FAQs

Help!This page offers you quick links to the most frequently asked questions, some of which also appear on my pages, which I recommend you read, called Migration Advice and Visas.

If you are looking to move to Australia, those two pages as well as the pages that are linked from them will help you a great deal.

Even with all this help though, the process is still quite daunting to navigate through. For that reason, many people want to ask me to help them directly; I simply cannot do that. Only MARA registered migration agents are able to assist people in this process and advise on visa options, so it would be illegal if I were to try and answer these kinds of questions.

For the full explanation, please see:

Here are some more FAQs:

Important Notice:

I try to answer as many comments as I can personally, but it has become impossible for me to respond to each one individually. If you have asked one of the above questions and not had a response, it is almost certainly because your question has been asked and answered many times before in the comments of one of the above linked pages.

Anybody asking questions about their personal situation in respect of visa options or eligibility to lodge will not be answered at all.

Please take the time to read the comments and answers on these pages to find the information you need.

Many thanks

Bob

Visa Assessment Service
{ 492 comments… add one }
  • Werner Ferreira March 8, 2017, 6:57 am |

    Hi Bob.

    I am a South African citizen, that has thought about moving to Aus for the greater part of the last two years. I randomly stumbled onto your blog, and noticed that I’ve had a tab open to your blog since a year ago, and never got around to reading it. Long story short, I am completely amazed and in awe with the amount of effort and time that you have spent on this site to explain and detail the processes, cities, experiences etc.

    You deserve thorough commendations for the amazing work that you do here. I have taken today to read most of the content on your site and I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart, this information is invaluable and priceless, and has helped me to make the final decision to start my journey to PR in Aus.

    I have one quick question that I did not see in your FAQ’s, Points page or the comments. I totally understand that you are legally not allowed to advise on specifics, I would merely like a yes,no or possibly answer.

    When applying for 189 or whatever (points based visa) the case may be, can you get “extra” points for having family (cousins) in the country? In my case, Cousin and her family in Brisbane, and also the same in Melbourne?

    Thanks again. Once I get into Aus I will deliver it myself, but for the interim please give yourself a pat on the back for the amazing job.

    You are a blessing to those of us that were struggling to make a decision.

    Regards,

    Werner.

    • BobinOz March 9, 2017, 12:01 am |

      Hi Werner

      Firstly, thank you for the wonderful praise you have given me and my website, I really do appreciate it. It’s not hard work for me though, because I love doing it. It’s my passion. I just love living here, a lot, and I like talking about it.

      As for your question, it’s not just that it’s illegal for me to answer it, I simply do not know the answer 🙂 If I did, I’d be a MARA registered migration agent. The rules surrounding what can and cannot happen, and how extra points are gained or not, are complicated. It’s a full-time job to keep up with it all, the job of MARA agents, so if you’re unsure, get in touch with one.

      Good luck, Bob

      • Werner March 9, 2017, 12:05 am |

        Hi Bob,

        Thanks for the response. I will be making use of your assessment service and see what the report says, surely if it’s a possibility your agent would point it out as such.

        Thanks again for all your insights.

        Regards, Werner.

        • BobinOz March 9, 2017, 12:25 am |

          Yes, my MARA agent would know, for sure. Thanks, Bob

  • Charlie Charles February 19, 2017, 1:10 pm |

    Hi Bob, I love your site, it inspired us to give moving to oz a go, and we did. But I have concerns about your MARA agent. I contacted him just over a year ago (and paid $100) for his advice. My husband is a builder and he told us we didn’t have a chance of moving to oz as my husband learnt his trade on the job; he didn’t have formal qualifications – he’s been in the trade for 20 years. We were gutted, but I was so determined to move here that I got in touch with a different visa agent – and we are now permanent residents in Queensland on 189 visas. I just wanted to bring this to your attention as you have such a fantastic site and I’d hate for anyone to be told they don’t qualify for a life here in oz, when they actually do.
    Thanks,
    Charlie.

    • BobinOz February 19, 2017, 7:58 pm |

      Even though it is Sunday, I’ve just finished speaking with my MARA agent on the phone about your case as I take allegations of this nature very seriously. He has similarly interrupted his Sunday to look at your case in depth and forward on to me the email conversations that took place between himself and your husband. At no point did my agent say that you ‘didn’t have a chance of moving to oz’, he actually did his best to help you and it appears that he did.

      After receiving your husband’s completed questionnaire, my agent sent him a comprehensive reply in which he discussed, amongst other things, the possibility of your husband doing a Business Skills test, he also suggested that he might like to consider formalising his skills by Recognise Prior Learning (RPL).

      He also requested your husband’s CV/resume so he could look that over to see if it could help with other pathways, but never received one and he also added ‘please advise if I have overlooked anything and whether you can provide any additional information to supplement what you have already provided…’

      This was followed up by a Skype telephone conversation with your husband to clarify matters further. Following that conversation your husband emailed my agent on Thursday the 24th September 2015 to say…

      ‘Hi Simon, thanks for making the time to talk to me as it helped us to clear a lot of things up. We have now decided to go down the route of ‘plasterer’ to apply for a visa. You told me that this is something you are currently dealing with for another client. I wold really appreciate it if you could let me know how it goes and, if successful, if this is something you could help us obtain?

      Thanks,

      Luke.

      My agent responded to that email but never heard anything back from your husband again.

      Both my MARA agent and myself take great pride in the service we provide here and we are both quite disappointed that you feel it is okay to make such a false allegation on my website.

      Regards, Bob

  • Dan January 9, 2017, 7:10 pm |

    Hi Bob, Dan again. Firstly I want to thank you for getting back to me so quickly!
    I have a second question which you or possibly a helpful browser of your page can help with.
    So, I’m going to be leaving in a few months back to Canada and I was curious if there are any sites you would recommend for helping me get my superanuation and tax back? Thanks again Bob!
    Oh and by the way, this page is AWESOME! I visited it for some info before I left Canada then wouldn’t ya know I came back once I got here! Very informative and well written. Keep it up buddy!

    • BobinOz January 12, 2017, 12:05 am |

      I’m afraid you’ve got me with this one though Dan, I have no idea who you should talk to to find out about getting your superannuation and tax back. My best guess is I think you need to be talking to an accountant about this, I’m sure they know how to go about it. Good luck, Bob

      • Dan January 12, 2017, 1:21 pm |

        Accountants are far too expensive for a backpacker! There is a mountain of websites dedicated to tax/super help. I was curious if you knew of or even had a link on your site to a good one.

        • BobinOz January 12, 2017, 8:58 pm |

          No, sorry, I did used to have a helpful external link about this but I’m pretty sure it went out of date when some new changes came into effect, so I removed it.

          You can always phone the Australian Tax Office direct, they are surprisingly helpful and I’m sure they will give you some very good guidance. I have had several quite pleasant telephone conversations with them, as has my wife. Worth a go.

  • Natasha M December 8, 2016, 4:53 am |

    Hi, my husband age 27, two children aged 3 and 5, My puppy and I age 25. Are wanting to move to Australia. My husband lived in Sydney, brisbon and Melbourne for 8 months when he was younger. He couldn’t choose as he loved it all. I would like some advice best for family lifestyle, lots of work. And how much money would we need to take over with us to start us off? Thanks

    • Mark December 8, 2016, 7:05 am |

      Could we ask… Have you looked into Visas yet, dependant on your job areas it may dictate where you aim for. Do either of you have a particular skill set. Do you have a particular climate in mind maybe better or similar to where you live…Are you city lovers buzz and vibrant or with two children more village sorts…They are all good for ..family lifestyle …as you say I personally feel if you are leaving UK or USA far better in general terms … Its hard to answer more specific without some more information…Melbourne Sydney may offer slightly better job prospects than Brisbane.. As for how much money well as much as you can…Again depends on renting or buying. As a figure and assuming one of you lands a job on arrival or soon after id say around 8000 to 12k AU dollars as a minimum ..around 2k of that would go on a rental deposit, car rental another 1k ,,,This I have to say is just a best guesstimate and will not suit all as I say if you are coming to live bring all you can …Meanwhile sit down for the next bit…. but look at around 3K GBP or 4.6K US $ to bring pooch and he will make it harder renting…Bob will verify this I am sure he can perhaps never forget the cost .

  • Neva December 5, 2016, 1:38 pm |

    Hello Bob, So I have 2 questions: We are hopefully moving to the Sunshine Coast early next year, just waiting on Visa approval! So 1st question: Is there an import tax/fee for bring over our stuff/ furinture? We are trying to decide if it is better to pay for little more to bring over our furniture or cheaper to get in Oz? 2nd question has to do with electric conversion, do you have a place where I could ask someone some questions about bring over devices and using a converter, we are moving from the USA. Thanks so much and I hope these make since.

    • Mark December 5, 2016, 4:20 pm |

      There is no tax duty to pay on your personal belongings…As long as you have owned them for more than 12 months You have owned them all for more than 12 Months is the answer if posed the question… There are some exceptions eg wine liquor We bought some graduation wine gifted, declared it, No charge….It will likely be far better bringing than buying new but many factors apply eg if its worn out then dont bring As regards ‘stuff’ then some things may not be worth bringing because of customs such as have a lawnmower you can bring tools but wipe them with anti bacteria wash no sawdust anywhere, no rust… As regards stepdown on voltage… have a look at this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNk5cgmZkPY
      When I moved USA to UK.. I decided against the appliances as not worth the hassle That was 25 + years ago and voltage converters are easier accessible now But as a tip have a look on ebay au The good guys au and so on,, for cost of replacement ,If you’ve a Bose or Denon stereo bring it, but a cheap akai leave it there, even buy a secondhand one here. Microwaves are cheap dont bother bringing pretty what anything that’s not worth the cost of stepdown buy a new version one here …We have Kmart & Target to though later is not as good. Again some exceptions A fridge with cfc gas check out the rules on that..dependant on gas and model. Vacuum cleaner is another ..either clean it to within an inch of its life or sell buy new or secondhand I got quoted recently 2800 au $ for an large outdoor dining set I found one identical by googling it on ebay 8 months old for $400 buy it now…they where moving VIC to QLD and were not taking it…what a result…There is no definitive answer that covers everything…Hope this helps Oh yes TV is useless from USA unless you want it as a just a display eg from DVD oh an buy yourself some new IEC power cords for computer stereo amps etc there are peanuts 2 to 3 $… again on ebay eg swap the lead not just the plug its actually cheaper Hope this helps for now

      • BobinOz December 5, 2016, 11:52 pm |

        I came here from the UK, same voltage, so all I needed to do was change the plugs. If you have to go through a voltage converter as Mark has suggested, things start to get a bit clunky in my view. So maybe not worth it for much of your electrical stuff.

        As for your question about tax, when I came here (2007) I was asked to declare any goods I was bringing over that were less than 12 months old as, I think, those were the items that could attract import tax. I was looking in my sock drawer and trying to work out which socks I’d bought in the lasts year 🙂

        For furniture though, I would never suggest leaving it all behind buying new when you get here, that really isn’t a cost-effective option. As a rule of thumb, if your stuff is worth double to you, or more, or maybe even the same as the cost of shipping here, bring it.

  • shay October 6, 2016, 12:31 pm |

    Hi Bob…..I am hoping for some helpful advice regarding affordable rental areas around the gold coast…..as close to carrara as possible. Cheap-median prices. I have looked at agents but would like some advice from someone like you who knows the areas…..thanks

    • BobinOz October 6, 2016, 9:16 pm |

      I don’t know Gold Coast well enough to recommend suburbs, so you would be better off asking this question on my page about Gold Coast. Hopefully somebody local to the area will help you out. Also have a read of the comments already there, you should pick up some good tips.

      • Natalie green January 7, 2017, 6:15 pm |

        Hi, we are looking at moving to Australia from uk, we are in the process of applying for a visa and would like any advice? we are open to options on where to live in Australia? My husband is a skilled airconditioning mechanic, I work in administration, we have 2 children age 4 and 13, where is the best schools? Jobs? Childcare? Where is a nice a child friendly area to live but not too expensive to rent/buy houses? Any advice would be much appreciated 🙂

        • BobinOz January 8, 2017, 1:51 am |

          I’ve got pages and pages all about schools, housing, rent/buy, jobs, I’m thinking you maybe need to have a good look around my website Natalie, all the advice you are looking for is here.

          Hover over the main navigation menu at the top of every page to find what you need. Good luck 🙂

  • miie September 14, 2016, 5:47 pm |

    please we re asked to use mara lawyer….. my uncle just denied reason is because of Nigeria s economic recession and secondly they said d diploma is going dere for is lower dn d degree he has…….wen he was applying he included his family in d application…… nw he wants to defer his admission again till next year and was ask to use mara lawyer pls wht can we do

    • BobinOz September 15, 2016, 12:20 am |

      Well, you need to use a MARA registered migration agent and they can tell you what to do. To help you choose one, see my page about Migration agents.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Prashanthi August 22, 2016, 9:58 pm |

    Hi bob,

    I’m Planing to migrate to NT via G.S.M Visa category ,visiting your blog page made it so much easier to getting information about the visa process and many more things but i want to know about the living cost of NT actually how much the grocery items cost and who much it will cost for transportation in NT
    Thanks.

  • David Metcalfe July 10, 2016, 2:44 am |

    To get a TRA assessment is this done in UK or do I have to apply to TRA in OZ how do I go about this

    • BobinOz July 10, 2016, 9:01 pm |

      I think you can get it done from the UK, but I’m not sure. I don’t answer questions about eligibility and the visa application process, I leave all of that to MARA registered migration agents. If you are unsure about the process, maybe you should speak to one.

      See my page about Migration agents. to find one if you need to.

  • Aston June 20, 2016, 10:49 pm |

    Hi,

    My partner lives in Germany and is looking to make the move to Australia. He has already had his 1 year working visa in Aus.
    I would assume we would need to apply for a partnership visa as I don’t think he would be classed as a ‘skilled’ worker. Would this be correct? Or do we have other options?
    How long is the time frame until he could start to work if he was to be accepted for a partnership visa?

    Kind regards,

    Aston

    • BobinOz June 21, 2016, 6:05 pm |

      You would need to speak to a MARA registered migration agent about that, only they can advise on visa options. See Would I Qualify?

  • Fiona Robertson June 2, 2016, 12:42 am |

    Hi Bob

    My son is currently working for Prema Salon in Sydney and for his sponsorship to go through he has to provide references from all his previous employers in the UK. He only has three previous employers and the first one is refusing to provide the information because “it’s too much work” and “a big ask,” and his last employer is ignoring his request because he was so angry when my son left his employ that he refused to speak to him for his last two months! I cannot understand these people, but, more importantly, what on earth is my son to do when these people refuse to respond??

    • BobinOz June 2, 2016, 7:49 pm |

      I can see how annoying this must be, but I have no idea what you can do, but suggest you need to take this matter up with the UK employers. They must have a responsibility to provide this information and if they do not, then you may have to speak to citizens advice or a solicitor. Good luck, Bob

  • Bethan June 1, 2016, 8:23 am |

    Hi bob i have to say you are making the planning for us about moving to australia really exciting and has opened our eyes in what are the steps to turning our dream into reality hopefully in the near future, he is a welder on the railway. Do you know of any railway company’s in or around maybe melbourne Victoria please thank you

  • Ramya ravi April 25, 2016, 4:44 pm |

    Hi Bob
    I loved your site as we are planning to migrate to Australia and ur beautiful site has boosted our interest in the same !!
    Jst one doubt ..my husband’s date of birth is not the same in his passport and educational certificates.. The actual DOB as per his hospital records is updated in his passport but all educational certificates have a different one ..would that be an issue while processing migration documents and all? Any solution for it?

    • BobinOz April 26, 2016, 4:30 pm |

      I don’t know is the short answer. If you are concerned about this, may I suggest you consult with a MARA registered migration agent before putting forward your application.

  • Jaydip April 8, 2016, 3:50 pm |

    what does it mean for multiple entry visa of 5 years for state sponsership in visa type 190 and 2 years stay?can I visit my home country between this period?

    • BobinOz April 10, 2016, 7:37 pm |

      This isn’t a question I am able to answer, you need to speak to your case officer or your MARA migration agent if you used one.

  • Amelia Raven February 22, 2016, 9:44 pm |

    Please help me with my school research project on moving to Adelaide from New Zealand please https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XVXZ2J8

    • BobinOz February 23, 2016, 5:26 pm |

      I can’t, it’s for people who live in New Zealand, I don’t.

      • Amelia February 24, 2016, 6:29 pm |

        Do you know anyone that does?

  • lee taylor February 13, 2016, 9:00 am |

    Hi,

    Just a quick question, how many dogs are you allowed to bring into Australia.
    I may have a job opportunity but we have 5 dogs.
    Any info greatly appreciated
    Thanks
    Lee

    • BobinOz February 15, 2016, 4:34 pm |

      There is no limit, as far as I am aware, but I think some local councils might limit the number of dogs you are allowed to keep as pets, and sometimes three is the limit.

      So you may want to look into that. Good luck, Bob

  • chuks. akaba February 13, 2016, 2:11 am |

    Greetings to you, my name is chuks, am nigeria, iam looking for hotel industry that will sponsor me to austraila to work, iam housekeeper,

  • Rebecca February 6, 2016, 7:56 pm |

    Hi,
    Me and my partner would like to go and work in Australia for a year and take our daughter who is in primary school, is it possible to get her a temporary school place while we work there ? If so where do I even begging to make plans for this I can’t find anything

    Thanks for any help x

    • BobinOz February 8, 2016, 5:06 pm |

      Whether your daughter could go to school not would depend on the type of visa you and your partner come over on. Where to begin? I’d speak to a MARA registered migration agent about your situation if I were you or you can try working out for yourself after watching the video on my page aboutVisas.

  • Bee January 29, 2016, 3:31 am |

    Hi Bob
    We are wanting to immigrate from south africa. Do you know which immigration agencies are good. We are looking at a company called New World Immigration based in Cape Town SA. Have you heard of them?
    Thank you 🙂

    • BobinOz January 29, 2016, 10:23 pm |

      No, I’ve not heard of them, whoever you deal with do make sure they are MARA registered. You can check that out on my page called Migration agents, there is a link to the registration list.

      If you want to deal with a MARA registered migration agent I do recommend, then you would need to go through my Visa Assessment Service.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Lisa January 20, 2016, 3:44 am |

    Hi there my husband is going out to Australia for 6 months to work with the view of the whole family moving out once his 6 months are up( work depending) my main issue is trying to find the most cost effective way to get both my 18 month old boxer and 7 year old Labrador with us if we do move. I have been quoted £5560 by one company l, this excluded quarantine costs of what I believe to be 149 per day per dog so a further$ 3000 on top then the cost of getting them from Melbourne to Perth where we will be living
    Does anyone have any help, advice or recommendations to make it possible to bring both dogs without out it costing in excess of £7000
    Our family just wouldn’t be the same without them ?

    • BobinOz January 20, 2016, 2:15 pm |

      You need to look at my page called Bringing Pets under migration advice, I’ve written many articles on this subject and lots of readers have added comments about their experiences. Good luck, Bob

  • Kamani December 24, 2015, 2:53 pm |

    Hi! Bob,
    I moved to Aus last wk as a PR Holder from Sti Lanka, I want to bring my furniture from Sri Lanka , what is the procedure & roughly how much will it cost per KG?
    Thanks!

    • BobinOz December 30, 2015, 8:08 pm |

      I can’t help you with that, all I can suggest is that you find an international removal company who services Sri Lanka to Australia and get a quote. Good luck, Bob

  • Louise December 8, 2015, 8:12 pm |

    Hi Bob!
    My family and i are wanting to move to Brisbane we want a real family friendly area we have limited it down to these: keperra, mitchelton, arana hills , ferny grove/hills, eatons hill and albany creek.
    Would you prefer one over the other and where is the most safe? Any feedback would be much appreciated thank you!!

    • BobinOz December 9, 2015, 10:59 pm |

      I’m afraid I don’t really know these areas well enough to choose between them Louise, so it might be an idea if you ask this same question on my page about Brisbane. Hopefully somebody with local knowledge will help you out.

      My suggestion, for what it’s worth, would be to look at the outer western suburbs, anything around Moggill on the Moggill side of the river.

  • Nanda October 11, 2015, 4:00 pm |

    Hi Bob,

    Greetings!! I am Nanda from India. I have a quick question. I submitted my EOI on 25th Aug 2015 and got an invite to apply for the Skilled Independent 189 class visa on Sep 7th. I had 65 points in total while applying my EOI. I submitted my invite on 09th October evening. My question is i turned 33 on 10th October. So my invitation will be under process only from Monday(12th October). So will the points for my age be reduced by 5 points? Since the points for age above 32 are reduced by 5, i am worried that my points will be reduced and leading to the delay in my visa. Kindly clarify my doubt.

    Thanks in advance.

    Regards,
    Nanda

    • BobinOz October 12, 2015, 6:42 pm |

      This isn’t a question I am allowed to answer, but it may be worth you reading my page about EOI maybe skimming through the comments already made to see if this has been answered before.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Rico October 4, 2015, 9:42 am |

    I am moving to Brisbane in a month or so, but my California driver’s license expires in about the same time. Would it make it easier to have a valid drivers license when moving to Brisbane — as far as for getting one there? Or would it not make a difference?

    • BobinOz October 5, 2015, 8:44 pm |

      I am not sure if there is any kind of arrangement between Australia and the USA on drivers licenses, but I had my UK licence when I arrived here and was allowed to drive for, I think, three months without getting an Australian drivers license.

      Even better, on production of my UK licence they gave me an Australian license, no test needed. As I say, I don’t know what the arrangements are on USA licenses, but if I were you I would not let it expire and I would bring your licence with you, it could do you a favour.

      Google ‘Australian Department of Transport and Main Roads’ and look for information on international drivers licenses for more details.

  • Cruz August 9, 2015, 8:00 am |

    Hi Bob, I must say that your blog has really been helpful. I would appreciate if you can help me with some of my questions. I have a Bsc. in communication, but I intend to start up an online post graduate studies. I would like to know if online degrees are acceptable in Australia, & can u please recommend some accredited online schools in Australia to me? Thank u.

    • BobinOz August 9, 2015, 8:09 pm |

      Sorry Cruz, this isn’t something I can help you with. It’s not an area I know anything about, but I do have a resident expert who may be able to help you. Check out my page about Student Visas and take advantage of the free assessment on offer there.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Sunit July 21, 2015, 8:29 pm |

    Hi Bob,
    I had requested your opinion or view about an issue while migrating to Australia. But havent got any reply from your end. Kindly revert on the same.

    Regards,
    Sunit

    • BobinOz July 21, 2015, 9:45 pm |

      At great expense of my own time, I searched for your name in my comments and found that you did make a comment in May of this year and I answered it here.

      Now, why would you wait so long to come back to me on a different page and accuse me of not answering it when I have actually answered it? Do you think I haven’t got better things to do?

      Please do not ask me any more questions or for any more of my time when you can’t even be bothered to read the answers for yourself or remember where you posted your question.

  • Ozalip June 11, 2015, 11:53 pm |

    Hi Bob,
    Brilliant web site 🙂
    Can you tell me a little bit about what was involved in the medical you had to have? I realise this may have changed but any information would be helpful.
    Looking at leaving the UK within ghte next 6- 8 months

  • Germán Fernandez Trelles June 10, 2015, 5:06 am |

    Hi Bob, been a member of your page for a while now but I believe I’ve ever left a comment. I am from Argentina, 28 years old and have 10 years of IT experience working for 2 of the most important IT companies world wide. Down side is that I don’t have a degree. My top level of education was high school and the dropped out of college a few times. Never was able to find myself on any career I tried. Can you tell me if I would be able in long term to go an live in Australia? I am not sure if I can even get the Work & Holiday VISA, but then again; never applied for it. Any information would be greatly appreciate. Thank you!

    • BobinOz June 10, 2015, 6:50 pm |

      I can’t tell you, but my MARA agent could if you were to go through my Visa Assessment Service.

      Not having a degree doesn’t necessarily mean you will have a problem, it’s possible you can get your work experience assessed and if you pass that, and if your skill is in demand, that can certainly help your application. But you would really need to talk to a MARA registered migration agent about that or go through the assessment I have mentioned.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Bri May 17, 2015, 12:13 pm |

    Bob,
    I’m 22 from Florida and looking to move to Australia after nursing school (about a year). Which area do you think I should move to? I wanted to move to Perth, but I heard it was too boring. Any suggestions?

  • Neva April 28, 2015, 5:44 am |

    Hello Bob, My family and I are wanting to move to Aussie to help take care of my husbands father. He is an OZ citizen with OZ Visa. I am having trouble trying to figure out what visa the kids and I would need. Also if kids are eligible for citizenship? I do have a skill set that is in the list. We are on an VERY tight budget to do this. We currently live in the US. Also if you can direct me to good website to compare education for my kids. The Aussie system is kind of hard to understand and compare to the US but that is a very important factor.

    Thank you,
    Neva

    • BobinOz April 29, 2015, 5:27 pm |

      You would need to speak to a MARA migration agent about your options for getting a visa or you could go through my Visa Assessment Service.

      As for schools, I have lots of information about those on my page called Which school? and if you look towards the bottom of that page there are quite a few links to other related pages, including one which compares education standards between Australia, the UK and the USA.

  • sachin patel April 28, 2015, 2:41 am |

    Hello
    Bob
    I had complete my study in year 2006..after that i had done a job 2007 to 2011…after 2011 i had been start my business…my question is that i planning to go for a student visa for australia…my study gap is around 8 years…i have ielts score 5.5 band…study gap in my study will affect for getting me visa?

  • Odeta April 25, 2015, 7:19 pm |

    Hey Bob!
    I use to lived and studied in Australia for 2 years, and an month ago I my agent helped to extend my visa for another 2.5 years , but he was late to attached few documents that’s why immigration canceled my visa! My studies still on, and I’m on my class list as a student, and I have still renting my Apartament. But my agent told me that the best why is go outside of Australia and reapply visa again. So now I’m in Thailand, replying my visa , can u tell me if I can any chances to get it again?? I want to comeback to Australia so much , I’m very stress out.. Don’t know what to think..

    • BobinOz April 27, 2015, 3:52 pm |

      I simply couldn’t tell you, I’m not a MARA agent. You should ask your agent about this, I hope he is registered with MARA, it’s always safest to deal with MARA registered migration agents.

  • uday April 11, 2015, 7:55 pm |

    Hi bob, I am from electronic back ground (Bsc) and currently i am pursing masters in IT, I came to know that I can get 5 points for my electronic degree, is it true or I should do professional year for 5 points ,.. I am lacking 5 points.

  • Paul Connell March 15, 2015, 9:59 pm |

    Hi Bob,

    My son has been working his way up to gold coast, to play rugby, work and live for a year, hes 19 and staying with friends at the mo, Hes struggling to find work in or around surfers, his team will be the runaway bay seagulls where would you recommend he sets up base, (he dosent drive, so will need to live work and play around same area. Hope you can help

    Cheers

    • BobinOz March 16, 2015, 5:23 pm |

      Sorry Paul, I can’t help with this, I just don’t know the area well enough. I don’t even know where the Runaway Bay Seagulls are based. Maybe if you asked this question on my page about the Gold Coast somebody who knows the area might be able to help.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Sheila March 2, 2015, 1:15 pm |

    Do you know of anyone that has a blog similar to yours for people looking to move from Australia to the UK? I’ve been looking but haven’t turned anything up as of yet!! Hope you can help.

    • BobinOz March 2, 2015, 8:52 pm |

      Sorry Sheila, no I don’t.

  • Hilary February 27, 2015, 10:16 pm |

    Bob – Help! what’s happened to the format on your Recent Comments posts? I keep getting something different from yesterday. The replies are laid out across the whole screen, left to right and the rectangle where you can click for ‘like’ on fb for instance is blocking the words, can’t get it to disappear. I’m not explaining this very well but really hoping this isn’t a permanent change. It’s very hard to read and I’ve given up. Has something gone wrong or is it something I’ve done??

    • BobinOz February 28, 2015, 12:22 am |

      Hi Hilary

      Well, I think I know what’s happened, I installed a new plug-in today that is supposed to make my website more user-friendly on mobile devices, so the change is definitely something to do with that. What are you using to view the website? Android? IPad? A desktop PC, Mac or something else?

      What page specifically is formatted all wrong, can you post a link? If it is something to do with this plug-in and I can’t get it working properly, I’ll just delete it and everything should go back to normal. Thanks for your help with this, Bob

      • Hilary March 2, 2015, 7:48 pm |

        Thanks for sorting out that formatting glitch Bob. I did post with the links on Sunday morning as you requested but had to do it on the already- newly-formatted page and by the looks of it it didn’t get through, though I submitted in the usual way.

        Anyway, it looks as though it’s all back to normal now. So pleased as I was about to give up trying to read the posts with the frustration! Thanks again.

        • BobinOz March 2, 2015, 9:46 pm |

          Thanks for letting me know there was a problem Hilary, although I haven’t really sorted it out, all I’ve done is remove the plug-in that I think caused the problem. I’m still hoping to make this website more user-friendly for mobile devices so I will have to try and solve the problem at some point.

          So if you still have a copy of what you sent Sunday morning anywhere, it would be great if you could repost it here so I can take a look and try and work out what needs to be done. Don’t worry if you haven’t got it though.

          Anyway, glad it sorted for now, cheers, Bob

          • Hilary March 3, 2015, 7:01 pm |

            Ah yes, well I did reply on this post on 1st March but as it hasn’t appeared here I assume it didn’t work for some reason. This FAQ thread was in the new format and I had trouble seeing what I was typing under the rectangular box on the left side (it wouldn’t budge even with clicking).

            Anyway the threads affected on Sunday (from the Recent Comments list) were Choosing a School in Aus, West Perth, 10 Reasons why Not…, and Your free ebook. Those were the ones I looked at but there would have been others I missed as they dropped off the bottom of list before I got to them. Also I tried clicking on the ‘desktop’ bar at the bottom of page but the blue colour kept flicking back to ‘mobile’. By the way I’m using bog standard laptop with Windows. No fancy apps yet I’m afraid, too much for the grey matter right now haha! Hope that’s of some help.

            • BobinOz March 4, 2015, 12:54 am |

              Thanks for the update Hilary, that sounds scary, trying to make my site more user-friendly on mobile devices and completely messing up on a Windows laptop, not what I wanted to achieve.

              Looks like I will have to come up with a plan B 🙂

              Again, thanks for letting me know about this, I really do appreciate it, you have been a great help.

              • Hilary March 4, 2015, 10:37 pm |

                No problem Bob. Just so pleased it’s all working properly again and I can read things…got into a bit of a panic in case my fav blog was out of reach! Good luck with Plan B!

  • Kim Mansfield February 18, 2015, 12:20 am |

    Hi Bob you will see a number of queries from me as we are in the process of starting our AOI. Your website is great with some great information. You most probably do have this somewhere but I couldnt find it – do you have information of childcare and costs (what is on offer in Aus etc). We are looking at Brisbane area or Sunshine coast. Thanks Kim

  • sachin patel February 13, 2015, 1:55 pm |

    Hello
    Sir
    My name is sachin patel,I live in india.I am going to apply for australia student visa.As per visa rule i have to saw bank balance as per visa requirement,My father is USA citizen and lives in USA, he has a account in USA bank and has balance in his account,I want to ask you that i am applying from india can i saw my father bank balance from USA bank as a evidence for fund requirement….

    • BobinOz February 13, 2015, 5:50 pm |

      That’s not a question I can help you with I’m afraid, I’m not a MARA migration agent and I simply don’t know the answer. Good luck though, Bob

  • laura February 12, 2015, 7:29 am |

    Hi, myself my partner and son are looking to move to Campbeltown nsw in 2 / 3 years time. Could you tell me more about the area, schools, closest beaches and all round opinion of weather this would be a good area for my son who will be 11 when we leave. Many thanks.

  • Nagi January 27, 2015, 3:35 pm |

    Hi Bob,
    Thanks a lot for your blog and lot of useful information.
    I am one of the followers of this website and beneficiary of your valuable suggestion.
    I got Australia PR through your suggestion, when it was at blocking stage.
    I am planning to move to Australia as family is there, right now i am in Canada on overseas assignment from Indian employer and its going to complete by Feb end. I have created my profile in seek and started applying for jobs from 3rd week of December 2014 but so far i did not get even a single call and not even shortlisted for a job post.
    My doubt here is whether Australian employers or job consultancies recruits associates, who are staying in overseas with Valid Australia PR or not?
    Could you pls suggest something to expedite my job searching process?

    Thanks in advance…
    Nagi.

    • BobinOz January 27, 2015, 5:44 pm |

      It’s certainly harder to secure a job here whilst you are still abroad than it would be if you are actually here, I’ve heard that said many times. Of course, it depends on your line of work and if employers can’t locate people already in this country, they will look abroad.

      You will get help with your search if you purchase the package available on my page How to Find a Sponsored Job in Australia. Good luck, Bob

  • Ant Smith January 26, 2015, 11:25 pm |

    Hi Bob, I am seriously considering moving to Australia I qualify on points which is good news. I have family in Australia also which I assume is good news. My question is how do I get to stay in Oz? do I go for a Working Holiday Visa? if I go for this option I don’t want to come back basically after a year.
    I was in touch with Emigrate Australia and there telling me it will cost about £5,000 for me to emigrate, why this much?

    Could you shed any light on helping me achieve my goal?

    Thanks

    • BobinOz January 27, 2015, 5:30 pm |

      I can’t help you with the “how” you get here, only MARA registered migration agents can give specific advice about which visa would be best. As for that £5000 fee, yes, the Australian government charges a fee for these visas and it would depend which one you might qualify for before you can know exactly how much it would cost.

      If you need help, check out my Visa Assessment Service.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Laura January 13, 2015, 6:52 am |

    Hiya Bob,

    I was wondering if you would be able to give me any information about police officers, my hunsband is a police officer and we are looking to move to brisbane, it says you have to have permanent residancy to apply, but because police officer is on the CSOL list we couldn’t get it without a job offer if that makes sense?

    Thanks so much, Laura
    P.S fab story about your dog, my husband would rather leave me than the dog too!! haha

    • BobinOz January 13, 2015, 9:26 pm |

      Yes, I think my wife would have left me behind before the dog as well. Never mind.

      Can’t help you with the police officer thing though, but I do know it is possible to come here on a PR if you qualify. I think you need to speak to a MARA registered migration agent about your situation or, if you prefer, you could go through my Visa Assessment Service and my agent could look at your options for you.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Jody December 21, 2014, 3:07 am |

    We are going through the visa process to move to NSW from UK. My daughter will complete her GCSEs June 2016 (she will at that time be 16) we are looking to move then. I am a bit confused regarding schooling it looks like they go to university a year earlier in Australia would she therefore need to go down a year to gain the relevant qualification to get in. She is extremely bright and has a full scholarship to the hardest school to get in in our area. Going down a school year I think would really upset her, move is going to be enough for her to cope with. Thanks in advance for any advice. Also my son is on the autistic spectrum so I need to find a small class school to suit him.

    • BobinOz December 22, 2014, 8:08 pm |

      I think this is something you would need to discuss directly with the school, I think you’ll find they are quite flexible and they will do whatever they can that’s in the best interest of the student. As for your son, you can get lots of information about schools in your area on my page called Which school?.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Missy December 16, 2014, 1:54 pm |

    Silly question Bob: how plentiful are the insects and wildlife down there in the more urban areas? Will I have dinner plate sized spiders crawling in my house? Or be infested with cockroaches?

  • Umair Naeem December 14, 2014, 5:06 am |

    hi boob
    I need your help I am from pakistan I wanna know about age point claim from DAIC
    At the time of applying to daic if your age is less than 33 but more than 32 wt u will score .is it 25 or 30

  • Sebastian Salm December 8, 2014, 4:43 am |

    I have a question: What are the roads like in Australia. I’m from the U.S., and here driving cross-country is something we like to do more than others. Tell me about all kinds of roads. From normal streets to Interstate motorways. It would be great. Many thanks.

    • BobinOz December 8, 2014, 5:34 pm |

      We tend to do a lot of driving as well, but we have all kinds of roads. Anything from single dust dirt tracks, to single tarmac roads, to multilane motorways and toll roads. We have bypasses, underground tunnels, some paid, some free, and some roads are too busy and others you won’t see another car for an hour or so.

      Australia is a big place, we have lots of roads, good, bad and indifferent. The Bruce Highway, which runs north from Brisbane for 1600 kilometres or so is in desperate need of an upgrade, I think that would be classed as one of our bad roads.

  • ant December 6, 2014, 1:57 am |

    looking for advice/help please. retired single male love road cycling on bicycle,unsure wether to buy in dover gardens/campbeltown/or is it advisable to stick to main areas like glenelg/brighton to ensure house price value and growth???
    does adelaide get less/more rainfall than sydney as i used to live there before.?

    budget 500k

  • kerry November 4, 2014, 9:34 pm |

    Hi bob.
    I love your site. Its brilliant.
    Its always been my dream to move to Australia and I’m now ready for a new chapter in my life. I’m single, have 2 kids aged 5 & 6. I’m struggling to find out general information like what about if u have some debt? And I’m a carer. What visa would do for me. Id love to find out more
    Thanks

    • BobinOz November 5, 2014, 5:06 pm |

      Hi Kerry

      Glad to hear you like my website, thank you.

      I can’t specifically comment on the debt thing myself, I think it really depends how much it is and who it is to. The biggest problem though is not just identifying which visa would work for you, but it’s qualifying for that visa.

      Only MARA registered migration agents can help you with that, so that’s who you should really be talking to, although you will get some information that will help you if you watch the video on my page called Visas.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Joe Carroll August 28, 2014, 5:41 pm |

    Well Bob

    Will a (letter and pay slips) from my previous employer be sufficient to prove i have been in skilled employment for at least three but less than five years (of the past 10 years) with overseas experience for 5 points

    Cheers, Joe

    • BobinOz August 28, 2014, 10:13 pm |

      I couldn’t tell you for sure, it’ll be the case officer that look through your proofs, only he can decide. What they actually expect as proofs, I have no idea.

      Cheers, Bob

  • Gautam August 24, 2014, 1:35 am |

    Hi Bob
    it was really pleasured to visit your website ,i would like to inform you that me and my wife are moving from India to Queensland under skilled(provisional)visa subclass 489 .please guide me which suburb would be best to live and where i can find a good job for both of us.i dont have any friend in brisbane who can guide me and get me a job.My skill is Farming(agriculture) as i am a farmer presently in india,My wife is a Fashion Designer with industrial experience.it would be really kind of you if you guide us.

    • BobinOz August 24, 2014, 9:16 pm |

      I’m afraid I have no idea of where you could best head to to find work, all you can do is search the listings through the links I provide on my page called Getting a Job or a Sponsorship.

      I can’t really help you on a suburb either, everyone’s idea of a good suburb is different, but you may get some tips from my page called Which Suburb?.

      Good luck, Bob

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