A summary of the main changes affecting offshore skilled migrants (based on my first read through of the new Regulations) is here:
http://www.gomatilda.com/news/article.cfm?articleid=421

Best regards.

Thanks for the info Alan. I'll pin it at the top for a while.

OMG. That means we can apply straight away for PR as our points went up LAST March, 7 days after we got here. We were told we couldn't do it then.

Joanne xx

QUOTE: Existing Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) visaholders - subclass number 495 - can apply straightaway for an offshore general skilled migration visa from the 1st of September, 2007. This change might be of particular interest to those with occupations that are added to the MODL, eg Painters and Decorators, after their SIR visa has been submitted

The above is quite unclear as to whether this new change applies to people who have sumitted their applications for SIR and are still waiting for a reply, or to those of us that already have SIR visas, or both

We currently hold a SIR visa that has been validated and myself and kids are moving to Oz in January 2008 to start school in Adelaide (husband main applicant will only join us 6 months later) If we are now able to apply for the offshore skilled migration visa (hubby is now on MODL), does this mean:
1. that we have to complete all the forms, send in all the same docs, redo police and medicals and pay the fee again or will there be a "short cut" as theoretically they have all our info and we have passed medicals and police clearance etc??
2. would the SIR visa be valid until the skilled independant is issued?

Obviously a PR visa is a far better option in the long run, as we do not qualify for benefits on SIR

Many thanks

Mikelingelo

Would be very interested as our SIR visa was approved at the end of Feb but we are now on MODL which gives us enough points for what is now the 136 visa.

Lea

I believe you are looking at lodging an entirely new visa application, with the need to:

- obtain another skills assessment classification letter (this should be possible by contacting the skills assessment body and - probably - paying an admin fee)

- pay the Visa Application Charge of $2,060

- meet the recent work experience requirements at the time the new visa application is submitted

- attend medical examinations and obtain all required police clearance certificates

- go offshore (ie be outside Australia) at the time of visa grant

Feel able to telephone me via my office in Melbourne (+61 3 9935 2929) if you want to discuss further.

Best regards.

How does this apply if Police checks and meds are still current i.e within the 12 month period??

Lea

They may still be capable of being used - but recognise that they will still need to be in effect at the date you validate the permanent residency visa, not only when the visa application is submitted.

Best regards.

I'm confused !! Our agency emailed me this a couple of weeks ago:

YOU could reapply for another visa & go through the ENTIRE process again. No cross referencing of your current visa would be undertaken if this were to happen. You would need to withdraw your current visa (& as it has been granted, this would be problematic on its own) & make an entirely new application for a new visa which would include all the fees being paid again as well as the time involved.

Perhaps something changed since they sent this but from what I have read above Alan is more or less saying that we can continue on our current SIR495 visa & if we do want to apply for PR as P&D's are now on MODL then we must meet the criteria above, I guess the biggest drawback would be to be 'offshore' at some point in the future but it could be done I guess, pop over to NZ for a while as we have friends there.

I think I will email the agency for clarity 'yet again', it does frustrate me cause we now have the visa we applied for they really don't seem to want to help. Are others finding this the case?

Alan we arrive in Adelaide on the 6th Sept, so I might give you a call then to discuss this if that is ok.

Angela

Thanks Alan

Lea

Sorry if this is a repeat of the other questions, but could someone confirm the below scenario is now possible;

We enter Oz on a 475 under my 50 point occupation.

OH has a 60 point IT occupation which he can't apply under as he hasn't got a job offer.

OH gets a job in IT. He then immediately applies for PR as the main applicant as he will have 120 points.

Can this be true? Or does he have to do a year's work in Oz?

Thanks for your views! :D

Nicola