Carlton Cold's

Hi, our family is currently in Melbourne on a student visa, visa expires march 2010. Sarah is studyin pastry chef, just completed cert 2,3 & 4 and is now on the final diploma stage which completes in Dec. Sarah has just achieved 1000 work experience, and understand we need to gain approval from TRA, although dont know much about this process or whats required etc. Secondly, do we consider applying for PR after the 2-yrs study is completed, or graduate visa.
We welcome any advice or direction we should be considering, as we keen to understand what are the best options for us.. <snip>

Thankyou so much for any support.

Russell & Sarah Ward

JOE2010

First I would remove that email if I were you.

It is always easy to get a 485 then you sort yourself on PR.

Dorothy

Your place to start would be www.immi.gov.au or to contact a reputable migration agent. If you are looking for agent advice you really are best to contact one. The posters here on BE are for the most part other people who are either applying for visas or have been granted visas and pass along their experiences.

vb2

Hi, before you can get a PR visa you need to pass TRA (Trade Recognition Australia) - it can be a complicated process as you need to prove your studies and work experience etc. therefore getting an agent involved is probably a good idea if you feel you have a complicated case. It is good that you are in melbourne already as i believe you can get bridging visas to tide you over whilst PR is being processed (however - you need a positive TRA result before you can do anything!)
hope that helps
regards
vb2

pumpkin blossom

I am very suprised you have not looked into this WAY back.

I also finish at the same time, but will not have all my work experiance done before Jan so will have to do this new work ready test or whatever it is.

If she has her certs for cer 3+4 etc then I would apply for TRA now and then as soon as she has her diploma certificate apply for PR, in the hope you get in before this new test.
No need to pay for the graduate visa before pr, really why would you?

Good luck

moneypenny20

Threads merged. There's honestly no need to duplicate the same thread under different titles. They will all be read.

goldchoccycoin

For a one off assessment of your position and directions I would suggest George Lombard in Sydney. He is experienced with Student to PR pathways and the small investment in getting it right is worth it's weight in gold!

Carlton Cold's

We have been concentrating on each step at a time, and the reason for considering graduate as I assume you know, or should know, is that indications are that student PR applications are taking for ever to process. Therefore, existing student visa will av expired and in order to achieve no restrictions, you need to apply for graduate as opposed to bridging visa we were lead to believe....

pumpkin blossom

Nope, the only reason the temporary visa is there is for you to get more points, either by a years work, or by doing the English test.

If you apply for PR, as soon as your student visa runs out (not when you apply for PR) then you will go onto the bridging visa, which will last until PR is granted. You can both work full time once that bridging visa starts.

goldchoccycoin

To achieve no restrictions just apply for a PR visa (885 or whatever) as the bridging visa gives you full work rights, access to medicare and everything else that you get on a Grad Visa.

Only issue might be if you need/wish to travel outside of Australia - in which case you just apply for the right kind of Bridging visa.

Applying for PR ASAP will mean you get PR quicker - the grad visa is just another temp visa.

Carlton Cold's

ok, thanks for info but we recall when we looked up the 'bridging visa 'A' conditions a while back is that this bridging visa simply takes over your existing visa and any restrictions would apply until PR is granted. If you are suggesting that the bridging visa provides full work rights for both of us and same access as graduate visa, then I agree it makes sense to lodge for PR at the earliest opportunity and wait on a bridging visa until the PR is 'hopefully' granted.

Cheers again, its appreciated..

pumpkin blossom

There is a post somewhere on here, for people who have applied for the PR visa, and they do indeed say you get the full working rights.

mango4

Hi there

Yes you get bridging visa A and your OH can,t work full time until your original student visa expires (march 2010). I think the 485 visas are also taking over 1 year to process so not sure whether you would be on a bridging visa either way.

I am on Bridging visa A at the moment having completed my course dec 08, if you need any info I will try and help

Good luck and get ready for the long wait!!! xx

Carlton Cold's

Cheers again, its starting to get clearer but it does seem that the websites are very conflicting and not very clear... What visa 'Mango4' have you applied for, if you have a partner are they given full work rights. Its so bad that doing the student visa route, that you have then got to wait over a year for an application for PR to be assessed.. When did you lodge for PR??, email me any time if you can share any experiences or processes, ... thanks, its really helping us..

ronan_in_Oz

It is against the rules here to post your email ID.