Marisawright

He was just confirming Qantas’s assessment and being the strong man. I didn’t see any sign that he meant anything other than “we’ll be keeping the travel bans in place”

Unfortunately not because it’s classed with the temporary visas ( which I think is outrageous)

a few on these forums. Try SunCoast Migration or Go Matilda.

ScoMo is talking about maintaining the status quo, isn't he? Not making it tougher. And plenty of people are arriving already. Just look at other threads on this forum. People with 189 and 190 visas booking flights to arrive in the next three or four months. They don't even need to apply for an exemption to travel. Look on the partner visa threads - people have been granted those visas in the past few weeks and are planning their trips (again, no exemption needed). People are planning to arrive for activation visits too (no exemption needed, even though they will turn around and leave again after a few days). Partners are getting permission to travel on tourist visas too, for compassionate reasons. People with valid permanent visas are still arriving and new visas are still being processed.

No, they don't. If you can't present proof at the airport, you don't fly. One of our other members posted about this a while ago.

I think the travel bans will stay in place until mid-next year, but that doesn't mean visas won't be granted. I read an article where ScoMo said that while immigration would be down 85% this year, there were no plans to reduce immigration numbers for next year. I'd say it would be more accurate to say that controls will still remain in place so casual/holiday visits won't be allowed, but that people with valid visas will still be allowed in - and they are still granting visas, as you'll see if you look at other threads on these forums.

You would have to notify them of a temporary change of address, unless you have someone who can forward your mail reliably from your UK address. Be aware that you won't be able to work on the tourist visa.

The thing with the exemption is that it costs nothing to apply and if you are rejected, there's no limit to the number of times you can apply again. So I would just say, be honest and explain why you need to go - you have an elderly mother who has no other carers in the UK to help her manage in isolation. If it gets rejected, the worst that can happen is that you have to try again. As I understand it, the government is mainly worried about people coming back to Australia and bringing the virus with them. So if you say you're planning to stay overseas for several months, that will probably stand more chance of success.

If you read the rest of the thread, you'll notice that if you can prove you're permanently resident overseas, you don't have to apply for an exemption. You just have to provide proof of your permanent address overseas when you depart the country. No idea whether he could arrive and go straight back. Obviously, he'd have to go through Customs and Immigration before he'd be counted as having activated his visa. I'm not sure I would bank on being allowed to just arrive in the Arrivals Hall, make his way to Departures and leave again. Probably safer to assume he'll have to do the 2 weeks quarantine.

She may have to resign herself to leaving the dog behind

@Chrisanddeb1, for future years, you could also consider a Transition to Retirement scheme, where by some or all of your Australian salary gets paid straight into super and you live on your UK pensions instead. That may give you a better tax outcome than just paying lump sums every year. It depends on your circumstances so it's impossible to say, but someone like Andrew from Vista, or Ken, could probably run some numbers for you and let you know.

Oops, you are absolutely right. You don't need to apply for an exemption. However, you will need to show evidence when you get to the airport, or they won't let you on the plane. So you'll need to take documents with you and be ready to show them on departure. Anything that proves your permanent home is in the UK, and I'd take a few documents rather than rely on just one. Things like utility bills in both your names, a bank statement, a copy of your lease if you're renting.

When did you apply? The rules have changed and you must be under 23 at the time of decision. However if you applied before November 2016, the new rules might not apply to you.

If there's a big influx of young people as that article suggests, then they'll form their own clique

If the employer doesn't report anything when they are supposed to, then that is fraud. If you are caught, you could face deportation and it could be very difficult for you to get another visa. If this is important to you, then find a good MARA-registered migration agent (not a lawyer) and get some advice urgently.

As the partner of an Australian citizen, you can apply for an exemption to travel and get a tourist visa, but of course, that will only be for a few months - and if you only applied in March, that may not be enough time for your partner visa to come through. That means you'll have to go home again which would not be ideal. As Quoll says, unless your child is at a critical point in their education, starting school in mid-term isn't the end of the world. In fact, I'd say that would be much less disruptive than having Mum suddenly disappear a few months after you've arrived.

Yes, it is, I'm afraid. As I posted on another thread, most Brits have grown up with the idea that Australia is a young country crying out for new migrants - we've all heard of Ten Pound Poms and most of us know of relatives or friends or friends of friends who did it. But the Ten Pound Poms were 70 years ago. I migrated 35 years ago and the application process was a doddle. Now, Australia is a mature country that largely trains its own workforce. It isn't much different from the UK, with the government trying to strike a balance between importing the skills the country needs, and placating voters worried about "foreigners taking our jobs". With the sharp rise in unemployment caused by Covid, it's likely they'll be erring more on the side of placating the voters.

How long ago, out of interest?

You are right, the process is nowhere near as easy as it used to be. I think most Brits grow up knowing about the "Ten Pound Poms" and have relatives or friends who migrated, so there's a perception that Australia welcomes migrants with open arms. Times have changed. Australia now has a plentiful local workforce and is just as strict as any other country about letting foreigners in. It's a competitive process. Although you can apply with 65 points, only the applicants with the highest points win. The rest just languish in the queue until they expire, and lose their money. In recent times, no one with less than 85 points has won a 189 visa. Points are less important if you go for a 190 or 491 visa (which ties you to a specific state), so they would be a more sensible strategy for you. However, there's more bad news. Every year, they take occupations off the Skilled List. If your occupation isn't on the list, you can't migrate. Unfortunately, nursing is one of the occupations that's under review in some states. And if it's under review now, what are the chances of it still being on the list in two years' time? The rules change so frequently that two years is a long time in migration terms, even in normal times. Now, with the world in an uproar, no one can predict what they might be like in two years' time. The bottom line is, put your Australian dream on the backburner and get on with enjoying life, because there's nothing you can do about it right now. In early 2022, book an initial consultation with a migration agent (it should be free - don't book with anyone who wants to charge you for it), to find out what the current regulations are and what your chances are, and go from there.

That does make life complicated. In your shoes, I wouldn't be banking on them extending your "arrive by" date. There are flights available now, so they could easily argue there was nothing to stop you. Once you arrive and the visa is activated, you become a permanent resident and you need permission to leave. You'll need to show evidence that you're permanently resident overseas - e.g. a copy of your lease, or recent utility bills in both your names. It takes about 4 weeks to get approval, but that's not too bad - apply the day you arrive (it's online), then you've got two weeks in quarantine, then stay two weeks with your partner's sister (or three if you want to be on the safe side). It does mean that you'll need to fly earlier than October, so you can fly back while it's still safe for you to fly.

As Linda says, the decision probably won't come until 2023. You have a problem. I suggest having an urgent consultation with an agent to confirm how the new rules affect you.

I'd say, assume you will be charged, and then it will be a nice bonus if you're not. I'm assuming they will look at your flight details to see when the flight was booked and I don't know which date that will show - probably the date that actual flight was booked. When you say you're coming to validate your visa, are you planning to just visit, quarantine and then go back to the UK again?

Are you asking whether there is a need, or whether you can get a visa? Those are two different questions. Are you aware that you must have a four-year qualification, both for Immigration and to be allowed to teach in Australia? I noticed you posted elsewhere about your partner having a chronic medical condition. If that's the case, then I would investigate that first, because there's no point going any further if that's a problem. Immigration don't care what the condition is. What they care about is, how much will her condition cost the taxpayer in treatments and medication over the rest of her life? There is a threshold. The best way to get an answer is to have a consultation with an agent called George Lombard. He specialises in dealing with medical issues.

I think that's the crucial difference. I'm like you - I arrived in 1985 and if you'd asked me where "home" was in 1990, I'd have said, "Australia' without a moment's hesitation. I'm sure it's one of the reasons why I couldn't settle when we tried retiring in the UK - it wasn't home, and hadn't been for 30 years. The move made logical sense for lots of reasons but I didn't feel I belonged there any more.

Definitely consult an agent. If you have claimed points for something you can't prove, Immigration could view that as fraud. Best to get expert advice just in case.