Marisawright

I think with covid-19 the whole landscape has changed. I wouldn’t be surprised if they start inviting as many nurses as they can get

I would say hang out for a Brisbane flight because everything is so chaotic at the moment. You might get a confirmation now but when you get to Sydney you might find some official won’t agree and you’ll be stuck

https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2020/01/its-time-to-abolish-costly-parental-visas/ https://www.sbs.com.au/news/new-visa-for-migrant-parents-to-stay-in-australia-for-up-to-10-years-for-20-000 People often don't realise the cost of healthcare, especially when coming from the UK where it's free and you don't see the underlying cost. But a simple hip replacement - which, under a parent visa, you'll get for free - costs the government around $35,000. I'm 66 now and my husband is 67. We're still (touch wood) in good health and most of our friends are active (social dancing or walking) - but we are noticing that all of us are developing health problems. For some of us they're small and niggling, but for others they're more serious. Statistics show that in fact, at least half of all people over 65 are taking several medications. On a parent visa, those medications are subsidised, but the government has to pay the full price to the pharmaceutical companies - try adding that up over 10 or 20 years. Then there's aged care - one of those articles gives an example of a woman who's on a home care package, which costs the government ove $50,000 every year. You may say you're in good health now, but you're going to die of something, and you're going to die in Australia. These days, many people die slow deaths - so you may have months or years of cancer treatment, a heart bypass, a pacemaker, transplants - the list goes on. Even if you stay healthy, you'll be having more and more checkups as you age, to make sure you stay healthy - and they cost money too. Then there's the Australian pension, which you'll be entitled to after 10 years. You may not get it if you have assets, but it's there as a safety net - and many people who don't qualify in their early retirement will claim a part pension at some point, unless they are rich. It's true that if you're coming to Australia in your fifties, you will contribute some taxes to the system, IF you can get work (Australia has a real problem with age discrimination, even though it's supposed to be illegal). It's also true that you provide free childcare and support to your adult children. All those things have value but they are much harder to put a $ value on - so I'm afraid the bean counters don't take them into account.

Sadly, I would say that anyone hoping to get a visa in hospitality will be disappointed. All restaurants, cafés and pubs in Australia are closed down now, except to offer takeaway meals, so they have all reduced their staff dramatically. It's inevitable that many hospitality businesses will go broke due to this emergency, so they will not be rehiring those staff when things go back to normal. That means there will be many hospitality workers out of work in Australia for a long time, and therefore it's unlikely the government would grant visas to anyone else.

You can’t get a job without a visa so your first step is to see if you can get a visa. There are plentiful well qualified accountants in Australia already so it is very hard to get a visa

...and apparently it includes wifi, and your laundry as well.

I doubt it.

Australia isn't stopping foreigners leaving, only people arriving. I'm actually surprised that the UK doesn't have a stricter travel ban in place. The UK is an island, after all - they could easily have followed Australia's and New Zealand's example but they haven't.

Coronavirus

Actually yes, your wife can apply for a tourist visa, travel to Australia with you, and then apply for a spouse visa once you arrive. She will get a bridging visa which will allow her to stay in Australia while her visa is processed. However she will not be allowed to work, and the waiting time is even longer than when you apply overseas. So you would have to work out if you can afford to have her not working for 18 months or so. I should say, that is how it works at the moment. The Department of Immigration is always changing the rules to make it more difficult for people to get visas. So you will need to wait until things go back to normal and then check what the rules are at that time.

You are wrong. You do not need to be in Australia to sponsor your wife. There are strategies you could use, however it is very difficult right now because of the coronavirus. It is affecting travel and also affecting visas. If you want to be successful, the best plan is to speak to a migration agent like WRussell (who replied to your post). He is a reputable agent.

I don't think anyone here can give you a straight answer. Since you know the state you're heading to, the answer is very simple - contact the University and ask them. They will know what they will accept.

Yes, you could get a temporary visa BUT be very careful - it is only temporary, for 2 or 4 years. Years ago, if you could get a temp visa, then there was a very good chance you could get permanent sponsorship at the end. Nowadays, it's much less likely and the failure rate is high. So if you do come on a temp visa, you're advised to assume it's only temporary and plan accordingly. Then if you do manage to get permanency, it's a bonus. In your case, you need to think about how it would affect your daughter's education if you moved over for 2 to 4 years and then had to leave the country? I would also double and triple check that you'll be eligible for permanent sponsorship at the end of the temp visa, or whether the 45 year limit would still apply. There are some very good agents on this forum like @paulhand and @Raul Senise who may drop in to clarify that. Finally, I'd caution to be wary of agencies who tell you it will all be easy. There are some quality agencies out there, but there are also shonky ones who will tell you anything, just to get your application fee.

The Immigration phone operators are notorious for giving bad advice, so don't trust them. Paul is right - you need one of the people on the form. This is one of those occasions when a JP won't do, unless they've known you for 2 years. Have you thought about asking your doctor or dentist or someone like that?

Considering it may be 2021 before you can get here, it would be worth her looking distance learning/correspondence course, so she can get started now, rather than waiting till she arrives. https://onlinestudyaustralia.com/pathways-into-university/

Yes, three meals a day

I'm sure I've said this to you before, but have you considered Northern NSS rather than Queensland? I know Queensland has that aura of sun, beaches and a holiday lifestyle, but you can get exactly the same idyllic lifestyle all the way down the coast of NSW as far as Sydney, with hot summers and bright blue-sky winters. The beaches are just as good as Queensland beaches. In fact, I prefer the NSW coastline because the further south you go, the less humid and sweaty the summers are.

However, although they activated, they have never ever lived in Australia - so they're missing the residential requirement by 100%. That makes a very weak case for a RRV. If WRussell is suggesting they'd be best to get an extension on their IED then that's what I'd go for.

Yes, I'm afraid you are too late. Cutoff is 45.

Let's say you arrive in Australia just before your expiry date (May 2021). Now you're in Australia, but you've got no travel facility. You can't apply for one, either, because you don't qualify. That means that if you leave Australia for any reason, you will not be allowed back into the country. New Zealand is a separate country - so no, you can't go there either. Once you are settled in Australia, you have a home, a job, bank accounts, the kids are in school - then you can claim you have genuine "strong ties to Australia", and you would stand a good chance of getting a RRV without having to wait for the two years residency requirement.

More difficult to get jobs, of course - but it depends on what you do for a living. You may just have to budget for a longer initial period out of work, or be willing to pursue a different career/start your own business.

How long did you live in Australia before you left, and do you still have ties to the country? I ask because it's true that you can ask for a Resident Return Visa, but if you don't have any ties to the country any more, then it's very likely to be refused. There is nothing to stop you applying for a tourist visa. The Dept of Immigration phone operators are notorious for getting things wrong.

@Wayne 83, write to the superannuation fund to let them know your UK address, if you haven't already. Also instruct them to cancel all insurances, because chances are you're not covered by them anyway. That will reduce your fees. If you've got a decent amount in the fund, it would be worth checking that you're in a good fund, too. Unfortunately there's a lot of shonky funds, some of them run by large institutions such as banks.

For citizenship, you must have the required number of days and there's no exceptions. If you don't meet the residency requirements, links don't count. For the RRV, it's almost the other way around. You must have the links but they can be lenient on the residency requirements. However, if you meet the residency requirements for a RRV, approval should be automatic and it should be 5 years.

Question - do you mean once you've got PR? If you're coming on a temp visa, then you have to pay international fees and they are eye-wateringly expensive. As others have said, to get into university, you must have HSC (Higher School Certificate) equivalent, which would be A levels. There are courses available at TAFE.