Hello and a couple of visa questions

[Dave+Mitch]

Hi,
We have started seriously looking into the process of emigrating to Aus and are stuck on a few bits.

Bit of background we were going to come 2 years ago and had a couple of companies willing to sponsor us (well my bf and me as defacto). Basically we chickened out but have regretted it ever since.

I am an accountant and my bf is a civil engineer so we started the process of trying to find a sponsor again - last time we got offered visas, flights, 4 weeks accom and £3k relocation.

Thing is whilst there are still avenues to pursue its looking much harder to do the same this time so we're thinking of starting the visa process ourselves.

Thing is if we start the visa process and then we find sponsorship (which is obv quicker) would we be able to apply for a quicker sponsored visa if we had an application pending for the permanent skilled migration?

Secondly we are filling in the forms at present to get a skills assessment for Dave from Engineers Australia. He has 135 points but is much more experienced than me even though I have 140 points. We want the visa to be in his name and me as defacto. Do I need to get a skills assessment too even if we don't need the points? Is there any benefits of doing this? We are really trying to keep costs down.

Thanks

Mitch

[Dolly]

Hi there,

Welcome to the forum.

Well, quite a lot of people mull over the "shall I go the 175 or sponsored route?". It all comes down to the restrictions on the sponsored visas and if you were happy with them. The 175, although would take longer to get, will give you PR straightaway and you can live and work where ever you want.

Firstly, check out the sticky at the top of the forum page "please read.......". It has a link to DIAC which then will give you all the visa categories and their requirements/obligations. Read through that and then you'll be able to decide which one will suit you.

Only one person has to apply for a visa, the partner will be a secondary applicant. The secondary applicant will not need to do a skills assessment.

Come back with more questions (believe me, you'll have them ).

Dolly

[Dave+Mitch]

Originally Posted by Dolly

Hi there,

Welcome to the forum.

Well, quite a lot of people mull over the "shall I go the 175 or sponsored route?". It all comes down to the restrictions on the sponsored visas and if you were happy with them. The 175, although would take longer to get, will give you PR straightaway and you can live and work where ever you want.

Firstly, check out the sticky at the top of the forum page "please read.......". It has a link to DIAC which then will give you all the visa categories and their requirements/obligations. Read through that and then you'll be able to decide which one will suit you.

Only one person has to apply for a visa, the partner will be a secondary applicant. The secondary applicant will not need to do a skills assessment.

Come back with more questions (believe me, you'll have them ).

Dolly

Hi Dolly,
Glad I don't have to get my skills assessed too. We don't actually need the extra 5 points but as I have 140 points myself due to job, qualifications and age so didn't know if it would help.
Dave is on the critical skills list though so hopefully will all be ok. We are just in the process of sorting his skills assessment now.
We were happier with the sponsored route mainly due to time and money but we are determined to get out there so we will do whatever is needed.

What we didn't know was if we had an application just sent in for 175 and then we found a company to sponsor us who could get us out quicker and we didn't have to pay for the police and medical ourselves whether we would still be able to get sponsored with an application pending. Does that make sense?

Whilst we are going through the skills assessment process at the moment we are still really trying to find a company to sponsor us!

I do have another question though. What evidence do we need to prove we have been together for longer than a year. We have been together for 4 years and lived together for 2 but we don't have a joint bank account and my name isn't on the bills, rental agreement etc as Dave rented the house for 18 months before I moved in.

All my mail goes to our house obviously, my car is registered and insured there, my bank and credit card. Anyone know what we can provide as proof. I'm guessing they don't accept 4 years of valentines, birthday, christmas and anniversary cards in a box!!??