Australia
Skilled Migration
Visa

Once you contact us on the phone or on the web to request information for one of our services we will provide you with a free eligibility assessment which will determine the most appropriate visa for you. The assessment will include preliminary information on the visa conditions and how you meet the eligibility requirements. Once you agree to use our service we will process your visa application through to completion. Our service covers the checking of your documents and personal details for correctness before we lodge your application with the relevant Government/Embassy. In the event that we spot any missing information/documents from your application we will follow up by giving you a phone call or sending you an email to request the necessary details.

Thousands of customers choose Visa First to organise their working holiday visas every year because:

• We make getting the visa you need fast and hassle-free.
• We provide a free initial assessment on the process.
• We developed the unique online visa status engine which allows you to check the status of your visa 24/7. Check your status now.
• We're visa experts and have organised over 130,000 visas for people like you.
• We have a price and service promise to you to ensure a low cost effective service.
• We offer a step-by-step consultation as we do the visa.
• We provide an end-to-end service from assessment, through gathering and processing the documents till visa grant.
• We have local offices supporting the visa process.

 

 

The cost of schooling for your children and the school they will attend will largely be determined by the area that you live in. In Australia, public schooling is free and private schooling is fee paying.

The Australian General Skilled Migration Visa is for people who do not have a job and are looking to migrate permanently to Australia on their own or with family. This Australia Migration Visa is based on a points system which recognises people with good qualifications and work experience in either a trade or a profession that is required in Australia.

You will be awarded points for:

• Age
• English language ability
• Overseas or/and Australian skilled employment
• Qualifications
• Australian Study
• Study in regional Australia/low population growth metropolitan areas
• Partner skills
• State/territory sponsorship (for State Sponsored Skilled Migrant visa applicants)
• Fluency in one of Australia's Community language (other than English)

If you achieve a score below the pass mark then your application will be refused.

You will need to provide:

• The correctly completed Australia Visa application form;
• The visa processing fees;
• Full birth certificate or other evidence of age for all applicants included in the application;
• Originals or certified copies of qualification documents;
• Your address while the application is being processed;
• The primary applicant must provide evidence of work experience;
• All applicants must provide proof of English language ability;
• A copy of your CV;
• Employment references;
• Each applicant will need to provide Police certificates to determine whether you are of good character.

Your references should be on the official letterhead of the company providing the reference and must clearly state:

• the contact details of the company (telephone, fax, email and website);
• the name and position of the person authorised to sign the employment reference should be signed and stamped below the person's signature;
• the contact telephone number of the person writing the reference should be included in the letter;
• the period of employment (including whether permanent or temporary, full or part-time), positions held, the 5 main duties undertaken and the salary earned. Positions should be described according to the nature of duties undertaken, not by generic titles;
• a payslip from your current employer should also be included.

Documentary evidence should be included with the letter.

To apply for an Australian Skilled Migrant Visa you and all secondary applicants must have a health examination.

• Applicants/dependants older than 11 years will need to have an x-ray
• Applicants/dependants older than 15 years have need to have a blood test

If an applicant becomes pregnant during the application, we need to be advised. In these circumstances we recommend that all family members delay medicals until the child is born. All medicals should be sent together

You should wait until Visa First contacts you to request them. Medicals have a short life span. The same applies for police checks.

Once granted a skilled migrant visa for Australia you will be expected to continue in the career path that you have chosen when you migrate to Australia.

No. The success of your application will depend on how well you meet the criteria for this Australia migration category.

No. Anyone can apply for skilled migration to Australia.

Yes, you can apply for the Australia skilled migration visa onshore or offshore.

No, generally you can remain onshore to validate your visa.

Yes, provided you meet the eligibility requirements. Visit Am I Eligible for more information.

This will effect your application for an Australia General Skilled Migration Visa. Please advise Visa First of any past visa issues when applying.

If your application is unsuccessful, you can stay in Australia on your WHM visa until it expires.

We advise you to get health insurance when you are planning to migratet to Australia.

Your family members will have the same rights as you do in Australia on the General Skilled Migrant Visa.

A dependant is a member of the family unit of the Australian Visa applicant. This may include the spouse/ partner of the applicant, any dependent children (under 18 years of age) or some other dependent relative.

You may include other relatives in your application if they are wholly or substantially reliant on you for financial support for their basic needs of food, shelter and clothing and they have been reliant on you for that support for a substantial period. They must also be more reliant on you than on any other person or source. A relative may be considered dependent on you if they have a mental or physical disability that prevents them from earning a living to support themselves e.g. an aged unmarried relative.

Once you are a legal resident of Australia you will be entitled to bring your parents to Australia permanently.

Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will not be able to receive a refund of the application charge.

Our partner Traveltowork can open your Australian bank account before you leave home. Traveltowork partners Commonwealth Bank and will provide you with your account details by email within 4-5 working days of your application. Once you arrive in Oz, you simply present your passport or or driver’s licence at any ANZ branch to access your account. Apply now to get your account set up.

You will need an Australian Tax File Number (TFN) to work and pay tax in Oz. With the Visa First Tax Saver Pack we’ll start organising your TFN before you leave home so you can start working and earning as soon as you arrive in Australia. Apply for your Tax File Number here.

Police checks usually take anywhere between 5 to 40 days.

Visa First can help organise shipping for you. Just give us an idea of exactly how much you wish to send ie, total contents for a 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, 3 bedroom house.

All animals entering Australia require an import permit, issued by AQIS. To obtain an import permit, an application to import your pet must be completed. Your application must include your pet’s microchip number. An import permit will be returned to you. For further information, please contact Visa First at info@visafirst.com

Motor vehicles and motor cycles can be shipped to the following ports: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth/Fremantle, and Adelaide. Prior to shipping a motor vehicle or motor cycle you must obtain "Vehicle Import Approval". Before getting this permit you will need to show 12 months of consecutive use and ownership of the vehicle. This permit is also required for vehicles over 15 years old however, the ownership length of time does not apply. This Import Permit needs to be obtained from the following authority:

Vehicle Safety Standards
GPO Box 594
Canberra ACT 2602
Ph: 0061 2 62747506       
Fax: 0061 2 62746013

For further information, please contact Visa First at info@visafirst.com.

Yes, however in the case of buying a second-hand property you are advised to consult a solicitor to make sure there are no problems with the property. As a first time buyer in Australia you are entitled to a first time buyers’ grant.

Yes but you will need to seek approval from the FIRB. There is no problem buying a house in Australia on the 163 as long as the house is your main residence i.e. not bought for investment or to rent out. The real estate agent generally applies to the FIRB for you and it takes about a week up to a maximum of 30 days to get confirmation.

General skilled visa is an offshore visa. Onshore skilled migration visas may vary:

• Independent (Residence) Visa (Subclass 885)
• Sponsored (Residence) Visa (Subclass 886)
• Regional (Residence) Visa (Subclass 887)
• Regional Sponsored (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 487)
• Graduate (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 485)

Time frame is different for the different subclasses.

After four years as a permanent resident of Australia you can apply to become a citizen of Australia. The Australian Government allows for dual nationality, so you may be able to retain your current passport and jointly hold an Australian passport. Please check with the rules of your own country to ensure they also allow dual nationality.

At Visa First we do everything we can to make sure you receive the best possible service. If you feel that we have not achieved this goal we have set up a complaints handling process:

Complaints Process:

1. Where an official complaint is received by Visa First, the company will record the nature of the complaint and issue an acknowledgement email to the client within 5 business days of receiving the complaint. The acknowledgement will provide the client with the contact name who is responsible for dealing with the complaint. The official complaint must be made by email (you may also write, although this will slow down the process), and confirm that the client wishes to enter this process. Please email your complaint to complaints@visafirst.com
2. Visa First will investigate the complaint as swiftly as possible and where applicable, the complainant will receive a regular written update on the progress of the investigation at intervals of not more than 20 business days.
3. Visa First will try to resolve the complaint within 40 business days of having received the complaint. If the complaint cannot be resolved within 40 business days, the Firm will write to the complainant notifying them of the anticipated timeframe for the conclusion of the investigation.
4. Within 5 business days of the conclusion of the investigation of the complaint, Visa First will issue a resolution letter detailing the outcome of the investigation. This letter will include, if applicable, an explanation of the terms of any offer that the company is prepared to make in settlement of the complaint.

WA-$512; SA-$352; NSW-$497; VIC-$485; QLD-$387; NT-$610