kerry roarty

Hi all

I'm applying for mine and my partners residency in a few weeks. We came over on his Student Visa and I've only been able to work 20 hours a week for the past 2 years!!! When I come to apply for the Residency will Immigraton check up on how many hours I've been working????

pumpkin blossom

Is that a guilty coinsience talking?

No idea, but coming out on a student visa, how have you found it?

louise-ni

Yes please tell! It might be our only way now It sure does look like an expensive way too

jenny79

as far as i know, student visa holders can only work 20hrs weekly during semesters and full-time during vacation.

pumpkin blossom

Yes, I think Kerry realises that, but was asking if they will actually check.

Beccie

Hi
Does sound like a guilty conscience to me but basically its the employers responsibility to ensure they obide by the rules on 20 hours during term time. I deal with work permits and student visa's in the UK and no they don't check, even if they tried no employer is going to admit they have broken the law so I really wouldn't worry too much.
Hope this helps.
Beccie

kerry roarty

Erm...... Yeah I suppose it is a little bit of guilt setting in!!! Yeah I admit on some weeks I have worked about 5 hours over but it's not as if I've been doing like 40 hours a week!!!! It's hard surviving off 20 hours a week pay!!!!! It's all back ward the system!!! Scott's the one at Uni, he's allowed to work 20 hours a week in term term but in the holidays he can work as many hours as he likes but for me I've only ever been allowed to work the 20!!!!! Doesn't make sense does it!!!! It should be me that's the bread winner!!!!!! Oh well only 3 more weeks till I put my appliction in for residency then I get unlimited work rights!!!! Yipee!!!!!

As for being on this visa, it's been ok, just the work restrictions that suck!!! But we've made it!!!! Check out my link on the other Forum "Almost 2 years on in Perth......."

balkanghost

The only potential for checks are when a member of the public contacts the "dob in an illegal hotline" (a not very Australian idea.....).

Beccie

Kerry
That does seem really unfair normally partners or spouses get to work fulll time when accompaning student.
Any way good luck with the citizenship application.
Beccie

pumpkin blossom

Not in Australia, unless you are doing one of the degree types (can't remember which one). I suppose they do it to stop too many people flooding in?

balkanghost

If the "student" studies post graduate the dependent has full time work rights.

Cheers

Bradburns

Hi Kerry, don't want to sound too cheeky, but roughly how much money did you need to beable to support yourselves? These are the things people need to know, incase they don't have enough to live off. Sorry for being cheeky, but if you could give me some idea of what amount of money would last for the 2 years. Thanks.

kerry roarty

Well I only had a year to save and I wasn't earning that much money when I was at home so I only managed to save 6000quid!!! That's all the money that I brought over with me!!!! Plus I lived with my parents back home so I didn't have a house to sell and that money to fall back on!!!! So I had about $14.000 in total when I arrived and to tell you the truth it went no where!!!! Once we'd bought a car,furniture, rent and a bond etc........ It was gone before we knew it. Plus I wasn't allowed to work when I first got here as our visa had a stamp in it saying "NO WORK" So we had to apply for an extra visa to let us do it!!! We were skint before we knew it!!!!!

George Lombard

Hi Kerry,

Sending you a PM.

Cheers,

George Lombard

Bradburns

Hiya Kerry, me again, fair play to you both, you didn;t have money from the sale of a house, but you survived, well done. Did you both find it easy enough to find 20 hrs work each?

We are considering going to oz on a student visa and just want to hear from people like yourself about what it's really like. You can look on the government website all day long, but nothing's as informative as posts like this one, giving acurate and honest information/ opinions.

On the government website there is a cost of living calculator which lets you know how much money you are supposed to need to live off. It also tells you that you need to include on the application form how much money you will be taking with you. Did you have to do this, is so did they check?

And just one more, what parts of this process did you find it hard and why? How did you overcome them. (I know that was two, i'm sorry). Lisa.