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Can I work outside of the regional areas on a 489 visa?


mwjw

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Hi,

 

Here on a 489 Regional sponsored visa and can't find much work. Would it be a massive issue if I ventured out of these areas to get work? The wife has no problems, but I can't find anything. Everymans dream to sit at home with a beer and playstation, but want wash with the missus!!!! I can get jobs in Perth no problem, but that would be against rules set. Has anyone had this issue or found a way round it?

 

Mike

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Yes it would as you have to do reports every 6 months and if they found out you could be deported!! Not worth the hassle after what you go through to get a visa in first instance you are better off sticking to rules for first 2 years and getting your PR then you can live and work anywhere in WA.

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HI, I have not posted on here yet, so hope this works!! My family and I are moving to WA on a 489 visa in January. The condition on our visa states we must live, work & study in the designated area which is anywhere in WA. We originally thought that we were restricted to certain regional postcodes. We contacted immigration to check & they sent us a link to confirm. Might be worth a check.

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HI, I have not posted on here yet, so hope this works!! My family and I are moving to WA on a 489 visa in January. The condition on our visa states we must live, work & study in the designated area which is anywhere in WA. We originally thought that we were restricted to certain regional postcodes. We contacted immigration to check & they sent us a link to confirm. Might be worth a check.

 

Thanks for the helpful info Haven and welcome to PP

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I wouldnt have thought you could live anywhere in WA. This link is to a DIAC booklet - Page 13 clearly states you must live in designated area of WA. Could be a bit of confusion as also on same page states if you are being sponsored by a relative they can live anywhere in WA to be eligible to sponsor you - that's how I read it anyway http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/1119.pdf

 

Haven do you have the link that you were provided with?

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Our 489 visa has the visa condition 8549 condition attached to it, we must live/work/study in the designated area. I looked at booklet 6 and thought we were restricted by the regional postcode areas. This is the reply and link we received back when I checked:

 

Thank you for your enquiry on the skilled Visa Regional Sponsored (subclass

489).

 

The following link clarifies what are considered designated areas according

to the state/territory where you are migrating.

 

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/designated-areas.htm

 

So for designated areas you can live anywhere in WA, but if you visa states a regional condition then you are restricted to certain postcodes. Personally I would always double check as don't want to get it wrong!!

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@Haven21: This is actually rather simple:

1. If you're state sponsored (WA that is), then the postcode thing comes into play - which basically means you have to live and work outside Perth.

2. If you're family sponsored then you can relax, you can live and work ANYWHERE in WA.

 

Hope this helps.

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HI Levi,

 

We are on a State Sponsored visa for WA and as I said have the visa condition 8459 stating that we must live/work/study in the designated area. Which as the link on my last post shows is for anywhere in WA.

 

As usual it is not as straight forward as it might seem. It is important to also read any visa conditions that the case officer puts on the actual visa. I contacted the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to clarify the condition.

 

Sorry if I didn't make this very clear in my last post hope it makes sense now! If not please say & I will try again!!

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HI Levi,

 

We are on a State Sponsored visa for WA and as I said have the visa condition 8459 stating that we must live/work/study in the designated area. Which as the link on my last post shows is for anywhere in WA.

 

As usual it is not as straight forward as it might seem. It is important to also read any visa conditions that the case officer puts on the actual visa. I contacted the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to clarify the condition.

 

Sorry if I didn't make this very clear in my last post hope it makes sense now! If not please say & I will try again!!

.

 

hi - just read what it says in the link you have provided - it seems to be saying that if you have been sponsored by an eligible relative then your relative must live anywhere in WA. As I understand it you have to live/work in the regional areas which does not include Perth on the 489 Regional State Sponsored visa.

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Levi is correct, if you are a 489 family sponsored, you can live anywhere in Wa. However, if you are 489 state sponsored, you have to live in the areas designated by postcodes. We too are on the same visa in a similar position, my OH is fine for work, me on the other hand is now resigned to shelf stacking in a supermarket, but I knew this may be the case before I came, so I will do it until we get PR, hopefully then I too can get a nice well paid job closer to the city.

 

These are the conditions of this visa. I'm really surprised that so many people opt for this visa, but don't really find anything out about it first. There have been loads of people asking the same question. There was a case about 6 months ago about a couple who lived a couple of km's out of their designated postcode, although they fulfilled the visa requirements in every other respect, they were still sent back to the UK. So I think that shows how serious they take a breach of visa here.

 

Hope this help. It really is hard trying to get work here, but lots of people won't believe you. There was an article in a local paper here about regional visas, and the local immigration advice people were saying how many destitute people they get through their doors as they can't find work in regional areas. As they come and spend all their savings, can't get work and return to their place of origin skint.

 

I'm not being a doom merchant, but I've seen a few threads to reiterate this point in the last year or so.

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That's 2 people backing me. So I'd recommend Haven21 to read again the text in their link (this was the one: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/designated-areas.htm), it clearly says: "[...] and you are being sponsored by an eligible relative [...]"

 

If you are state sponsored then you can only live and work where the postcodes tell you to.

 

"I contacted the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to clarify the condition." As user verystormy says: "I would not rely on contacting DIAC as thy are notorious for getting things wrong." "They are pretty notorious with this. They are covered by legislation that absolves them from blame for incorrect advice." See here (start reading from there): http://www.perthpoms.com/forum/migration-issues/11401-489-visa-rules-2.html#post72316I

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taylors4

I fully understand the restrictions on the 489 but the comment about lack of work really worries me. Do you mind me asking where you are based. Im heading to mandurah in 5 weeks hoping to find work straight away , my wife and children are following me out as soon as I find work.

Andy

 

Hi Andy

 

I've been talking to someone living in Mandurah - he is saying plenty of building work happening there so there should be no problem............. I've asked for companies etc. so will give an update

 

Skippy59

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Hi Andy, we are in Mandurah there is loads and loads of building work going on, don't worry about that, you will be amazed how much building work there is. what i was trying to say is that being on a regional visa doesn't suit all occupations, and there have been threads on the forum from people who this visa hasn't worked out for, people who have really struggled finding work within their occupation.

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  • 3 months later...
@Haven21: This is actually rather simple:

1. If you're state sponsored (WA that is), then the postcode thing comes into play - which basically means you have to live and work outside Perth.

2. If you're family sponsored then you can relax, you can live and work ANYWHERE in WA.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

Hi Levi and everyone else,

 

Thanks all for your advice on this matter. I'm wanting to apply for a 489 State Sponsored visa, and was aware that Perth and surrounding areas are excluded. BUT, I had no idea that the visa might further restrict us to a specific area of WA - have I understood this correctly? As a nurse, I'm imagining that I'll need to chase jobs anywhere I can get them in WA, and the thought of being restricted to a specific locality is a big concern.

 

Has anyone got experience of applying for a State Sponsored 489? and if these restrictions are put into place, do they tell you after you put in your EOI, or only once the visa is issued?

 

Many thanks!

 

Tubs

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Hi Tubs,

 

we applied for and have been granted our 489. At the time, we thought we could work anywhere, but had to live regionally...we were wrong. didn't find out, until we activated our visa last year and I applied for jobs. I got loads interest only to be told, I couldn't work in Perth CBD or anywhere, I didn't choose as areas I would like to live in. Its made it really difficult for us. The wife can get jobs anywhere, but im finding it really difficult, finance jobs in rural locations are very limited. Choose your areas carefully, as you will have to live and work there, for the first two years. After that there are no restrictions. If I can be any help, send me a pm.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

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