AdamLee83 Posted August 20 Share Posted August 20 Hi, I am a new member here so first up - hello to all! Myself, my wife and two small children (7 and 3) are wanting to move down under. Its been a plan for a few years, especially after visiting in 2019 but now we are wanting to crack on and get started. I am a 41yo estate agent and my wife is a 37yo medical secretary. I have lots of family in the Brisbane area but I know this is not 'regional' so we are aiming for the Gold Coast or similar. We have seen so many differing views about whether to use a migration agent or go it alone, of the two migration agents I have spoken to they come back with different results. My family are willing to sponsor me, but not sure which visa is best. Any tips and advice would be welcome - thank you in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausvisitor Posted August 20 Share Posted August 20 I'm not an agent so take my words with a pinch of salt but a a quick Google suggests your careers aren't on the list that qualifies for any of the residency visas (actually your wife is for the 491 regional) So your options might be limited to temporary (time bound) visa for 2 - 4 years and then return home or employer sponsored (but again no guarantee you can progress to residency) Probably worth spending a few quid to get a plan of action agreed with a migration agent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 20 Share Posted August 20 (edited) The bad news: to be eligible for any visa, either you or your wife must work in an occupation that's on the skilled lists. Then that person becomes the visa applicant, and the rest of you are included in that person's visa. If neither of you is on the skills list, then you can't migrate. End of story. No way round it. Having family sponsorship makes no difference whatsoever. If one of you can find your occupation on the skilled list, that's not the end of the story. You also need to check the requirements. They will specify what qualifications and experience are required, and you must satisfy those requirements. Again, if you don't meet the requirements, you can't migrate. As for choosing a visa: you have a choice of a 189, 190 or 491. The 189 is the Rolls Royce and lets you live anywhere in Australia permanently. The 190 is almost as good, but it's issued by the states, so you have to live in the state you applied to (though you're allowed to move elsewhere after a couple of years). The 491 is a provisional (i.e. temporary) visa, sort of like being on probation. If you meet all the rules for the 491, it leads to a permanent visa after a few years. I agree with Ausvisitor: you need to book a one-off consultation with a MARA registered migration agent (it can be over the phone). You don't have time to muck around doing your own research. If there are things you need to do to be eligible (e.g., do some retraining), then you're leaving it a bit late to get it all done before you're too old (the cut-off date for all of the above visas is 45). Edited August 20 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 13 hours ago, AdamLee83 said: Hi, I am a new member here so first up - hello to all! Myself, my wife and two small children (7 and 3) are wanting to move down under. Its been a plan for a few years, especially after visiting in 2019 but now we are wanting to crack on and get started. I am a 41yo estate agent and my wife is a 37yo medical secretary. I have lots of family in the Brisbane area but I know this is not 'regional' so we are aiming for the Gold Coast or similar. We have seen so many differing views about whether to use a migration agent or go it alone, of the two migration agents I have spoken to they come back with different results. My family are willing to sponsor me, but not sure which visa is best. Any tips and advice would be welcome - thank you in advance! Welcome to the forum... I'm no expert but did a quick Google like Ausvisitor did above and it appears your wife's occupation is on the list so that would possibly be the route to follow with you piggy backing on her visa, i think it would be much simpler than trying to get family sponsorship.. I would call an agent (lots post on here- their contact details in their signature) for an initial consultation to put you on the right track and get the ball rolling. It will cost to use an agent but i found they helped a lot when were applying and worth their weight in gold.. lots of luck and keep us updated. Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 7 minutes ago, calNgary said: i think it would be much simpler than trying to get family sponsorship. I'm curious, what kind of family sponsorship do you think they would be eligible for? I thought these days, if you aren't an aged parent of an Aussie citizen, or a carer, there aren't any options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamLee83 Posted August 21 Author Share Posted August 21 Thanks for your responses, this is really helpful. We checked on the skilled occupation list and saw real estate representative and property manager (lettings, I have done this for 18 years as well as selling homes) on the list. But awaiting a response from emigrate2australia and will see what they say. I suppose if anyone knows of a decent mara reg agent in the UK that would help, when googling I cannot tell which ones are legit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamLee83 Posted August 21 Author Share Posted August 21 2 hours ago, Marisawright said: I'm curious, what kind of family sponsorship do you think they would be eligible for? I thought these days, if you aren't an aged parent of an Aussie citizen, or a carer, there aren't any options. I have aunts/uncles and saw they were able to sponsor on the government website, but may have seen this incorrectly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 1 hour ago, AdamLee83 said: Thanks for your responses, this is really helpful. We checked on the skilled occupation list and saw real estate representative and property manager (lettings, I have done this for 18 years as well as selling homes) on the list. But awaiting a response from emigrate2australia and will see what they say. I suppose if anyone knows of a decent mara reg agent in the UK that would help, when googling I cannot tell which ones are legit! I can't find emigrate2australia anywhere, are they MARA registered? They are not legit if they don't have that MARA registration. They don't have to be in the UK to have a consultation because it can all be done over the phone or online. I suggest getting a quote from Suncoast Migration or Go Matilda. 1 hour ago, AdamLee83 said: I have aunts/uncles and saw they were able to sponsor on the government website, but may have seen this incorrectly There is one visa where your family can sponsor you. It's the 491 regional visa that I mentioned. However, you still have to have an occupation/skills on the list first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamLee83 Posted August 21 Author Share Posted August 21 11 minutes ago, Marisawright said: I can't find emigrate2australia anywhere, are they MARA registered? They are not legit if they don't have that MARA registration. They don't have to be in the UK to have a consultation because it can all be done over the phone or online. I suggest getting a quote from Suncoast Migration or Go Matilda. There is one visa where your family can sponsor you. It's the 491 regional visa that I mentioned. However, you still have to have an occupation/skills on the list first. Thanks Marisa! When I contacted that company it lead me to talking to someone called Greg Veal at Taylor Hampton Solicitors - he was really helpful and I am now awaiting a further reply. He is MARA registered but I will take a look at the companies you have recommended too. He was recommending the 491 regional or 190 based on the occupations we do. One further thing (sorry to ask!), I used to be a baker in my early twenties for 4 years - would this help further? Even though I have been an estate agent for 18 years, I am happy to look at other routes because I know I would need to do additional qualifications for that in Oz (I have qualifications for that over year btw) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 41 minutes ago, AdamLee83 said: One further thing (sorry to ask!), I used to be a baker in my early twenties for 4 years - would this help further? Even though I have been an estate agent for 18 years, I am happy to look at other routes because I know I would need to do additional qualifications for that in Oz (I have qualifications for that over year btw) The problem would be that you need the required qualifications AND experience, and your baking experience may be too long ago to count. But the agent will advise you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamLee83 Posted August 21 Author Share Posted August 21 2 minutes ago, Marisawright said: The problem would be that you need the required qualifications AND experience, and your baking experience may be too long ago to count. But the agent will advise you. Ah ok thanks for clearing that up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raul Senise Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 Be mindful that both the 190 and 491 programs are by invitation only and therefore not guaranteed. For the 24/25 Migration program, Queensland only has 600 spots for each of these programs, so the invitations will be very difficult to obtain and likely only for specific occupations. Currently the Queensland program remains closed for the 24/25 program year and as such criteria are not yet available. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheery Thistle Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 21 hours ago, AdamLee83 said: Ah ok thanks for clearing that up We used Down Under Centre and have been very happy with the service - we move on our 189 to Brisbane in 6 weeks time! DUC has an online Facebook community which we have found to be invaluable. Emergico and True Blue also come highly recommended by many others. I wouldn’t use a ‘lawyer’ use a migration agent. Wish you all the best of luck and don’t wait - due to your ages you need to get a move on as it can be a lengthy process. Also as the invitations have been cut there are fewer invitations going out - but you need to be in it to win it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamLee83 Posted August 22 Author Share Posted August 22 4 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said: We used Down Under Centre and have been very happy with the service - we move on our 189 to Brisbane in 6 weeks time! DUC has an online Facebook community which we have found to be invaluable. Emergico and True Blue also come highly recommended by many others. I wouldn’t use a ‘lawyer’ use a migration agent. Wish you all the best of luck and don’t wait - due to your ages you need to get a move on as it can be a lengthy process. Also as the invitations have been cut there are fewer invitations going out - but you need to be in it to win it! Thanks for your advice there, I have speaking with Go Matilda and submitted everything there, and Sun coast migration so fingers crossed on that. Also my family over there are talking to companies (people they know within the companies) about potential sponsorship so a few avenues to look at I suppose. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 1 hour ago, AdamLee83 said: Also my family over there are talking to companies (people they know within the companies) about potential sponsorship so a few avenues to look at I suppose. Tell them thank you, but hold off until you've spoken to a migration agent. Companies cannot sponsor anyone they like. You MUST still have the same qualifications and experience that you need for the other visas. So they will potentially be wasting those companies' time at the moment, until you know where you stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 11 hours ago, AdamLee83 said: Thanks for your advice there, I have speaking with Go Matilda and submitted everything there, and Sun coast migration so fingers crossed on that. Sorry, I may have explained myself badly. There's absolutely no point in asking multiple agents for a free opinion. A free opinion is always just a high-level, theoretical answer. I gave you a few names so you could ask them for a quote for a one-off, paid, thorough consultation about your specific circumstances. Factors like your age, exact qualifications and experience can all affect your eligility so there's really no way around having that meeting. It's the only way you're going to find out the facts -- and it really doesn't matter which agent you choose, they'll all give you the same facts. Did you understand Raul's post? He's another good agent who's very helpful on these forums. He's saying that you can't apply to Queensland for the 190 or 491 visa right now, because they're not open for applications. What's more, they haven't even released the details of what criteria they're going to require. @Raul Senise, would you say it's worth having a paid consultation at this point, or would you advise waiting until Queensland opens its doors? https://www.migration.qld.gov.au/visa-options/skilled-visas 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 (edited) @AdamLee83, I meant to say, you're getting different opinions from different agents because you're just asking for free advice, and they're making guesses about your particular circumstances. Whereas if you sat down with three agents for a paid consultation, you'd get the same result from all three of them. I should expand on my answer regarding employer-sponsored visas. The average small to medium-sized employer in Australia has never sponsored anyone, because it sounds too complicated and expensive. If someone just approaches them out of the blue with a general enquiry, they'll either say 'no' because it all sounds too hard, or say 'yes maybe' which is basically just fobbing you off. For that reason, I think if you want to investigate that option, you need to approach employers very professionally, after you've done all your homework, and you know exactly what visa you'd be employed under and how it works. Then you can put together a package to approach an employer, ready to explain it all to them. I wouldn't rely on your relatives to do it, either -- I'd go on holiday and do it personally. First step is to check whether your occupations are on the list for those visas (the MLTSSL and STSOL lists). Again, your agent will tell you. You also need to consider whether an employer-sponsored visa is suitable for you, which is a whole other discussion. Happy to go into that further if needs be, but first I'd find out whether you are even eligible, to save confusing yourself with unnecessary info. Edited August 22 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausvisitor Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 I've heard of people having success getting sponsorship from the UK, usually if they have a well known reputation or have attended some of the UK job fairs where AUS companies are shopping for talent. Speculative email/phone calls rarely work (queue at least 10 people saying that's how they did it - which is great for them but spectacularly rare in the general process) Get over here and make "coffee chat" appointments with companies you are interested in, very few will say no. Then you get to effectively have an informal interview and discuss the what-ifs It also signals you are serious, you can probably guess how many people in the UK have woken up one day and thought "you know what I might like AUS maybe I'll see if someone would employ me" and then after asking so nothing with the info because life gets in the way. I guarantee it's a least a hundred times the number who actually do it. This is a shocking waste of time for the AUS employer so most (who have been burned) don't bother until you are in country 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdonagh migrations Posted August 23 Share Posted August 23 There are a lot of different conversations going on here so a couple of general observations.... Free advice is usually worth what you pay for it. In many cases it's a 30 min slot for an Agent to sell to you in exchange for some generic "the usual case is..." advice. That said there are some big and good agencies do free consults so you pay your money (or not) and take you choice. My view though is investing a few hundred dollars in personal, written advice is rarely a waste. The answer on the best time to engage an Agent is usually "before now". The second best time is "now". It is never too early to seek guidance, it can save weeks or months of wasted effort. Why do all the work and then ask for how to do the work? Much better to get early guidance and then work in a targetted way. I spoke to a potential client this week who has no plans to move until Q1 2026, at the earliest. That's an extreme example (and possibly a little too far in advance, given how regs change) but earlier is better than later The old line about "ask 3 accountants a tax question and you will 4 different answers" is true for RMAs as well. All will have a slightly different spin, biases or preferences. The advice will be consistent in direction but could well vary in detail. That doesn't mean that one Agent is right and one is wrong, it's just different approaches. Speaking to multiple Agents may be counter productive, you end up with advice that will line up but not be consistent causing confusion You can get jobs from the UK that sponsor you for a visa - I did it myself through an ad i saw on LinkedIn. But it is much harder and much rarer than the success stories you read online would have you believe 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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