Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme 119/857

[amelee]

Hello All,

Greetings to everyone, i'm glad that i've found this forum as i'm having some difficulty in getting the information that i need regarding my visa abovementioned - it seems like a rare visa compared to 175 which kept coming up in search results & forums. I've read through up to 10+ pages here, and rummaged through immi.gov.au and several other websites but i still have questions that i hope some of you friendly guys who have been-there-done-that could possibly shed some light on:

1. I've been offered a position and was told by HR that they will pursue the RSMS visa. Is there anyone here with this visa too? How long does it take for it to be granted typically? In my case, specifically, i'm from a low-risk country and my employer is an Australian government agency.

2. I have posed Q1 to HR but they said they are unable to advise the timeline. In some other forums/website i read it could be up to 12 months, and HR also told me they are "aware that the visa process takes time and therefore are flexible on when overseas applicants will commence."

--> I wonder how "flexible" would that be? Eg. if the visa comes in the midst of 2009, do you think they would require me to relocate immediately/by end of 2009? How possible would you guys think that i request to start in 2010 - but which employer would actually wait up to 1 year for you to arrive?! *headache* Is there a possibility that the offer be revoked if i can't relocate once the visa is granted? (immi.gov says offshore applicants have up to 6 months to commence work on visa granted)

3. Another problem i have is in this line from immi.gov fact sheets for RSMS, whereby immigrants need to be in the "correct place" when the visa is being granted. In my current job or in another temp job that i may pursue for the 1 year of visa-waiting, i might be required to travel in & out of Australia at least once a month. Does the requirement mean that i will not be able to enter Australia even if it was on other biz needs that is not related to the visa application?

Sorry for the long post, sincerely looking forward to any helpful replies. I'll be checking back often. Thank you!

Regards - amelee

[kaz101]

Hi Amelee,

Welcome to the forum.

I don't have any personal knowledge of this visa however it does state when you need to be in the country under the obligations:
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Subclass 119/857)

If you don't get many answers on here I would check with an agent - we have several on this forum - pc, SOMV, Liana Allen and Alan Collett ( you can contact them through their links in their signatures).

Please let us know what you find out.

Regards,
Karen

[amaslam]

Hi Amelee:

I think Govt is quite flexible as they understand you are essentially waiting for your Visa to be granted. The best strategy is to keep them informed and likewise pose questions to them (they shouldn't baulk at the questions).

The tricky one here is the 'correct place' one. It does mean that when the Visa is GRANTED (the date it is given to you) you need to be outside of AU. If you do need to come in and out of Australia then the best strategy is to keep your Visa case officer at Immigration informed. That way the case officer can HOLD and not GRANT the visa in case you are in AU for a week and then when you are out of AU again just inform the case officer again and he/she can GRANT the visa.

Immigration is the only one who knows how long Visa grants will take. It really depends on how busy that section is (backlogs and such). At best you will get a timeframe in months. Once you file the application and have the case officer assigned just ask what is the typical timeframe for processing.

As for flexible that really depends on the needs of the employer. You could pose that question now to them if you want. I did that when I received my visa (457 Temp Visa). Even though it was granted in July I did not officially move over and start until October.

Originally Posted by amelee

Hello All,

Greetings to everyone, i'm glad that i've found this forum as i'm having some difficulty in getting the information that i need regarding my visa abovementioned - it seems like a rare visa compared to 175 which kept coming up in search results & forums. I've read through up to 10+ pages here, and rummaged through immi.gov.au and several other websites but i still have questions that i hope some of you friendly guys who have been-there-done-that could possibly shed some light on:

1. I've been offered a position and was told by HR that they will pursue the RSMS visa. Is there anyone here with this visa too? How long does it take for it to be granted typically? In my case, specifically, i'm from a low-risk country and my employer is an Australian government agency.

2. I have posed Q1 to HR but they said they are unable to advise the timeline. In some other forums/website i read it could be up to 12 months, and HR also told me they are "aware that the visa process takes time and therefore are flexible on when overseas applicants will commence. We have 3 training courses over 2009. If these months don't coincide with your visa been granted then we will negotiate an alternative start date that suits both you and us"

--> I wonder how "flexible" would that be? Eg. if the visa comes in the midst of 2009, do you think they would require me to relocate immediately/by end of 2009? How possible would you guys think that i request to start in 2010 - but which employer would actually wait up to 1 year for you to arrive?! *headache* Is there a possibility that the offer be revoked if i can't relocate once the visa is granted? (immi.gov says offshore applicants have up to 6 months to commence work on visa granted)

3. Another problem i have is in this line from immi.gov fact sheets for RSMS, whereby immigrants need to be in the "correct place" when the visa is being granted. In my current job or in another temp job that i may pursue for the 1 year of visa-waiting, i might be required to travel in & out of Australia at least once a month. Does the requirement mean that i will not be able to enter Australia even if it was on other biz needs that is not related to the visa application?

I am hesitating to ask these too directly to my HR now as my other plans are still not confirmed, so just wanna be safe than to leak out too much. Sorry for the long post, sincerely looking forward to any helpful replies. I'll be checking back often. Thank you!

Regards - amelee

[amelee]

Hi Karen,

Thanks for the welcome - i'd definitely post my progress here for people looking for elusive information about the RSMS - if i do have progress!

Hi amaslam,

Your reply is greatly appreciated. I didn't know we can communicate directly with the case officer and get their help to hold or pass the visa to accommodate to our current location. I have only submitted scans of my qualification to my employer - i assume this is just step 1 out of 3 of the RSMS process. As for the flexibility part, i guess i will have to pose this question to my HR sooner or later. But I am keeping my fingers crossed on the part of defering commencement for too long after visa grant, after reading an article on visa being cancelled due to employer retracting offer (a South African migrant case i chanced upon).

Good for you that you could wait for about 3 months then commence!

Hope to have more inputs. Thank you people, your responses are very important to me!

Regards - amelee

[canadiangal75]

Hi Amelee,
This may sound like a weird question but how long was it from thew time you had your interview to the time they offered you the position? The reason I am asking is that I had a job interview from a government agency in Australia and have not received a response yet. I have to admit I am getting a little impatient as we are waiting for the results from my interview before my husband applies for positions elsewhere in Australia.

[amelee]

Hi canadiangal75

No worries, it is not a weird question at all!

My interview was in mid-October. The verbal offer (phone call) came a few days after the interview. The written offer (email) came 6 weeks after the verbal offer.

I totally understand how you feel! Worries about the offer being retracted, difficulty to make plans for other interviews/lifestyle. I have the feeling that we're both offered positions with the same government agency. You could PM me and we can exchange more information.

Regards-amelee

[canadiangal75]

Originally Posted by amelee

Hi canadiangal75

No worries, it is not a weird question at all!

My interview was in mid-October. The verbal offer (phone call) came a few days after the interview. The written offer (email) came 6 weeks after the verbal offer.

I totally understand how you feel! Worries about the offer being retracted, difficulty to make plans for other interviews/lifestyle. I have the feeling that we're both offered positions with the same government agency. You could PM me and we can exchange more information.

Regards-amelee

Hi Amelee,

I can't PM you. The option is not available. I think maybe you don't have enough posts yet. Can you PM me? My government agency is in aviation... is yours?

[amelee]

No, mine is not from aviation. I actually got a couple of PMs from other users already, not sure why it doesn't work now. I'll try again.

[canadiangal75]

I was able to PM you now. thanks!

[kaz101]

Unless the questions and answers are of a personal nature then please post the information in the forum that way everyone can share the information and everyone benefits - just as you've been doing already

Thanks,
Karen