Wiganmigrater Posted September 4, 2014 Report Share Posted September 4, 2014 Hello! We are a family of three looking to make the big move to Perth! We are going to apply for the 190 visa. Originally we were in talks with an agent but after looking in to the process I am going to give it a go myself. I have identified the obvious starting point as My partner needing to do a skills test to prove his carpentry/Joiner trade. So far I know what documents we need however 2 things are confusing me, 1) They have requested copies of his qualification certificates PLUS transcripts. What are transcripts and how can I lay my hands on them? 2) They require all evidence to be certified. The website states who can certify however It says that they must be qualified in a specific trade & be registered to trade in Australia. Who has other people used to certify their documents? Plenty more questions to come but if anyone can answer these two to start with I would be very grateful. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Can't help with your questions, just wanted to say hi and welcome to PP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annjean Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Welcome and good luck on your journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil24 Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Hi Mate, We have just finished our successful Visa application!, different situation than yours, but We tried to go it alone and wasted 3 -5 months, its not as easy as you think and the rules are getting tougher - we went to the Down Under event - and after listening to some of the lectures and talks, decided to go with an Agent (Immigration OZ in this case) they were brill, yes an extra £900 on top of everything else, but worth every penny, talked walked and checked us through everything, it made the process so easy, we never even touched base with the Australia House Immigration Officer, they did everything, arranging Medicals the lot. Save yourself some aggro, and use an agent is my advice, it makes life so much easier, Visa granted on 29th August, 1st trip out for Visa Activation, interviews and job search December, hoping to move sometime between Feb and Sept 2015. Perth is an awesome place and the people are friendly and nice, go for it mate and maybe we will see you there next year regards neil24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkiwd Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Hi I think the transcripts detail what the course/training involved, you should be able to ask the place he studied or who issued the qualification for them. We used a notary to sign our copies, you can also use JP from your local court. We did actually get our teacher friend to sign some extra things we needed and nothing was said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiganmigrater Posted September 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Hi all & thanks for the welcomes & responses!! Neil, who did you use as an agent if you don't mind me asking? Ours wanted £2k!! Plus we have since looked in to prices of some of the thinks like the skills set rest & he had told is double the price!! I would prefer to use an agent but I felt he was taking the mick! Whats a 'visa activation' I haven't read about that one yet! So much to learn! where abouts in Perth are you looking to go? Nikki, some of the qualifications are over ten years old, I'm not sure how easy it's gonna be to get them. Do you happen to know how important they are? Surely most qualifications through colleges and work are all accredited & recognised? Who constitutes as a notary?? thanks again guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie10 Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Welcome Nikki the most important thing to consider would be the below standard pies and wether you will be able to adapt to the new pastry!!!!! i would defiantly use an agent the application is a costly one and 2k on a agent is a small part we have spent just short of 20k to get us to mandurah . Any mistakes can be costly and set you back weeks. An agent will be able to certify your qualifications using there own solicitor (for a fee) of course we used immigration group in Chester would not be here now only for them. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkiwd Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 I did our whole visa last year without using an agent so it is certainly possible. The hardest part was the skills assessment so maybe just use an agent for that if you are unsure. My husband's qualification was from 1998 so same issue, we got a letter from his college confirming what he did and I printed out something I found on google saying the modules for that particular course. Put in a countersigned statutory declaration explaining any items you can't get and why you can't get them for the skills assessment. Ernie10...ermm, ok... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest6235 Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 (edited) We also did the process without an agent (or should I say my clever wife did) and didn't take us that long from EOI to PR visa being granted. We've heard of agents dragging their heels a bit. Gee whizz 20k....and I thought ours was expensive. Hope you've adapted to that pastry Nikki!!!!! Lol Edited September 5, 2014 by Guest6235 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocolevi Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Hi we are doing the same but for the 189. I have just emailed my OH college for a transcript for his course. He went to college back in 1989 so all we have is the c+g certificate x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Welcome to pp, we are at the final stage now, visa lodged and medicals and police checks left then we will we hopefully be there, we also used an agent ( same as ernie10) and they are worth every penny. It's a stressfull process and a agent just takes the heat off we paid £190 to get all our documents certified and there was loads of my qualifications as a gas fitter that needed to be certified,some places will charge you per document and could cost a fortune, through all the process any problems or questions you may have a agent will just put you on the right track, from our experience it's money well spent to use an agent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Whats a 'visa activation' I haven't read about that one yet! Hi Wigannigrater, once you have been granted your visa you have 12 months from the date of your police checks to enter Australia. The first time you enter Australia on your visa is you activating your visa. Some people do this when they make the big move; others choose to come out to Australia for a 'reccie' or a holiday and take the opportunity to explore Australia, the area they think they want to move to and/or potential job opportunities. Regardless, when you enter Australia on your visa for the first time then this is the visa activation. We activated ours when we moved across last year...we chose not to have a reccie but make the move....one of the best decisions we have ever made! Hope this helps & good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiganmigrater Posted September 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 Thanks all for your replies, You have certainly cleared a few things up for me. I'm now 50/50 as to whether we should maybe get an agent. Those of you that used an agent could you recommend who you used? Also what are the average costs? I have seen agents ranging from £850 up to about £2.5k? I have compiled a list of all the documents we need to get together for the TRA skills assessment and there are just two things that are setting me back, 1) Qualification Transcripts - I am going to email/phone for them however do I email the awarding body or the place that the course was completed? 2) Employment statement - Slight set back in terms of the fact that neither of us have told our employers and would prefer to keep it that way. Has anybody else submitted a skills assessment application with just a personal account of the employment? On the websites booklets it does say that you can write your own in the absence of an employer as long as you get it certified but obviously this isn't going to be seen as the strongest evidence. Given the fact that my partner has been in this job for over 12 years since leaving college it does mean that it is the one and only employment statement we could submit? Once again, thanks again!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopeful Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 Thanks all for your replies, You have certainly cleared a few things up for me. I'm now 50/50 as to whether we should maybe get an agent. Those of you that used an agent could you recommend who you used? Also what are the average costs? I have seen agents ranging from £850 up to about £2.5k? I have compiled a list of all the documents we need to get together for the TRA skills assessment and there are just two things that are setting me back, 1) Qualification Transcripts - I am going to email/phone for them however do I email the awarding body or the place that the course was completed? 2) Employment statement - Slight set back in terms of the fact that neither of us have told our employers and would prefer to keep it that way. Has anybody else submitted a skills assessment application with just a personal account of the employment? On the websites booklets it does say that you can write your own in the absence of an employer as long as you get it certified but obviously this isn't going to be seen as the strongest evidence. Given the fact that my partner has been in this job for over 12 years since leaving college it does mean that it is the one and only employment statement we could submit? Once again, thanks again!! hi firstly good luck, I started the journey 11 months ago and am now in Perth, at the beginning I was told it would be a turbulent ride and it was but all possible! So I didn't use an agent and did two skills assessments one with ANMAC and one with VETASSESS and needed transcripts of my training- I got in touch with the awarding body for one qual as the training place had completely changed and as it turned out they couldn't provide me with a transcript anyway as my training was pre- 1985 but they provided me with evidence to support this and a statement to say the training had met the required qualification requirements, for my other qual I went to the uni where I completed the training- all done by email and they sent me the transcripts in the post. Funniest thing was when we started to declutter I found my uni transcripts carefully kept with all my uni work and competency evidence and my initial training pre 1985, the transcript was at work in my portfolio folder! Never knew I was so organised and kept them? You may have to be persistent with your emails and phoning but you can get them easily enough. Certifying documents we had a local solicitor do them and she charged us £10 for as many as we wanted doing! We went back a couple of times as kept finding more we needed so save them all up and get done all in one go. Another local solicitor charged £5 per doc. Employment statement- I too didn't want to tell work but as I had applied for a job to and needed to put my director down as a ref so I bit the bullet and told her, she was very supportive and didn't tell anyone but was a tad difficult when waiting to see if my visa application was accepted because she didn't know if she should be looking for a replacement or not and couldn't as I hadn't handed my notice in was a bit like the elephant in the room for a while! I gave here the guidance doc that's provided for the employment statement and checked it to the letter that it stated all it needed to- I fact I sent it back to her 7 times as was incorrect and I couldn't risk it lol! hope this is of some help- you just need to read carefully and break it all down into sizeable chunks to do it Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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