Need help in choosing Immigration Agent

[jovi]

Hi All,

I belong to Pakistan, working in IT with major in Security, I have got one major question to ask that i have got two options in regard of immigration process;

1. i can use an Australian based agent, his name is Peter Chiam,
On many expatriats forums i have heard many recommendations about him because he is considered to be an RPL expert, . He is charging 3000 Aus Dollars.

2. I can use an Pakistani firm, having a MARA agent residing in Sydney, AINIT and he is charging only 1,000 Aus Dollars for the whole process.

I am confused to whom should i go with my process, or any other agent who is best in IT field, if any one can advise me in this regard i will be highly appreciated to u. Also can u give me any idea of current job prospects in Sydeny or Melborne area for Asians and the life for them in those areas.

Lastly can anyone tell me how much the time taken for the whole immigration process under Skilled Catagory (175 class) without job offer, my profession is in both CSL and MODL list. Someone told me that it takes 1.5 years anyway.

Thanks!

[anj1976]

hi jovi

first, why do u want to use an agent at all? there are so many people who do it without an agent help, everytime they are stuck, they come here and seek opinion. which has worked for most.

as for timeline, CSL and state sponsored applications are taking not more than 6 months.

if at all u plan to use an agent, make sure they are MARA registered.

[jovi]

Hi Anj,

Thanks indeed for your quick reply, very interesting why to choose the agent, because he is expert, i am not, u r right i can do it myself but with the help of expert i can do it easily, without any mistake, this is the fear inside any lay man who didn't apply or filled out such technical docs where the error margin is non tollarable.

Yes both Mr. Peter and AINIT are MARA agent. one is in Aus and last one in Pak.

Can i ask what does that mean that "they hv to assign a co to all csl cases by july 09" in your 6th March 2009, 06:12 PM post. What i understand that Aus Gov. has appointed a special person who will look the CSL cases specifically, doesn't it? So if i my profession is in CSL than after getting positive ACS, it could take 6 months or near about for the remaining process of Immigration, please correct me if i am getting anything wrong.

Also u didn't tell me about the life for Asians specially for the people belongs to IndoPak region, i heard mostly they live in Sydeny and Melborne area, and also most of the jobs i found in IT field were from these 2 big cities, than Pearth, Brisbene, Adelade etc comes. Can u plz give me some more insight about it, as i am very afraid of recent incidents of racisim in these areas, my uncle lives in Canada but he told me that it's never happend there, but issue with Canada is that to find a job is very cumbersome and weather is also the problem.

Looking for your reply!

[EE-India]

Originally Posted by jovi

Hi All,

I belong to Pakistan, working in IT with major in Security, I have got one major question to ask that i have got two options in regard of immigration process;

1. i can use an Australian based agent, his name is Peter Chiam,
On many expatriats forums i have heard many recommendations about him because he is considered to be an RPL expert, . He is charging 3000 Aus Dollars.

2. I can use an Pakistani firm, having a MARA agent residing in Sydney, AINIT and he is charging only 1,000 Aus Dollars for the whole process.

I am confused to whom should i go with my process, or any other agent who is best in IT field, if any one can advise me in this regard i will be highly appreciated to u. Also can u give me any idea of current job prospects in Sydeny or Melborne area for Asians and the life for them in those areas.

Lastly can anyone tell me how much the time taken for the whole immigration process under Skilled Catagory (175 class) without job offer, my profession is in both CSL and MODL list. Someone told me that it takes 1.5 years anyway.

Thanks!

Buddy

Like ANJ said you should really think twice before go to any agent. Better you put a search for agent in this forum then you will get lot of Idea about using agents .

[hari999999]

Hallo jovi
ITs an important decision to be taken.
If you go online is better so that you can save money. But if you busy and no one to support for decisions and opinions its better to have an Agent even it costs you alot.

There are Agents who give excellent services. But alot who gives poor services even after incurring a large amount as service charge
If the agent selected is not good it is a nightmare as you will be in pinpoint at every minute.
So getting a good agent is very important than saving money.
Good Luck

[anj1976]

Hi Jovi
will tell u about our case, my husband got his assessment done in May, we applied in Sept 08 for the visa, subclass 175, non CSL/non MODL. we took a few months since we were awaiting our ielts and our marriage registration (we got married in feb 08)

the CSL was introduced to control the incoming migrants, they did not want everyone to apply and get thru, so CSL is basically a priority which makes your processing fast.

we used an agent since he is related to us and trust me, i did not know as much as i know now. we paid 2000A$ for assessment and visa fee and no this wasnt after discounts, the guy is from India itself but settled in AU since about 11 yrs. anyway, now i feel we could have saved that amount but i am not the kinds to regret what has been done. and we both, me and my OH are lazy bums, need someone to push us for everythng .

since we r from high risk zone, our applications might take a couple of months mroe thn normal but then i have seen cases where CSL / state sponsored for an Indian/pak was faster thn for someone form UK/US.

your ACS would take close to 2 months (yes these days I have noticed the ACS folks are taking longer thn they used to). we got our skil assessment done form ACS in 19 days flat post filing the application.

Life in AU for Asians is much better than that in our respective countries, less bureaucracy, better infrastructure, everything is available off the shelf, infact my cousin tells me the wuality of spices etc is better thn that u get in India since most of the good stuff (best quality) is exported form India/Pak and the inferior stuff is left for us to consume here.

as for IT jobs, yes sydney has more jobs but whoever i speak to says just one thing, jobs are there everywhere. yes sydney has most jobs followed by melbourne thn perth,brisbane etc but again, i know people in perth, brisbane, melbourne, sydney, and all of them did not fight much to get a job and are happy

racism, this has been discussed a lot in the past.. search the forum. in my opinion, it is hyped, ur safety is in ur hands.. u dont go out at 3 am in the night with ur laptop, fone etc walking on the road in PK? atleast we dont in India, so what do ue xpect.. no place is safe these days. u got to be careful. again, i hv atleast a dozen friends in AU, i guess a couple of dozen wud be more appropriate, and no one has ever faced any such thing. they say these students move around middle of the night with ipods, fones etc etc in hand, u got to be careful

Canada is good option too but my OH isnt too interested in CAN after he read about beautiful winter (-40). anyway, -40 is insane. i wud love to but i know it isnt easy so can is off us.

trust me, u can make it on ur own.. u dont need an agnet, whevever u r stuck, come here, ask ppl in the forum and search for similar keywords. the forum is a goldmine

hope this mkaes things clear

cheers
anj

[anj1976]

oh and, there are a couple of agents who are a regular in teh forum, if u really want to, u can seek their help, it isnt necessary to have ur agent in ur area, we managed well with our agent in AU, we hardly speak, we communicate thru emails and if i really want an answer there n then i call him.

there is SOMV (search for her and u can find her contact details in her signature.

[mr.india]

Originally Posted by anj1976

oh and, there are a couple of agents who are a regular in teh forum, if u really want to, u can seek their help, it isnt necessary to have ur agent in ur area, we managed well with our agent in AU, we hardly speak, we communicate thru emails and if i really want an answer there n then i call him.

there is SOMV (search for her and u can find her contact details in her signature.

Thanks Anj for sharing your experience. Jovi, I had similar dilemma a month before, then I got this forum and Australin and Nz immigration usenet group.

We was silently reading posts here for a while more time we spent here, more comfort we kept getting. Now me and my wife have decided to take our immigration further our own, I have applied for ACS RPL last week and waiting for assessment result.

Forum was very helpful, and we are going to apply for immigration of our own without agent.

[jovi]

Hi Anj,

what should i say, no better word than a "Thx", u and other ones r very nice human beings helping the intended immigrants. U can take me as lazy bum too, looking someone to push for everything (specially in Immigration process), on lot of blogs i read this statement "do it yourself" i simply can't understand if one can do himself so what these agents r living for, in some context i disgree with this statment, they are their because they r expert, they passed the specific courses, this site is really a Gold mine, lot of info, but i really need a help because my case is not straightforward, my degree is in Business where my 10 years experience is in IT field, so i cant apply to ACS directly, i need an expert who can help me in the RPL prorject reports, this is the only option i have left to go to Aus. So if u know any expert in RPL field plz let me know.

U relly makes the things clear about the life in Aus, now i am very cofident that i can survive over here, and need no to think of -40 in Canada.



And mr. India

[anj1976]

jovi a few people in here have gone the RPL route as well without an agent. have u searched the forum for RPL format?

see, in the end u hv to make everything on your own. anyway, why dont u contact SOMV(her screen name, shei is an agent who writes here regularly), she is very helpful and as I said u dont need the agent in your town, u hardly talk to them in person, everything is done on emails.