Hi all,
I'm currently in the process of applying for a 189 visa as Mechanical Engineer. Everything has been good so far, I have 80 points for my application. To get an EOI at 80 points I had to declare work experience relevant to my skilled occupation. I sent the details of my work experience to Engineers Australia who confirmed that I had over 8 years of work experience, which backs-up my work experience claims with the DIBP. My medicals are complete too, all seems to be well there and my invitation closes on 9th September.
I am currently a serving member of the British Army Reserve. Does anybody here have any experience of applying for a 189 visa (or any other visa) while serving as members of the British Armed Forces (or serving in another nation's reserve/full-time force) and what documents they presented to their case officer as part of their application? Currently the message I have received from my chain of command is that their is no mechanism to demonstrate my current terms of service with the Army Reserve even though discharging from the Army Reserve is a 15 minute process. I wouldn't like to give up my military service in the Army Reserve until I have the visa in hand as there is always the possibility that I won't get a visa approval.
Many thanks