How long does the 175 normally take to process?

rediguana25

Hi,
After taking so long to make my mind up about going to live in OZ I've finally decided to do it! I want to apply for the 175 and my quals are still on the SOL list - (phew). If I were to apply in July how long would you reckon it would take to process? Would it make a difference if you have loads of work experience etc in your field (ie. would this make decision happen sooner?) or is it a matter of just how long it takes the dept. to get around to the application?
Also if everything looks good on paper is there still a chance that application would not go through? and how likely would that be?
Thanks a mill...now that i've made my decision to up and leave a great job, great friends and family for the unknown I just want to go before I get a chance to change my mind again.......:rolleyes:

Zambia

rediguana25 wrote: »

Hi,
After taking so long to make my mind up about going to live in OZ I've finally decided to do it! I want to apply for the 175 and my quals are still on the SOL list - (phew). If I were to apply in July how long would you reckon it would take to process? Would it make a difference if you have loads of work experience etc in your field (ie. would this make decision happen sooner?) or is it a matter of just how long it takes the dept. to get around to the application?
Also if everything looks good on paper is there still a chance that application would not go through? and how likely would that be?
Thanks a mill...now that i've made my decision to up and leave a great job, great friends and family for the unknown I just want to go before I get a chance to change my mind again.......:rolleyes:

Skills test about 12 weeks

Application about 1 year

If all goes well

cormaclynch

I applied for my 175 at end of September. Took about 3 months to get skills assessed from Engineers Australia which held me back at the start.

I got a case officer mid December and after a few months of getting police reports and medicals done etc I got it granted at the start of April. It should have been quicker if i'd got my police checks etc done all together but I wasn't sure if I needed them.

Bit of advice about the police reports. They say if you have lived in a place for 12 months or more then you need one. I lived in Oz before for 11 months so I assumed I didnt need one. My case officer emeiled me and told me I did so it takes about 4-6 weeks all in to come through. 15 working days for the report then postage each way. So if you are in doubt and have lived in a place for 9 months or more i'd get a police report. I had to get 3 in total but they are all handy to get, just form filling and paying the money.

Any other help you need you can PM me and I'll help as best I can also the forum on British ex pats is really good for advice and thousands of people on it daily with advice

Hells Belle

We got skills assessed in April 2008, took about 6 weeks, applied for 175 in August 2008 with 120 points, healthy, no convictions, under 30 etc- got visa in May 2010 - total of 22 months. When we applied the wait for PR was 6 mths. They change the rules so frequently we kept getting put in different queues, it was a nightmare for a while, but its all done now and we have the lovely visa. I'd do it again if I had to.
Go for it but take all you hear about someone getting their visa in weeks with a pinch of salt.
If you want to see some timelines to www.pomsinoz.com - the migration section, I find them much friendlier than the british expats site tbh.
If you are under 30 try for a WHV and then maybe try and get sponsorship when you get there....;)
Belle

Elliee

There was no applications being processed for a month or two earlier this year. Adding to what already is a long waiting time. You would be lucky to recieve a 175 visa within a 2 year period.

rediguana25

Thanks Guys-
Ok so basically it depends. I'm really an optimist so not even going to entertain the idea of it taking 2 yrs!;-) I was thinking it could be about March or so which sounds on the fast side from all the comments....
My application for skills assessment will go in next wk so hopefully that won't take 3 months but we'll see...Ok well at least I've an idea now but again...i'll plan for early summer next yr to go (power of positive thinking and all that).

Cormaclynch..thanks for the tip re. the police checks - I'll get them so they'll have them if they need them. Have you moved to Oz yet? My God sooooo exciting!!!;-)

rediguana25

Btw -i'm over 30 so I'm not eligible for the WHV ;-(

mandrake04

Its really too hard to gauge how long it going to take, like Elliee says there has been no processing May/June of this year... so there is already 2 months of applications to be processed in front of any new applications lodged in July, there is an upside since the SOL has been reduced there would be less people eligible to apply because their occupation is not on the new list.

Cormac probably enjoyed the benefit of being on the CSL or Critical skills List, having your occupation on this list give you priority processing over other occupations. The CSL has now been revoked in favour of the New SOL so its now gone.

The length of time to get a skills assessment often depends on which assessing body you are applying to!! at best most probably take between 6 weeks to 3 months. Also another factor to consider is that due to the change in the SOL there are also some changes to the assessing bodies for the skills assessment, people have been holding off for the new SOL because it would be a waste of time getting assessed for an occupation that was to be dropped of the list. Since the new list was only released last month I would say that there was a whole bunch of new assessment applications over the last few weeks.... 3 months for a skills assessment would be a very optimistic duration.

cormaclynch

I did benefit from the CSL as a Civil Engineer which did push me on a bit. Note of warning about the police checks and medicals is there is a time limit in them so if you get the checks done and then your case officer doesn't ask for them for a while they might expire and you'll have to redo them.

I'm currently travelling and am landing in Oz in 2 weeks. Cant wait, just hope the jobs market doesn't collapse round the 20th of June!

rediguana25

I wouldn't worry about the job market at all sure you'll pick up something. Positive attitude and all that.

Looks like i'm a good bit away from going to Oz yet then. At least I won't be disappointed - I just won't expect it to come so soon.
Sure my skills assessment request is only going in now;-(

time flies as they say though so in the meantime i'll enjoy it!!

Thanks guys

rediguana25

Ok so FYI in case anyone interested in how long the 175 permanent resident skilled visa takes to process. My application went in at start of march. I got assigned to a case officer in October. They asked me for one document which I had and submitted online that night and next morning I had an email saying my visa was granted. So around 8 months from when my application was submitted. Exactly how long I believed it would be!:D

sponge_bob

fu*k off:eek:
you jammy b**tard:eek:


obviously iam very jealous,
i sent in my application for a subclas 176 at the start of january 2011 they looked for police certs in may and then heard nothing for months. so popped them off an e-mail in sept and they requested my sponsor to fill out a form and some more documents from me. my brother is sponsoring me but when i was looking for him to fill out the form he was over seas on holiday for 3-4 weeks, and when he got back to sydney he was hopping onto another plane to go to NZ for 2 weeks for the QF and SF of the world cup. so i had to get an extension on the time to have the extra info submitted by. so i have sent all that to them about 2 weeks ago, iam hoping to hear something back before the end of the month. was going to pop them off another e-mail there in a few weeks time if i havn't heard anything.

just as a matter of interest, what skill did you have?
iam a carpenter and joiner and i was put into catagery 3, which basically meant i was pushed to the back of the que:(
just as a matter of interest, how much time did they give you to arrive in australia before the visa expires?

rediguana25

I'm sure it won't be too long now!!! You could have it before Xmas..how bad...
I'm an accountant but they also put me as category 3 i think..I just wasn't sponsored though so maybe that's different. Mine was the independent visa. So I have to activate it by end of April- thought I'd have more time but I think I got my police cert and it was dated around april this year so I guess that's the reason for that date.
Best of luck with yours! Where will you move to when you get it?

sponge_bob

most likely move to perth, i have one brother there and another in sydney. but from what i can gather perth seems to be more affordable. we are also considering melbourne, still kinda unsure as it is hard to make plans when we don't even have the visa yet. i have a wife and 3 kids included on my application aswell, so there is a bit more paperwork involved there aswell which is probably slowing it down a bit.

we got our police certs in march, i think they only last 12mths so thats what determines the date of entry afaik.

where abouts are you thinking of going?

rediguana25

You're lucky you have family out there- I'm sure it will come through it's just a pain as you said not to be able to plan until you have it.
I'll be going to Sydney as I've really close friends there so at least i've a base until I get sorted. Daunting and exciting!! Best of luck with yours!

danielstook

hi sponge bob,

i'm just wondering if you could help me out?

i am currently doing alot of research on migrating to australia. this is how i found your post, you mentioned you are a chippy ! i am looking to find out about the trade assesment test for a migration visa.

i'm working as a chippy here in ireland and unfortuneatly i dont have formal qualifications. so i'm looking into taking a skills test,

could you help me out with a few things ?

sponge_bob

danielstook wrote: »

hi sponge bob,

i'm just wondering if you could help me out?

i am currently doing alot of research on migrating to australia. this is how i found your post, you mentioned you are a chippy ! i am looking to find out about the trade assesment test for a migration visa.

i'm working as a chippy here in ireland and unfortuneatly i dont have formal qualifications. so i'm looking into taking a skills test,

could you help me out with a few things ?

sure, no problem
i posted in you thread a earlier,
my situation was a bit different as i am qualified, ie done an apprenticeship and exams.
but if i can be of any help, then fire away.

danielstook

hi spongebob,

thanks for your reply and post !

ya, so we are a little different, i dont have fas papers here, so looking to do the skills test out in oz. do you know anything about whats involved in their tests, or maybe you know of someone who has taken one of these ?