Skilled Visa/Holiday Visa

domrush

I’m interested in a move to Australia, Sydney specifically. I’m a qualified actuary under the age of 30. Am I best off applying for a skilled visa, and if so what is the rough timeline? Would I be as well off applying off a holiday visa first and then a skilled visa once over there?

Finding very vague and conflicting details online at the minute. The last post in the skilled visa thread was 3 years ago so I’m assuming things might have changed, just wondering are they even giving out Visa’s considering Covid.

Also the price of the skilled visa is quite high around 3-4K, is there any way of reducing this? Do you only pay upon granting of the visa?

Bobjims

domrush wrote: »

I’m interested in a move to Australia, Sydney specifically. I’m a qualified actuary under the age of 30. Am I best off applying for a skilled visa, and if so what is the rough timeline? Would I be as well off applying off a holiday visa first and then a skilled visa once over there?

Finding very vague and conflicting details online at the minute. The last post in the skilled visa thread was 3 years ago so I’m assuming things might have changed, just wondering are they even giving out Visa’s considering Covid.

Also the price of the skilled visa is quite high around 3-4K, is there any way of reducing this? Do you only pay upon granting of the visa?

Australia's borders are currenty closed to all except citizens and permanent residents. Citizens and permanent residents are also banned from leaving the country without certain exemptions. The government here is indicating that borders may be closed to the majority of countries for nearly all of 2021.

I would hold off for another few months before applying for anything. If you're unsure about making your move here permanent, I would do a year out here on a working holiday visa in a few years after borders open just to see if you like it before dropping thousands on permanent residency. You're young so you've lots of time.

If you apply for any temporary visa (e.g. working holiday), you won't be able to enter Australia until the borders open. I'd be surprised if they're even granting temporary visas at the moment.

The price of a visa is payable at time of application. There's no way of reducing this and no refunds if the visa is not granted. If skilled PR, I would also allow a couple of grand for medicals and agent fees if you're using one.

I'd recommend using a registered migration agent to help with any permanent skilled visa you want to apply for. We used one and the advice they gave on some aspects of our application was very helpful.

aido79

domrush wrote: »

I’m interested in a move to Australia, Sydney specifically. I’m a qualified actuary under the age of 30. Am I best off applying for a skilled visa, and if so what is the rough timeline? Would I be as well off applying off a holiday visa first and then a skilled visa once over there?

Finding very vague and conflicting details online at the minute. The last post in the skilled visa thread was 3 years ago so I’m assuming things might have changed, just wondering are they even giving out Visa’s considering Covid.

Also the price of the skilled visa is quite high around 3-4K, is there any way of reducing this? Do you only pay upon granting of the visa?

The immigration website https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/ is the best source of information. Australia frequently changes it policies in relation to visas so make sure to do your research and keep up to date.

There really is no information available about when visas will start to be processed again so it'll be a waiting game. I would be surprised if anything changes until the second half of next year.

Even citizens are having a hard time getting back to Australia at the minute so it's hard to know when they will allow visa applicants in.

I would imagine there will a huge backlog of visas to be processed when it all starts again so it may take over a year for a skilled visa application to be processed. The working holiday should be a lot quicker but you may have to be willing to work in jobs outside your field as the 6 month limit may put employers off hiring you as an actuary.

davidmel

Right now the Australian border is still closed due to Covid to temporary visa holders including working holiday visas. At the beginning of Oct, Australian Government just released their new budget for the financial year and skilled visa places will be allocated to states very soon. It is a very special time of the year.

It may be worthy to find out your eligibility for skilled visa first and then plan whether it's good to wait to go on WHV or go straight for a skilled visa.

domrush wrote: »

I’m interested in a move to Australia, Sydney specifically. I’m a qualified actuary under the age of 30. Am I best off applying for a skilled visa, and if so what is the rough timeline? Would I be as well off applying off a holiday visa first and then a skilled visa once over there?

Finding very vague and conflicting details online at the minute. The last post in the skilled visa thread was 3 years ago so I’m assuming things might have changed, just wondering are they even giving out Visa’s considering Covid.

Also the price of the skilled visa is quite high around 3-4K, is there any way of reducing this? Do you only pay upon granting of the visa?