Have just written this news item. SIR visaholders (and applicants) may find it useful as a guide to the documents they should retain from the date they first arrive in Australia ...
http://www.gomatilda.com/news/article.cfm?articleid=348

Best regards.

Thanks Alan :D

Hi Alan

Thank you for keeping us up to date with the latest info - as always - it is very much appreciated.

Cheers

Suzy

hi alan,

thanks for the info!

i know this excerpt is from the DIMIA website but other portions seem to contradict the work requirement. Can you/anyone help to clarify?

from your/dimia excerpt :
"There is no restriction on the type of work that you may undertake. The only restriction is that the employment:
be 'full-time'
and
undertaken in a regional or low population growth metropolitan area in Australia."

However from the FAQ under 'What type of work am i able to do on an SIR visa" it also says :
".....It is also expected that SIR visa holders work in their nominated occupation. Failure to do so may mean that you are unable to obtain the necessary sponsorship at the permanent visa stage."

Under "What are the concessions if you apply for one of the regional permenant visas" it says :
"Skills do not need to be assessed ...... provided you are nominating the same occupation in your permanent visa application that you nominated in your Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (subclass 495) visa application. If you nominate a different occupation then a new skills assessment is required."

I also heard that some of this is state specific ie SA is the most lenient.

any advice? especially before i start job hunting :)

thanks all!

Thank's for this information Alan,

As an SIR Visa holder, I was just about aware of the facts listed in your PR summary. One issue however that does come to mind is that during my migration application process time, DIMIA have moved the goal posts twice (Increasing points required from 115 to 120 and the other being the $100k inscription bonds criteria).

With this in mind is it possible that once in oz, following the criteria laid out in your report, DIMIA could alter/increase the requirements for PR.

V

My view is that SIR visaholders need to be clear on their pathways to permanent residence (see here for more details), and if planning to apply for p/r via a State Nomination should be asking for confirmation - IN WRITING - from the State Government as to the criteria against which they will assess an applicant.

In other words, are there any requirements as to what occupation the SIR visaholder must have been working in order to secure a State Nomination? Can you work in Adelaide delivering pizzas and still expect to be Nominated by the SA Government?

You will probably find that there is an expectation that SIR visaholders work in a skilled occupation, but this area is uncharted waters - having asked the question of the Governments of SA, VIC, and WA I have yet to receive a completely categoric answer.

So tread carefully - if you can secure employment in your nominated skilled occupation this is a non issue. If you can't it would be prudent to know the nature of the occupations in which you can work if you are planning on applying for a permanent visa.

Best regards.

Always possible - but most unlikely (in my view).

Best regards.

hey wow! i didn't know i could do that ;) that's a good step to try, thanks for the advice

i do have an agent, he's saying pretty much the same thing - that there's been no definitive info from DIMIA. its just quite if-fy, after all that time & effort & hopes, i definitely don't want to be kicked out in 3 years time.

i would love a job in my nominated occupation but i'm just not sure i can get one... haven't seen any job ads in that field this whole time.

well, i know there are quite a few on SIR who got it end last year/early this year. hope to hear your experiences in 1 1/2 years time :P

cheers!

We were also a bit concerned about being forced to leave after 3 years so we emailed SA immigration dept. Here's their reply:

The South Australian Government actively promotes migration to our State and wishes to offer sponsorship to SIR visa applicants who seek to live work and settle in our State. Our expectation is that SIR visa holders sponsored by South Australia will be seeking employment in their nominated occupation, or in employment in a closely related occupation, once they settle here.

When it comes to SIR visa holders living in South Australia who seek a permanent visa under the STNI, the South Australian Government's position is that it will nominate those who it believes have contributed to our society. In that regard, our position is clear and is as follows:

* if SIR visa holders have lived in South Australia for 2 years and

* if either they, or their partner, have secured full time work (more than 30 hours a week), in any occupation, for at least 1 year during that 2 year period, then South Australia will sponsor those applicants for a permanent visa through the STNI arrangements. Your occupation does not need to be on the STNI list.

I can assure you, that if you and your family move to South Australia as a SIR visa holder, commit to settle here as residents and satisfy the above criteria, your nomination for permanent visa under the STNI program will be supported by South Australia.

I hope that this clarifies this situation.

Not sure how reliable this will be in the long term but we are keeping it as evidence. We also visited SA immigration dept in Adelaide in March and their view was that it was unlikely that the rules would change as the government wished to increase the population in Adelaide. It was enough to convince us to apply for SIR. I hope it works out for us all in the long term.

Wendy :)

Hi Wendy

Thanks for the info.

It is certainly reassuring information especially as it is coming straight from the horse mouth.

I guess until the first SIR holders start applying for PR we will not know for sure.


It does seem stupid that a state and government would promote a visa only for you then to be kicked out.

Fingers crossed.

Graham