Marisawright

To be honest, it sounds as though she has set this up with the intention of keeping your belongings. If you were living together as a couple and you left everything with her voluntarily, I don't know where you will stand legally if she refuses to return them. An Australian lawyer could advise. Obviously, she has no right to tell you that you can't visit. Personally, I'd be arriving unannounced on her doorstep with four burly removal men. Do you have a key? She can't stop you removing your own stuff. Also, you might find it easier to get an answer from Vic Roads if you attend the office in person. It's unfortunate that travel is so difficult right now.

Are you sure? I thought they had an agreement same as Italy and Spain

I do not know how it affects your student visa, but it is important you understand the situation. If the baby is born in Australia, it is Australian because its father is Australian. However having an Australian baby does not give you any rights at all. There is no special visa for foregin mothers of Australian babies. You cannot even take the baby to your home country without the Australian father's permission. If he will not give permission when your course finishes, you will be sent home without your baby. Based on what you say, you are still just dating, so you will not qualify for a partner visa. You could get a visa if he will agree to marry you, but it doesn't sound as though he is ready for that. I think you should get advice from a good migration agent.

WRussell is a reputable migration agent. If he says that is the case, it is true.

Coles and Woollies have started home deliveries again here, not sure about elsewhere but I would think it wouldn't be long. Anyway if they are still putting you in a hotel for the 2 weeks, food is organised for you.

Before you can even think about jobs, you need to find out whether you can get a visa. If you're thinking of getting a job so an employer will pay for you to move out to Perth, be aware that it's very unlikely. Firstly, employers can't sponsor just anyone, your job has to be on a short list of eligible occupations. Secondly, it's expensive and complicated for employers, so they won't do it unless they're really desperate. Your best bet for an employer sponsor would be to see if your current employer can offer a transfer. If you're thinking of moving out to Australia permanently, then your first step is to find out if your occupation is on the Skilled Lists. If it is, then you need to check if you've got the qualifications and experience specified. If you do, then you need to work out if you can score enough points on the points system. You only need 65 points to apply, but it's a competitive process - right now, there's no point in applying if you score less than 90 points, because you wouldn't stand a chance.

Do you know if you're eligible for a visa?

Yes, I don't think the health sphere suffers from the same problems as other professions.

The visa only gets you into Australia. It has nothing to do with getting jobs. Once you have your visas you can do any job you want in Australia

Well yes, that was my message. But it's fair to say that I've got experience of the job market in Sydney and Melbourne, not elsewhere. It's encouraging to read that the attitude isn't the same in Brisbane.

The most important time is the time you've been living together. It's good to provide evidence from before then, to show the relationship has grown from a sound basis, but you don't need to be as exhaustive about it.

Yes, but I did say that you have to make an effort to look the part, too. Lose weight, tone up, make sure your hair and outfit reflect the age you want to portray. I was very lucky that I've looked younger than my age all my life (I used to curse it when I was 25 and getting turned away from pubs, lol), so that helped. I'm sure the reason my luck ran out in my 50's was that my face started sagging and I developed a few wrinkles, so I began to look my age for the first time in my life.

Actually we’re back in Australia! I never ever felt homesick for Scotland, moving back was a logical decision based on neither my oh nor me having any family left in Australia. Plus my oh loves travelling round Europe. I discovered that after 30+ years in Australia, I’ve become too Aussie and felt like a foreigner in the UK. So we came back and I’m happy as a pig in mud, or was until this stupid virus hit

You don't need a migration agent for the UK partner visa. it's a different kettle of fish from the Australian one. The Australian one is more subjective because there's a lot more emphasis on proving your relationship is genuine, and it's useful to have an agent who can help you put all that together. Whereas the British one is mainly about meeting the financial requirement. First you submit the online application. Then you need to print off and complete Appendix 2, which is where you prove you meet the financial requirement, and show that you have a place to live when you arrive. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/733638/VAF4A-Appendix2-08-18.pdf When we did it, we used my sister's address as our UK address because she has a good-sized house with a spare bedroom. We got her agreement beforehand and worked out how we would manage if we lived there long term - not because we had any intention, but just to be ready if Immigration asked either of us what we planned to do. We didn't submit any proof of relationship apart from our marriage certificate, but I believe they are asking for a bit more evidence now, e.g. proof you're living at the same address, shared bills etc.

It's impossible to say as everything has changed due to the coronavirus emergency.

Yes, it's beginning to feel like a science fiction plot, isn't it? The facts are that the virus kills about 1 in 10 of "elderly" or immuno-compromised people, but only about 1 in 500 of the rest of the population. I've already seen posts on Facebook saying "why should we sacrifice everyone's livelihood and future for the sake of the old?". As a 66-year-old with asthma, I'm beginning to feel expendable . . .

Actually, I think it's good if you're already acknowledging the possible negatives before you start. It can be worse to arrive starry-eyed, because then the negatives hit you really hard. Migrating as a tradie was a doddle twenty years ago. Most Brits have a family member or relative or friend who did it then, and that's why we all have that perception. Nowadays, Australia is the same as any other developed country. Unemployment is much the same as the UK, so the government wants to protect local jobs. So they don't make it easy. Your big stumbling block might be your stepson. You should certainly include him in your PR visa if it's possible - but you need to make sure it is possible, as there are some restrictive rules around children over 18. He doesn't need to move with you - he just needs to arrive in Australia to activate his visa, then he can take off and travel for as long as he likes, provided he settles in Australia within 5 years. If you can't include him in your PR visa, he could come later on a WHV but that will only get him a year or two, then he'll have to go home. There's a myth that you can arrive on a WHV and then find an employer to sponsor you, but that only works if you already have all the qualifications and experience necessary to get a visa. He could come on a student visa, but if he wants to do a course that could lead to PR, the fees will be eye-watering (he'll have to pay international rates). If he wants to try to get PR in his own right, he'll need to finish his degree in the UK (and make sure it's the right kind of degree, because they're not all eligible), then he'll need to get experience. And by the time he's done all that, it's quite possible teachers will no longer be on the skilled list, and the door will be permanently closed.

Most Australians know how a handful of cases from one cruise ship (the Ruby Princess) caused an explosion in cases, so we're all aware of how risky it will be to start letting planeloads of people arrive. Weeks later, the government is still being given a hard time about the Ruby Princess debacle, so they'd be very conscious of the political consequences if they make another mistake. For that reason alone, I don't think they'll be in a hurry to open the borders. Given that most governments tend to downplay the possible extent of restrictions, the fact that they're already saying "no international travel till 2021" isn't encouraging for those who would like to fly. There is a lot of pressure to ease restrictions from all quarters - retail, sport, arts, exports etc - but I haven't seen a single post or article or TV news item about the need to restart tourism. So I'd say it's low on the priority list. There are rumours about opening the borders between Australia and New Zealand, if Australia can achieve eradication (which was never Australia's intention, but they're beginning to think it might be possible). That might be widened to include some other countries who manage eradication, creating a "bubble" where it would be safe to travel and trade.

You have to live and work in NSW for 2 years, and they may ask for evidence that you've done so. So yes, you would have to enrol as a taxpayer because it's illegal to work in Australia unless you enrol. Even if you're not earning enough to pay tax, you must be enrolled. I think there comes a point where you have to decide whether you really want to emigrate to Australia or not. If it's important to you, then you'll buckle down and do your two years. You can always go travelling again after that.

Those are good as a starting point. There is a long wait for partner visas so I would get your application in asap. You can add further evidence after you've submitted the application.

Wrussell is one of those agents. Go to his website (on his signature) and send him a message.

Yes, that's what I said.

It does depend a bit on the sector, but I'm afraid Australia has a problem with age discrimination. I noticed a big difference in attitude when I was back in the UK a few years ago, it's much less prevalent there. That said, the solution is easy - don't tell anyone how old you are. It's illegal for an employer to ask about your age. There's no obligation to show your date of birth on your resume. When you list your qualifications, don't show the dates you did the courses. Just list them. Delete your early jobs. You're not obliged to list all your work experience, only the experience that's relevant to the job you're applying for. Head that section "Relevant Work Experience" so no one can complain. I cut off my first ten years' work, so if someone tried to try to work out how old I was based on my working life, they'd have thought I was 40-ish. Of course you have to look the part too, so it does depend whether you look your age. I was in an industry dominated by young men, and an agency once told me that once I hit 40, I'd be on the scrap heap! I used the tricks mentioned above and didn't have any problems, but I started to really struggle to get contracts once I hit 50 and gave up trying when I reached 55.

Yes, as far as the government is concerned, the assured deposited the money so it’s the assurer who is legally entitled to it

I think it would be sensible for her to choose a course that would qualify her for a skilled visa, just in case the rules change for the parent visa. However, the problem with getting a skilled visa is that it's becoming very, very competitive. It's a points-based system and only people with the highest points get through. To give you an example, you need only 65 points to apply for a visa, but there are so many applicants, that only those with over 90 points are even being considered. And it gets worse every year.