Guest Rhubarb Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I'm looking to writing an article about how these changes in priority processing have had an effect on people applying for the visas. How do you feel about the way the changes were announced (or not!). How will affect your application? How do you feel about the changes in general? You can contact me at lisa@socketcreative.com. Or you can use this thread to offer each other support and a shoulder to rage on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest angus family Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 we spoke to our agent yesterday and he said we could be looking at 2012 before we get looked at we changed from a 175 to a 176 lodged on 26.5.09 so near yet so far again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulTerriMojo Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hi Rhubarb, we're applying for a SS 176 visa which was acknowledged with DIAC on the 8th of September. we were preparing to get police checks and meds done in the next month or so, now these changes come in! my occupation is not in the CSL, so we're bumped down 3 places in the queue. we were looking to have a reccie next year. i don't think that's going to happen now. to say we're disappointed would be the biggest understatement of the year!:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sam&G Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 So so gutted by the latest news. We're amongst the unfortunate who've been affected by the new legislation: a 176 SS (Vic) non-CSL. But despite the lack of hope for a visa until 2012 at least, I couldn't quite kick the daily habit of checking our visa status. Ironically it states (today) "24/9/09 - Medicals finalised" and they only arrived at HOC Sydney on Monday morning, only 4 days ago & our PCC were completed and uploaded yesterday morning. We should be singing from the rooftops. How ironic - so near and yet so far. And so much money too - £726 this month on meds & police checks alone. In total close to £3k and we (almost) did it without an agent! What confuses me are the postings of others whose agents suggest it will only take months before people like us start getting their visas processed rather than the 2012 date which Evans states. Why? Why are they saying this? They don't have insider info otherwise the agents and Gollywobbler on here would be saying the same thing. To my mind, it must be in order to keep their clients calm and sweet - this news is bad news for everyone agents included. As much as I would love their speculations to be true, I seriously doubt it. :nah: Good luck to everyone and goodbye. Now I must stop the daily checking and try and get on with our lives. 2012 is a long way off. Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lindseyf Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hi, we have applied for a SS Act 176 visa, we lodged the application back in march and are awaiting state sponsorship. We were advised we should have the SS within a few weeks. We have sold our house, handed in notice at both our jobs, booked flights for 28th dec. We also have our meds and police checks done too. We took a risk in good faith, a calculated risk as we had timelines and guidance from our agent, we thought worst case scenario we could get WHV until the visa cane thru. We are now looking at a date from DIAC of 2012!!!!! So our only hope now is to go and hope for an employer to sponsor us or that our visa comes thru quicker than the government suggest. All in all we feel sick, we are panicking thinking we have made one of the biggest mistakes of our lives!! The only thing we can do is keep going and try our best to get thru it, if not we'd just break down cry and crawl into a hole!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartertucker Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hello... We were approved by WA SS....We had submitted & had our medicals finalised 14/09....as of 17/09 our application was processing further, so we had a case officer....Our police checks bar one (didnt realise my 16 year old needed one) have all been sent in....& my sons Police Check was sent across yesterday.... This is terrible news for us, my eldest will be 17 in December & obviously has to be dependant on us to go on our visa & We have a house sale going through right now & were all set to go in the New Year...Our Family dogs are 10 & 8...We so want them to enjoy the Aussie life too My agent has said that the way processing times are going at adelaide, that we could still get our visa in 3-4 months....Which would be great, much, much better than 2012...Which would be devastating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartertucker Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 What confuses me are the postings of others whose agents suggest it will only take months before people like us start getting their visas processed rather than the 2012 date which Evans states. Why? Why are they saying this? They don't have insider info otherwise the agents and Gollywobbler on here would be saying the same thing. To my mind, it must be in order to keep their clients calm and sweet - this news is bad news for everyone agents included. As much as I would love their speculations to be true, I seriously doubt it. :nah: Sam I agree, I too am confused by why the agents are saying this....But they are professionals after all....:yes: Also, they have already recieved our money...So why would they care to keep us calm & sweet?..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Collett Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 So so gutted by the latest news. We're amongst the unfortunate who've been affected by the new legislation: a 176 SS (Vic) non-CSL. But despite the lack of hope for a visa until 2012 at least, I couldn't quite kick the daily habit of checking our visa status. Ironically it states (today) "24/9/09 - Medicals finalised" and they only arrived at HOC Sydney on Monday morning, only 4 days ago & our PCC were completed and uploaded yesterday morning. We should be singing from the rooftops. How ironic - so near and yet so far. And so much money too - £726 this month on meds & police checks alone. In total close to £3k and we (almost) did it without an agent! What confuses me are the postings of others whose agents suggest it will only take months before people like us start getting their visas processed rather than the 2012 date which Evans states. Why? Why are they saying this? They don't have insider info otherwise the agents and Gollywobbler on here would be saying the same thing. To my mind, it must be in order to keep their clients calm and sweet - this news is bad news for everyone agents included. As much as I would love their speculations to be true, I seriously doubt it. :nah: Good luck to everyone and goodbye. Now I must stop the daily checking and try and get on with our lives. 2012 is a long way off. Sam Unless the Minister is intending to massively curtail the skilled visa program (which would be at odds with what he and the PM have been saying in public) a 2012 timeline for priority group 5 and higher applications is (in my humble view) highly improbable. And unless there are very large numbers of intenational students who are eligible under priority group 2 to 4 who will consume the entire program for 2010/11 I believe 2012 is far too pessmistic. Added to which, do you think the States and Territories will sit back and meekly accept that occupations they have identified as needed but which are not on the Minister's CSL will take 3 years to process? I don't. Maintain a watching brief - I don't think this is the end of the story ... Best regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sam&G Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I agree, I too am confused by why the agents are saying this....But they are professionals after all.... Also, they have already recieved our money...So why would they care to keep us calm & sweet?..... Because they are running a business and they don't want hundred's of irate, confused and angry clients (all rightly so!) on the phone to them 24/7. Also they don't want to be threatened with legal action by clients anxious to recoup some of their precious savings. Agents aren't cheap. Don't misunderstand me, I would love for them to be correct and will gladly eat my hat if I am proved wrong and have a visa in a few months. But emotions aside, logically it makes no sense that when legislation has been put in place and the govt. have even gone so far to state dates as far into the future as 2012, that a 'mere agent' (no offense to agents) can doubt this within 24hrs. I certainly haven't read anywhere on PIO that Alan Collet/Gollywobbler et al are supporting the 'months rather than years' speculation. This is awful for everyone, especially those right at the end of their visa application road, and for those who have sold their house etc. But speculation doesn't help. Sorry if you think I am pouring cold water on hope, but Chris Evans did that yesterday, I am just reading the information given. Good luck to everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rhubarb Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Thanks for all your speedy replies! I'm writing the article now and will link to it once it's finished. If anyone DOES NOT want to be quoted, can they say so at the beginning of their posts please? It's all very well getting these news articles in telling of changes to visas and so on, but you don't know the stories behind that news do you? I want to get across how this affects peoples lives. Hopefully I'll be able to voice some of your grievances for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sebbers Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I'm looking to writing an article about how these changes in priority processing have had an effect on people applying for the visas. How do you feel about the way the changes were announced (or not!). How will affect your application? How do you feel about the changes in general? You can contact me at lisa@socketcreative.com. Or you can use this thread to offer each other support and a shoulder to rage on! Well where do I start at the beginning would be a good place: TRA refused September 2007 on account of removal of pathway d and oh trade no longer being assessed by TRA, already spent £2500 agents fees & £350 to have docs certified (ripped off big time for docs certifying), money well spent on the agents fees. Feb 2008 apply to Vetassess for skills assessment another £1000 approx, missed deadline for April assessments so had to wait until July, oh passed. Visa application submitted October 2008, was over the moon when we saw his trade was on the csl January 2009, only to have our hopes shattered again when construction trades were removed in March 2009 and processing times lengthened. March 2009 applied for state sponsorship and finally had it granted mid-July after a torturous 17 week wait, after being quoted initially 4-6 weeks. Eary August 2009 at last something finally happening we have a case officer for a whole 12 months we hadn't progressed any further and then suddenly within 3 weeks of being granted our state sponsorship we were requested to do meds and pc's at a cost of £990 for both and weeks away from getting our visa can't quite believe it. Yesterday morning first thing I was over the moon to receive an email from our agent stating that our meds had been received in Sydney and were awaiting customs clearance and that we were almost at visa grant, only minutes later to read the bombshell announcement on pio, once again feel like the stuffing has been knocked out of me. We have experienced our fair share of set-backs like so many other since starting this process and during it all it is me that has been the driving force, if it had been left to my oh we'd have fallen at the first hurdle. I find myself in a situation now whereby I really don't think I can give any more time or effort into something that seems no more than a pipe dream, on the otherhand my oh is adamant we've put too much time, effort and money into this to give up now. I feel bitter and cheated with the whole situation given that we may aswell have just thrown the £990 we have just spent on meds/pc's at the request of diac down the drain. Do these people not realise that money is tight at the moment and that people just don't have the resources to be throwing money away like that. I read the minister's statement yesterday evening and can't quite comprehend the comment made about what options you have in relation to your application and if you wish to withdraw your application you can do so without any refund is this not morally wrong? I ask just how much money is sitting in the Australian coffers from people who have applied for visas only to be told they could be looking at a 3 year wait before getting a decision. We have now found our children expressing their concerns about having to wait 3 years and them now telling us that they don't think they will be coming with us should we ever be granted a visa as they both will have turned 18 and old enough to make up their own minds. As a parent the thought just sickens me to the pit of my stomach worrying when and if the time comes am I going to have to make the decision to stay or leave my children behind - Thanks Mr Evans! To sum it all up after spending just short of £5k and being within a whisker of having our visa granted I feel like were back to square one with no end in sight! Lastly, I will apologise to anyone who can be bothered to read my post as I know I've waffled on but it's just how I'm feeling at the moment, I'm sure I'm not on my own though. Jen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sam&G Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Aha, I spoke to soon! It seems I was typing my reply while Alan was posting. :laugh: Originally Posted by Alan CollettUnless the Minister is intending to massively curtail the skilled visa program (which would be at odds with what he and the PM have been saying in public) a 2012 timeline for priority group 5 and higher applications is (in my humble view) highly improbable. And unless there are very large numbers of intenational students who are eligible under priority group 2 to 4 who will consume the entire program for 2010/11 I believe 2012 is far too pessmistic. Added to which, do you think the States and Territories will sit back and meekly accept that occupations they have identified as needed but which are not on the Minister's CSL will take 3 years to process? I don't. Maintain a watching brief - I don't think this is the end of the story ... I agree with you. The States must be livid and it makes little sense to me too. But surely the decision to make these changes was not made in the blink of an eye?? As confusing as it seems, the powers that be, must believe that they are doing the right thing for Australia and its people? As hurt and disappointed as we all are, I am trying to look at the bigger picture as well as how it impacts my family and I. I don't want to give up on Oz, but at the same time I need to live my life and the last 8 months has been all about Oz. If I have to wait until 2012, then I can't put my life on hold, I need to live it. But thanks for your input, I will keep a watch out..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Collett Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 To the OP who is writing the article: you might want to try contacting Ann Johnson from the SA Government for comment - she is in the UK at the moment, and is the Manager of Skilled Migration in the State. Try their representative office in Central London. Best regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sam&G Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Well where do I start at the beginning would be a good place: TRA refused September 2007 on account of removal of pathway d and oh trade no longer being assessed by TRA, already spent £2500 agents fees & £350 to have docs certified (ripped off big time for docs certifying). Feb 2008 apply to Vetassess for skills assessment another £1000 approx, missed deadline for April assessments so had to wait until July, oh passed. Visa application submitted October 2008, was over the moon when we saw his trade was on the csl January 2009, only to have our hopes shattered again when construction trades were removed in March 2009 and processing times lengthened. March 2009 applied for state sponsorship and finally had it granted mid-July after a torturous 17 week wait, after being quoted initially 4-6 weeks. Eary August 2009 at last something finally happening we have a case officer for a whole 12 months we hadn't progressed any further and then suddenly within 3 weeks of being granted our state sponsorship we were requested to do meds and pc's at a cost of £990 for both and weeks away from getting our visa can't quite believe it. Yesterday morning first thing I was over the moon to receive an email from our agent stating that our meds had been received in Sydney and were awaiting customs clearance and that we were almost at visa grant, only minutes later to read the bombshell announcement on pio, once again feel like the stuffing has been knocked out of me. We have experienced our fair share of set-backs like so many other since starting this process and during it all it is me that has been the driving force, if it had been left to my oh we'd have fallen at the first hurdle. I find myself in a situation now whereby I really don't think I can give any more time or effort into something that seems no more than a pipe dream, on the otherhand my oh is adamant we've put too much time, effort and money into this to give up now. I feel bitter and cheated with the whole situation given that we may aswell have just thrown the £990 we have just spent on meds/pc's at the request of diac down the drain. Do these people not realise that money is tight at the moment and that people just don't have the resources to be throwing money away like that. I read the minister's statement yesterday evening and can't quite comprehend the comment made about what options you have in relation to your application and if you wish to withdraw your application you can do so without any refund is this not morally wrong? I ask just how much money is sitting in the Australian coffers from people who have applied for visas only to be told they could be looking at a 3 year wait before getting a decision. We have now found our children expressing their concerns about having to wait 3 years and them now telling us that they don't think they will be coming with us should we ever be granted a visa as they both will have turned 18 and old enough to make up their own minds. As a parent the thought just sickens me to the pit of my stomach worrying when and if the time comes am I going to have to make the decision to stay or leave my children behind - Thanks Mr Evans! Lastly, I will apologise to anyone who can be bothered to read my post as I know I've waffled on but it's just how I'm feeling at the moment, I'm sure I'm not on my own though. Jen So sorry to read your post Jen. You have had such a long timeline and even though our dreams have been smashed too, your situation must be even more painful. Sorry I can't be more helpful, but I just wanted to sympathise with you. :wubclub: Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazybass Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hi There This is my first post on this great forum but obviously not a happy one as we have been affected by the recent changes made. We are a family of four who applied for a 176 WA state sponsored MODL visa. We lodged our application in April and recieved our state sponsorship in July and was given a Case Offficer at the begining of September, we were instructed to get our police checks and medicals done which we did at a cost of around £975 inc police checks. We had our medicals two days ago on the 22nd September only for the changes to be made the day after !!! I feel its greatly unfair that we should be instructed to have them done when they may now be worthless if we dont get our visa within 12 months. Surely people with case officers should be honoured ? We also have our house on the Market and have started rehoming our pets!! Fingers crossed Maybe common sense will prevail and things won't be so bad but we will have to wait and see. All the best to everyone with or without Visas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Applied for 175 csl 30th September 2008, Had case officer and then was removed from CSL before visa grant so put on hold. Got WA SS and then got CO again and he requested more information (totally uneccesary and due to my Ex Husband and his wife causing problems!) had to get a court order to remove our child from the UK and bring her to Australia even though my Ex already lives there as do most of her family. As we were waiting for this....................cut just like that again!!!!!:mad: P.S. sold house and rehomed pets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Impatient Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Added to which, do you think the States and Territories will sit back and meekly accept that occupations they have identified as needed but which are not on the Minister's CSL will take 3 years to process? I don't. I agree, but my faith in the process is severly dented. Chances are I will probably gamble the visa fee to see what happens, but if much more goes on I might choose not to proceed when my time comes. As a SS applicant, I am waiting on approval (or otherwise) from SA before submitting a 475 application. My personal circumstances are such that a potential 2-year delay from my expected arrival date of Aug 10 is going to cause a massive upheaval. Personal to me I know, but I was going to be changing job/house/location in that timescale anyway, now I might have to do it in the UK and then do it 2 years later to Oz. I am sure it will seem worth it when I get there, but at the moment I am not too sure. Bottom line is that there comes a point when people will say 'enough is enough'. Some may criticise me for not being committed enough, but at some point my family stability comes first. When that point is, I am not sure, but it is a whole lot closer than it was 2 days ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rhubarb Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 So sorry to hear your story Jen. I will try and contact Ann Johnson thanks. I'm also going to get hold of a migration agent who will add her comments to the article. I'm hoping to get it out by tomorrow at the latest. I've searched this site for any mention of copyright, but can find none. I am ok in quoting you guys aren't I? Poms in Oz will get free advertising from the story too! :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rhubarb Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hmm, she won't comment, says it's a Federal change and not a state one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartertucker Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hello... We were approved by WA SS....We had submitted & had our medicals finalised 14/09....as of 17/09 our application was processing further, so we had a case officer....Our police checks bar one (didnt realise my 16 year old needed one) have all been sent in....& my sons Police Check was sent across yesterday.... This is terrible news for us, my eldest will be 17 in December & obviously has to be dependant on us to go on our visa & We have a house sale going through right now & were all set to go in the New Year...Our Family dogs are 10 & 8...We so want them to enjoy the Aussie life too My agent has said that the way processing times are going at adelaide, that we could still get our visa in 3-4 months....Which would be great, much, much better than 2012...Which would be devastating I didnt realise that so many people were going to start from the beginning of there timelines, so just to add to my post: We decided in January 2008 that we would start looking into how we could emmigrate to Australia.... We first applied for a 175, after waiting many agonising months for the new MAP to be published, which was delayed, then delayed, then indefinately delayed..... So we then paid alot of money for hubby to take AQFIII, then applied for TRA...... Then the changes happened & we were told that 175 timelines could be years....We made the decision to apply for a SS visa.....& then back to my previous post (timeline for me, at the bottom of my posts) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Collett Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Rhubarb, Feel able to ask me for my thoughts - I am a migration agent! And we probably advertise in your journal! You can send me a PM or email by clicking on the link to the left of this post. Best regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartertucker Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hmm, she won't comment, says it's a Federal change and not a state one. I asked my agent yesterday if it would be worth me contacting WA SS centre & this was her reply: As the above instructions are controlled by Federal Law, State/Territory Governments are not able to overrule of affect the above instructions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shreen Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I just can't believe they have had this sudden annoucemounts and changed everything again, it makes me feel sick to the the pit of my stomach. Surley, it can't be 2012? There can't be that many people CSL and also state sponsored so hopefully will process quickly. Amazingly, we had our visa granted on the 22nd. We frontloaded our medicals and police checks (against the advice of our agent) and went straight to grant. Literally by the skin of our teeth. I can't believe it. I'm so sorry guys, I really hope it will take months and not years. If they keep changing every 6 months, it could be completley different story in 6 months time, and as you say, the states need the skills and can't wait that long. I really have my fingers and toes crossed for all of you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Collett Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hmm, she won't comment, says it's a Federal change and not a state one. So the change doesn't affect South Australia? Of course it does ... Best regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tamarama Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Rhubarb, Cry me a river........ So far spent close to €6.5K on the process... Completley demoralised and frustrated and very concerned to know that IELTS exam which will be obsolete by 2012, ( I actually had to fly to another part of Europe to sit that sodding exam within the timeframe DIAC give you so flights and hotel costs incurred also grrrrrr!) as will Meds and Polce certs also have no idea what happens to my Regional State Sponsor does that too become obsolete??? Its a huge bombshell and a hard one to try and pick yourself up and dust yourself off from so close yet so far from living the dream....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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