this simply refer to the state sponsored scheme or is this something else related to Regional Visas. We have applied under 475, but are family sponsored.

Not positively sure, I've applied for the 175 and need 120 points, I lost 10 points because I'm 31, so am trying to get those back by doing the IELTS.....

For state sponsorship you need at least 100 points....

Good Luck for Saturday!

Thanks for that !!

Made me feel a little better but still not 100% haaa, really dont know weather to go for a state sponsership 176 were joiners are on there for the Queensland area or carry on with my 175 visa?

What would you suggest? Would it still be the same processing time? and would i have to start from scratch again, was just about to lodge the 175 visa this or early next week when my babies passport decides to turn up only been waiting 4 wks now !!

There is very little difference between the 175 and 176 visas other than the 176 with State (or employer) Sponsorship now gets processed much quicker than a 175 visa, and you only need 100 points for a 176 visa (I believe).

There is a little more hassle involved as you need to apply for the sponsorship, but even then, you can submit your 175 application and then change it to a 176 if and when you get confirmation of the SS.

The downside is purely "guilt" - some people on BE believe that the 176 is only for those applicants who don't have enough points for a 175 and that if you have 120 points you should only apply for the 175 and leave the 176s for those who couldn't come here otherwise - whilst I can see the logic in this, I don't see why 175 applicants with the trades needed by specific states should be made to wait longer just because they have enough points to qualify without sponsorship (my personal opinion only - don't shout at me )

Would you still feel the same way if you could only scrape together 100 points and there were no more state sponsorship spots available because they had been all given to people who could have applied for their visas without it?

That's life though isn't it? People with enough points feel they are just as entitled to State sponsorship as any other application. Don't see why we should be made to wait an unpredictable amount of time when we can apply for something that has proven to be quicker.

We are all just doing what is best for our families and most people in the same situation would. I do not feel guilty for trying to speed up the process. Our family and we will do what is best for us.

Dorothy I have to agree......

Absolutely not, but as Janna and Nick says that's life. It took us 10 years to get to a point where we were finally able to get enough points to move here - in the end we all do whatever we can to make the dream happen

An alternative perspective.

A prudent approach might be to say that an applicant does not have 120 points until a case officer assesses the application and is happy with employment references, etc (depending on the applicant's claims).

And as such it is perfectly reasonable to seek State or Territory Sponsorship, as a safety first approach.

The fact that Sponsorship now prioritises the visa application is a bonus - albeit a bonus that is fast becoming the main reason for seeking Sponsorship.

If the Department of Immigration wanted to preclude applicants with 120 points from seeking Sponsorship they could have done so.

Best regards.

Thanks Janna, I do feel a lot better now. Back to the waiting! Good luck. Jo

Good I'm glad!

By the way I am a Jo too!

Don't 176 visas come from the same allocation as 175's?

Therefore the states won't run out of 176's (until DIAC reach the 175/176 limit for the year). So a 130 pointer doesn't take the 90 pointer's visa; just changes his own 175 over.

It has however drastically increased processing time at state level. If this policy stays hopefully they'll employ extra staff at this point in the log jam.

Only time its different is an off list place which is limited to 500 per state. Now that could take the opportunity away from someone who needed the points.

Hi can i ask a question
i am lucky because i am still on the critical list (i am a nurse) i have applied for a 175 visa, i really have no idea how long the process will take i submitted my online application last month and i am in the uk so a low risk country, because i would very much like to get out to oz as soon as possible and dont want to wait any longer then 9 months do you think i should change my sub class to a state sponsored, can i do this cause i have 120 points and am on the critical list ? i know state sponsored take priority over independent skilled which is what i am currently on. however am i correct in thinking that i couldnt like in brisbane as this is where i intend to settle i thought i read something somewhere or is that only if i am sponsored by my brother (he lives in brisbane) i am assuming that i would get sponsored by queensland because i am a nurse but do i have to have a job offer before they grant me a visa or is it just a condition that i live somewhere in queensland for 2 years?

i just want the quickest option really and am unsure of what to do !!!

There is uncertainty over the processing timeline for skilled visa applicants with CSL occupations, whereas State and Territory Sponsored subclass 176 applications are moving through the system fairly quickly (4 to 6 weeks from lodgment to assessment seems to be our experience at the moment).

Given that your occupation is on the QLD Wanted Skills List - allowing sponsorship of a subclass 176 application - you may want to apply ...

See here for more details:
http://www.workliveplay.qld.gov.au/d...nt.cfm?id=3800

Best regards.