The FAQ of Australian Immigration
By Danny Trestian, Australia Visa Advisor

Whether you've decided you might like to experience a different lifestyle for a while or living in Australia is your most treasured childhood dream, we think that you are doing the right thing by deciding to apply for permanent residence in Australia.

Coming to Australia presents many opportunities for an excellent quality of life in a country that has plenty of choices, both personal and professional, for people who like diversity, change, and innovation but are looking for peace of mind. Applying for permanent residence in Australia is a lifetime investment for you and your family in terms of quality of life, abundance of work opportunities, and safety.

How does the migration procedure work?
There are many categories under which one can migrate to Australia, including as a skilled professional, a family, or a business, among others.

First, if you're working with a migration advisor, your personal circumstances will be examined, and you will be advised on what strategy to follow and under which category to apply in order to have the best chances of success. If a couple or family wants to apply, the preliminary assessment will also determine which member of the family has the best chance of a successful application. This family member will be the primary applicant.

When the preliminary assessment is completed with auspicious results, you'll proceed to the next step: applying to the relevant authorities. The skilled-migration procedure is usually formed of two stages. The first is skills assessment and the second is the actual application for permanent residence.

Why is permanent residence the best option?
We strongly advise our clients to apply for permanent residence (PR) whenever possible. PR is the best option because it leads to full citizenship after you've lived in Australia for two years and it means you won't have to leave the country after a certain amount of time, as you would on a tourist or employment-sponsorship visa. Permanent residence will keep you from being in a position in which you need your employer more than he needs you.

Without permanent residence, you also may find that employers won't even consider you for jobs because the employment-sponsorship procedure is a very complicated one for them to go through.

Even if you're a student or your partner wishes to study in Australia, PR is still the best choice. Studying in Australia is very expensive for students from overseas, but as soon as you become a PR you'll enjoy the benefits of being a local student. You'll pay from half to a third of overseas-student tuition fees and you'll qualify for various government grants. Many students from overseas have found that they would have been in a much better position if they had arrived in Australia as PRs.

Another advantage to permanent residence is that you'll immediately receive free medical care as part of the Australian government's basic insurance package. After two years as a PR in Australia, you'll receive social security benefits as well.

What professions and skills currently have a good chance of success? High-tech professionals with a degree or a major in computer science—programmers and others—stand a good chance of success. If you don't have a degree in computer science, you'll need at least four years of full-time experience in the field to qualify.

Other professionals that are likely to be awarded permanent residence visas include accountants, engineers, chefs, teachers, nurses, architects, physiotherapists, social workers, speech pathologists, psychologists, organizational psychologists, radiographers, surveyors, optometrists, occupational therapists, information technology officers, dieticians, medical scientists, dentists, chiropractors, osteopaths, interpreters and translators, podiatrists, quantity surveyors, veterinarians, welfare workers, general managers and senior managers.

Tradespeople who have a good chance of a successful residence application include bakers, pastry cooks, other cooks, hairdressers, cabinet makers, jewelers, carpenters, general electricians, tailors, sign makers, painters and decorators, shoemakers, automobile mechanics, refrigeration and air-conditioning workers, lifts mechanics, textile workers, clothing and footwear workers, optical workers, printing machinists, wall and floor tilers, brick layers, butchers, dressmakers, supervising plumbers, piano tuners, picture framers, gardeners, roof plumbers, slaters and tilers, glass blowers, locksmiths, nursery workers, panel beaters, watch and clock makers and repairpeople, welders, woods tradespeople, wood turners, tree surgeons, and stone masons.

Please don't hesitate to apply or contact us for advice even if your profession is not on the list. This list changes from time to time and other professions may also see a good chance of success. Your personal data will be examined individually and there might be other factors that will enable you to migrate. If you are married or have a partner, you will be examined as a couple.

Do I need a professional representative in the migration procedure?
You can certainly apply by yourself and go through the migration process without the professional representation of migration agents. But there are many reasons why it's often better to be professionally represented. Here are a few of them.

Although the migration procedures may seem simple, this is misleading. They are actually very intricate.

There are daily changes in the migration laws and in the different internal policies of the assessing government bodies. Migration professionals keep up to date on these changes and ensure that all factors have been taken into account.

We often get applications from individuals who have wasted a lot of time and money attempting to apply on their own. They've used the wrong procedure or made other mistakes and need to correct the damage that has been done. We can still help at that stage, but it's a lot easier to get it right the first time.

Having a professional representative also helps to minimize the nerve-wracking stress and tension that comes from going it alone. Pressure accumulates as the applicant continues in the process, and a professional representative's advice, support, and expertise can make all the difference.

How long is the migration process?
The migration process can last from seven to ten months, or even longer. It all depends on the procedure, the government's policies at the time of application, how quickly the applicant is able to supply all the documents, and sometimes the applicant's skills—in particular cases, the processing time can be made shorter.

What are the basic requirements for migration to Australia?
Migrants are not selected because of their race, gender or culture. Instead, qualification to migrate depends on such things as the applicant's skills, health, age, finances, and ability to speak English, and whether he has family or business contacts in Australia.

For skilled migration, an applicant must be under 45. If you're older than that, you'll need to consider other options, such as business migration. Applicants must be able to speak vocational English and have at least one year of work experience. Usually, this year of experience must have occurred in the eighteen months preceding the application. Sometimes, the requirement is two years of accumulated work experience in the three years preceding the application. An applicant must be in good health and pass a police background investigation.

Can everything be done while I am overseas?
Yes, you can actually go through the whole procedure from overseas. In fact, it's much better to do it that way; it's really not a good idea to come to Australia on a tourist visa and wait for your PR visa to be processed. Processing time varies and you won't be allowed to work while you're waiting.

What happens after I get the permanent residence visa?
Many of our clients are concerned that they will have to move to Australia immediately after they are granted permanent residence. The truth is that the Australian authorities will give you a certain period of time in which to activate the PR. You can come to Australia for a few days, activate your visa, and then go live wherever you like. Permanent residence is granted for five years at a time, and during those five years you may enter and leave Australia as often as you want to. Apart from social security benefits (which you'll receive after two years of living in Australia) and voting rights, you'll have all the privileges and duties of an Australian citizen.

When and how do I become a citizen of Australia and receive an Australian passport?
After two years as a permanent resident, you can apply for Australian citizenship, which is granted almost automatically. In fact, the Australian government encourages permanent residents to become citizens. If you don't want to become a citizen, you can live in Australia indefinitely as a PR. Approximately one million people do just that.

We wish you the best of luck in this life-changing journey to Australia.

Links
Australian Tourism
Australia City Search
Melbourne City Search
Financial Review
ABC online
The Age
Facts about Australia
Sydney Morning Herald


About SynchonicityOne
SynchronicityOne, founded by Danny Trestian and Mira Flomin, encourages innovation and cooperation with the Australian business community. They specialize in assisting individuals in the migration process to Australia.