dan Posted October 17, 2013 Report Share Posted October 17, 2013 Hi As this is my first post I'll just take a minute to introduce myself. I'm Dan, a 31 year old bricklayer from Essex. I am married to Holly, 28, and we have a handsome little boy of 7 months called Miller. We have been talking about moving to oz for years now, since travelling the east coast in 2006. We have decided on heading to Perth as we have family there and it seems to be the place to be for brickies(obviously the weather and beautiful beaches aswell). We are going to start the process in the new year, starting with vetassess. We will be applying for a 190 visa. I have a total of 60 points. Now here the question finally comes: Should I do the IELTS test to gain more points? Would it make it easier or faster for our application to go through? Or is 60 points fine and I'm worrying about nothing? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Laura stray Posted October 17, 2013 Report Share Posted October 17, 2013 Hi. we have recently completed the stages through vetassess, my husband is a carpenter but have just realised we only have 55 points, so he now has to sit the English exam in December...as you think you already have 60 points then that will be fine . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levi Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 The IELTS may be necessary for your skills assessment. On the other hand if you are English then a test like this should be a breeze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemma g Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 hi dan, its been a while since we did our whole visa application so i'm now a little rusty with some details, if 60 points is what you require then thats great and you can ignore the ielts, the only issue i suppose like the post above states is if it is a requirement of your skills assessment. I suppose unless you were dead against it you could always do the ielts anyway, just incase it is required at a later stage and then it won't delay anything because you will already have it (thats what i'd do for the cost and 1 day that it'll take) hope that makes sense. Oh and congrats on being a brickie, you are going to have no probs with work if things continue over here like they are!! : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Laura stray Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 hi dan, its been a while since we did our whole visa application so i'm now a little rusty with some details, if 60 points is what you require then thats great and you can ignore the ielts, the only issue i suppose like the post above states is if it is a requirement of your skills assessment. I suppose unless you were dead against it you could always do the ielts anyway, just incase it is required at a later stage and then it won't delay anything because you will already have it (thats what i'd do for the cost and 1 day that it'll take) hope that makes sense. Oh and congrats on being a brickie, you are going to have no probs with work if things continue over here like they are!! : ) If you hold a British passport and are a uk citizen you don't need to do the ielts test. But you can do it if you need to make up the extra points . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatpack Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 More points= faster invitation to apply, so sit the IELTS if you think you can pass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridges Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 We've just done 190 visa and ielts was a condition of ours. Hubby didn't like school so want looking forward to it. 1st time round passed reading, listening and speaking but failed writing (considering he has never written an essay in his life it was expected!) hired a tutor for a couple of weeks and flew through second time. We've got our medicals on Friday so hopefully not long now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akasully2 Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I sat the IELTS and thought it was going to be a walk in the park as I am English and have good literacy skills. It was in fact nerve wracking, challenging and humbling. How on earth the immigrants who took it with me got through I'll never know. I could only assume that they they were trying to get visas for Britain and that the pass standard must have been very low. Some of them struggled to say, "is this chair free?". Welcome to Britain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted October 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Thanks for your opinions. I have decided to do the IELTS. Although I don't necessarily need the points or the pass right now I may need them further along the line, as pointed out. I'm pretty sure I'll be fine with the speaking, reading and listening, it's just the writing I might struggle with as I've hardly put pen to paper since leaving college. I've been looking at the study books, there are a few to choose from. Anyone have any recommendations? I'll study hard for a few months and do the test in January. Thanks again all of you for your comments Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemma g Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I am a nurse, had plenty of points, a uk citizen and a passport holder and I was required to do the ielts : ) good luck dan and holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelchic Posted October 19, 2013 Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 I have got 60 points and was invited pretty quickly. More points = faster invitation to apply isn't always true. I think it depends on your occupation and visa type. I'm on a 190 and am a nurse. My skills assessment took 16 weeks but once that was completed, within a month I had my EOI accepted, SS accepted and my visa submitted. Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidM Posted October 19, 2013 Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 Thanks for your opinions. I have decided to do the IELTS.... I've been looking at the study books, there are a few to choose from. Anyone have any recommendations? Dan Forget the books, go online and download free practice exams and do lots of them and you'll be fine. Some YouTube vids are great too on where to focus on for each exam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilwiz3 Posted October 19, 2013 Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 The IELTS may be necessary for your skills assessment. On the other hand if you are English then a test like this should be a breeze. A breeze lol, im english and failed 5 times now, im not stupid aswell, i run my own business and have done so for 10 years, I only need 7`s aswell, it`s always reading and listening that gets me i always score 6.5. Speaking and writing i find easy but if you have any tips for me on reading and listening that would be cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatpack Posted October 19, 2013 Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 Thanks for your opinions. I have decided to do the IELTS. Although I don't necessarily need the points or the pass right now I may need them further along the line, as pointed out. I'm pretty sure I'll be fine with the speaking, reading and listening, it's just the writing I might struggle with as I've hardly put pen to paper since leaving college. I've been looking at the study books, there are a few to choose from. Anyone have any recommendations? I'll study hard for a few months and do the test in January.Thanks again all of you for your comments Dan As practice for the writing part, make sure that from here on in you write all texts and emails out in full with the correct grammar, no more shortening words. Use there/their, your/you're and where/were/we're correctly. If you get used to doing it all the time, when it comes to the IELTS it will just come naturally and you won't have to think about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatpack Posted October 19, 2013 Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 A breeze lol, im english and failed 5 times now, im not stupid aswell, i run my own business and have done so for 10 years, I only need 7`s aswell, it`s always reading and listening that gets me i always score 6.5. Speaking and writing i find easy but if you have any tips for me on reading and listening that would be cool In my honest opinion you are failing the two easier parts of the test. The answers are there, you just have to glean the information from the recording or the written paragraphs. Have you considered some tutoring? If you're coached in the correct methods by someone experienced in IELTS you will stroll through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levi Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 (edited) How on earth the immigrants who took it with me got through I'll never know. Well said. @neilwiz3: Like flatpack said below. Pay attention and be familiar with synonyms and antonyms. In my honest opinion you are failing the two easier parts of the test. The answers are there, you just have to glean the information from the recording or the written paragraphs. Have you considered some tutoring? If you're coached in the correct methods by someone experienced in IELTS you will stroll through it. Edited October 20, 2013 by Levi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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