Sammy T

Sorry to be so thick but after spending hours looking at the internet I'm still confused regarding skills assessment. Please could anyone who knows what they are talking about clear my fuddled brain.
TRA is that the same as skills assessment?
Is there a specific form for this or do you simply contact the appropriate organisation who then send a letter to confirm
Do we both have to have a skills assessment, I work as a midwife but would probably not work for a few months when we first move to Australia BUT we would still like to use me to gain some extra points!
Are they normally so outrageously expensive? For a nurse/midwife 630 ASD and for a pharmacist 340, then 1350 then 1740 ASD.
Oh my god, I had not realised this bit was going to be so expensive and I believe we have to these before we can actually make our visa application.
Or I have got it all wrong, that would be very nice in this instance!
Sammy

Find the sun

Hi
Not sure I can be much help but if you need to claim 5 points for spouse skills then you both need to get your skills assessment done. If not then you don't need to do it but can still work out there if your qualified and so on.

All applicants have to have their skills assessment done prior to lodging the application, so you'd go to the relevant authority that does yours, e.g IT people go to ACS, I think bricklayers plumbers and tradespeople go to TRA , Teachers go to Teaching Australia ( i think) and so on.

Once you've passed that then you can lodge a visa provided you've got all your points. If you think the skills assessment is expensive wait till you get to the visa ($1990) and the medicals start at around £200 per person.

If you're confused, speak to an agent, they offer great advice. I'd recommend go matilda.

good luck

Rach & Den

On what basis are you applying, ie who will be the primary applicant. If you applied as the primary applicant (Registered Midwife) you would get 60 points for skill, plus the extra points for having MODL occupation (in demand). What does your OH do?

Sammy T

Hubby is a pharmacist so he would get 60 points so he will go down as main applicant as he has more qualifications and recent experience than me.
I was OK with visa application fees as I'd looked at those already but am keeping my fingers crossed that when OH comes home and sees these figures that he doesn't change his mind there and then!
Do you have any idea about how long these assessments take, I suppose its varys alot depending on issuing authority. It looks like we are for an even longer wait than I thought as I had not realised we had to do this before even making an application. Damn!
Ta 4 help, by the way. I'm sure we will have lots more questions as time goes on and so far this website has given me lots of info.

Sunny_Glesga

The assessments for TRA used to be Priority app decision within 3 months and non priority 3-6 months, in saying that we went priority in Nov 05 and received our back 3 weeks later. I havent looked into that much lately but i have another family member just about to sent theirs off and they are expecting a decision back within a couple of weeks, they even told me that they had seen ( someone on here i believe) got their decision in less than a week.

Hopefully it will only be a few weeks for yourself to get a SUCCESSFUL assessment.

Good Luck

s-jmelbournewannabe

Hi there,

Cos your on the MODL for 136 visa it will only take 10days from when Trades Recognition Australia recieve it.. it costs $300 you only pay another $300 if you appeal the decision..

You apparently only pay 1st installment for visa 136 as long as you both speak English...

pop on this website if you havent been on already...
http://www.visabureau.com/australia/...australia.aspx

it will point you in the right direction...

Go for the 136 its the best visa as you are permanant residents from day 1 xx
s-j good luck

Rach & Den

As her husband is a pharmacist and she is a midwife, they will not have to use TRA for their skills assessment. He would need to use COPRA (Council of Pharmacy registering Authorities) and she would need to use ANMC (Australian Nursing & Midwifery Council) to get their skills assessed.

God the Aussies love their acronyms.

s-jmelbournewannabe

oops sorry guys, better keep me gob shut!!!

Hubby says here here s-j x

Sammy T

Yep, COPRA and ANMC are the bodies we need to go through and the ones charging so much, although not too bad for nurse but v. bad for hubby who is a pharmacist. Also there is a requirement to attend a competency test in London which is only held a couple of times a year. Sorting this bit is going to take as long as the visa probably!
But I've only got to think about the weather today to stick at it, we just need to get the ball rolling now, as long as I can persuade OH to part with some dosh!

s-jmelbournewannabe

Small price to pay Sammy...

S-j x

windog

Re ANMC assesment, If you register with the state you are going to first ( actually you can rgister in any state!) you will be eligeable to go for the "modified assesment" which is substantially cheaper.

Sammy T

Thanks, will bear that in mind, just wish it was as simple for OH to register in Australia.
We're off to the Emigrate show on Saturday and hopefully after that will get it all started, then I think we are probably in for a year or so of serious stress!