halshaw

Cheers!
Nice to hear from someone in the same boat we're both over the magic 40! Medical was delayed & sent down mid Jan because doc wanted routine ENT info about our daughter, we got our case worker on 13/11/08. Hoping we should hear fairly soon either way???? Waiting is dreadful but we're planning, if all goes well, to be down in Melbourne Sept 09.

Halshaw

naomijmoore

Hi Halshaw

I love this forum and reading it gives me hope.
I also hope to be in Melbourne by Sept 09 but with this long wait and the fact they have not looked at our application since Oct makes me think it will take longer than i anticipate. If i don't hear by May then i will be unable to hand in my resignation and therefore might not get to Aus in Sept.
What do you suggest as I am a new teacher I am not sure of the rules of handing in my notice. When is the next window to hand in my notice after May the 31st? Would you think it is a really bad idea to hand in my notice in May anyway even without the visa?
When did you apply for your visa?

halshaw

Hi Naomijmoore

Bit weird this giving advice when I'm no better off than you really! However here goes UK wise next resignation date is 31 Oct. My OH occupation is on CSL/MODL list so despite being relative oldies we were probably looked at fairly quickly. We waited for co b4 we did all the other stuff because it suits our time frame. Be careful re UK post, mine still haven't a clue about our plans and it sounds like you're young enough?? to wait until you get something defo. I don't know if you've been down to Melbourne we have and I have family down there my advice? save all your pennies and you are also getting more experience for the visa and your own PD if you hang on in there. Apologies if I sound preachy!

Halshaw

naomijmoore

Hi Halshaw

Thank you for such a quick reply.
You do not sound preachy at all any advise is greatly appreciated.
I completed my NQT year last year and now in second year of teaching.
Really love my job here and my school so am a bit apprehensive about giving it all up.
My partner is also a bit worried about leaving his job in the current economic climate but he has lived in Australia for a year and has stayed in Melbourne and only says the best things about it.
I have not been to Melbourne yet although we have good friends who live there and tell us how great it is.
If you hand in your res in Oct 30th does that mean you leave at Christmas time?
It must be great to have family there as that is another worry for us.
When did you apply for your visa? wondering how long it took t get a co?

Thanks again

halshaw

Hi again

Another quick reply! Freezing out and have got reports to write so this is a welcome distraction. Yes resignation 31st Oct with effect 31st Dec. Also submitted our appln 01/05/08 CO 13/11/08 quite quick in comparison with others. Yes Melbourne is great but cost of living is comparable to UK currently when you start earning $s, but you have no kids?? I loved my early teaching posts and moved every 2 years for experience and challenge. If you are enjoying yours don't take it for granted you are probably getting great support, smashing kids and loads of invaluable experience.
Less of that I would also have jumped at the chance to go down under before I had a family we have been a bit slow on the uptake there. My brothers been out there 7 years now gets homesick now and then. Rest of family ,on both sides is here, don't know if that info helps me or you! You'll make the right decision go with your gut x

Halshaw

hereshoping

Arriving at Christmas is probably a good idea in many ways- it means you'll be in Melbourne for the start of the new school year and there seem to be a fair few jobs available just before term starts as teachers over here don't have to give anywhere near as much notice as you do in the UK. It's not always poor schools filling vacancies late on either, my school is considered one of the best in Melbourne and we're currently a member of staff down in the science department. I wouldn't hand in notice without a visa, it's very risky and you could end up leaving a job you love and not being able to get over to Oz.

Just by the way- why haven't you guys done Police checks? (according to your signature) If you've front-loaded meds it makes sense to front-load PCCs too as they can take a while to come through and slow up your visa. Doing them not will have no effect on validation date as you've already done the Meds.

Jen1977ni

Just curious as to how you're getting on with your visa application?

Jenny

chequer

I hope you don't have a long wait for your visa then. When your visa does come through, you'll only have a year from the date of your meds to activate your visa! We were lucky that our pccs, when we were asked for them, came through dated 21 Nov 2008 and the visa is valid until 21 Nov 2009. Luckily we'd been hoping that we would go in August 2009 so we've fitted it all in nicely.

Jen1977ni

So when would you advise to the do the meds and police checks? I hope to have everything ready to send off by end of march, once ive sat my IELTS....

chequer

If I were you, I'd try and work out how the visas are running for your type. Use the beupdate.co.uk site. We submitted in March 08 but didn't get a case officer until November. For us it was 8 months to get to that point. If I'd frontloaded my meds and pccs, I would have had to be in Australia by Feb 09 which I just couldn't have organised with needing to give half a term's notice. Do bear in mind that we were paper based so it did take a lot longer.

All I would say is just think of the timeline you are working in. How soon could you move once the visa arrives?

If there's urgency about getting going, and you feel your visa will come through within a reasonable time period (we had no idea how long we'd be waiting) then you might be safe frontloading.

If you're not time-pressured, how about submitting the visa application and then sending the pccs and meds in part way into the waiting?

If you need more flexibility for actually going to Australia, you might be better off waiting until called. Our pccs were back within 2 weeks and our x-rays and meds were all complete within 3 weeks.

What does everyone else think?

Jen1977ni

Brill, your response was really helpful, will prob just wait til I'm asked for them, as like you I need to give a certain amount of notice, I think 3 months, to my employer....plus I've yet to sell the house lol

Jen1977ni

Does anyone know whereabouts on the 'immi' website I'll find what my Principal is required to include in my professional reference for the I75 visa? Also the character reference, is there an outline that has to be followed for it too!? Thanks in advance,

Jenny

hereshoping

There's not right answer for this, many people wait until they are requested so they have the maximum possible time to validate (this is what we did). However if you are going to frontload it makes no sense to frontload one and not the other, your visa will not be any quicker and your validation time will be shorter- absolutely the worst possible scenario.

Jen1977ni

Yeah, so I'm prob best waiting til I'm asked, it'll give me longer to find the funds to pay for the flight out (if I've not sold my house before then lol)

Jen

ray8

Hi,
can you clarify a few things for me i'm confused!

I am a fully qualified primary teacher in London i have been teaching for 3 years. I want to move to melbourne to supply teach and travel.

What visa should i apply for? i have completed the skilled workers visa and been successful.

how do i apply to the state of melbourne to register as a teacher?

what are the steps i need to take?

ray ray