insidious

Hi everyone,

Myself and my partner are both hard of hearing. She is a primary teacher and i am a head chef of 8 yrs with no formal qualifications.

We are going to wait until the new SO list is revised and out in mid 2010.

We was wondering how our disability effects us regarding a permanant visa?
We are fluent in english and would pass the speaking test but have heard there is also a listening test??!!??

anyway, any info from visa's to moving to working would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Bermudashorts

I have not come across a case like yours on BE to date, so I wonder if there will be many to share experiences. When you mention speaking and listening tests it sounds like you are referring to IELTS, which you won't need to do if you are a UK passport holder.

However, there is a medical to pass and I think it would be worthwhile discussing this with a professional migration agent with good knowledge of medical issues before you start an application.

What the government are trying to determine is whether or not an applicant would provide an undue financial burden on the Australian tax payer. Now I personally don't see why you would but I still think it is worth checking this out, otherwise you will only be worrying about it the whole time the application is in progress.

insidious

ok, Yes i have just read about disabled migrants not being permitted.

Does this "disabled" brand all peoples with disablities even as mild as ours (hard of hearing)

Who should we speak to regarding this as there is nothing on the immi website about disabled migrants.

Thanks

Ozwanderer

Where did you read of it if not on the Immi web site?
But I'd be surprised if being hard of hearing was to be much of an issue and your wife a teacher, does she teach OK using a hearing aid?

shears

Hi

Quoting Moneypenny from a recent thread regarding medical issues and agents - "Peter Bollard is excellent in this respect, as is George Lombard. Both are users of this forum so you will find their details in their profiles"

cheers
shears

insidious

We googled 'I am disabled can I get into Australia? and was shocked by some of the things we read - this one for example http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/soc...0203-ndeb.html we do understand that some people just live of benefits for whatever reason...but we are hard workers.

My partner has been teaching for 3 years now and is ok to teach wearing hearing aids but she does have teaching assistants so whatever she misses they fill her in - its never held her back and she teaches children with Special Educational Needs - focusing on the speech and language elements so her headteacher must have a lot of faith in her :-)



We will do a bit more research first!

Thanks.

kjj

I know that things have changed since my hubby and I got our visa.
My hubby is completely deaf in his right ear and is about 50% deaf in his left ear.
He has a bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) on his right side. He sees an ENT consultant regularly to monitor his left ear which has an unstable mastoid cavity following surgery about 20 years ago.
He passed the medical with no problems. All he had to provide was a letter from his consultant stating that his ear problems are managed by regular microsuction and that no further deterioration in his hearing is expected and that he has functional hearing with the use of his BAHA.
I hope that this helps.
KJJ

dasalcedo

I'm a hearing impaired in both ears and applied for permanent visa in August 2007, still waiting what will happen. I did the medicals a year ago and I told the doctor about my condition and that I had some medical reports and hearing tests; however, as the doctor listened my speaking, she told me with confidence that it wasn't necessary. Later I saw the report and she didn't put anything of importance about my hearing.

For the IELTS test, I did the test in University of Melbourne and they gave me the option to choose lip-reading, not easy but much more confortable than listen to a recording.

I think you will be ok with that.

Daniel

Ozwanderer

You do not always want to take to heart too much of what the media airs for they are known to be guilty of seeking or reporting in a way that attracts attention.
It was true about the doctor with a Downs Syndrome child [ MOC looking at long term situation ] but the previous two posts represent a more realistic approach to what is likely to be a low cost to community situation.

Re the special needs teaching, not long ago I read of a teacher in UK who saw a job advertised and with an application and contact, she had a job lined up, so could be special needs teachers could be in short supply.

Best wishes for what you do.

Pollyana

Do a search for an agent called George Lombard who posts on here. I know personally that he has dealt with posters with deaf children in the family, so he can probably give you a pretty good assessment of your chances, and he won't stuff you around.

Gems

As others have said get your consultants to write an official letter to take to the medical.

This should say you have hearing aids etc, but are otherwise healthy and can lead a normal life and currently work.
Make sure it says no other serious medical conditions, no emergency hospital treatment in last 12months.

I had to provide 3 consultant letters for my childrens serious medical conditions (not hearing). We still passed our permanent visa last year.

Id seek agent advice, but if your otherwise healthy and dont require expensive operations and very expensive medication you may be ok. eg not costing $20 thousand per year.
People do indeed get a permanent visa with medical conditions so stay positive.

Gems