Applying For An Australian Permanent Resident Visa

I did my application in 2005 on my own and I know a lot has changed since then.

The visa that I applied for is equivalent to today’s Skilled – Independent (Migrant) Visa (Subclass 175). This is a permanent visa for people with skills in demand in the Australian labour market. Applicants are not sponsored and must pass a points test.

Sometimes the Accountant or External Auditor occupation will not be in the "in demand list" or the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) but most of the time it is there.

Eligibility

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To be eligible for the Subclass 175 visa, the following are the basic requirements:

• Age
• English Language Eligibility
• Nominated Skilled Occupation
• Skills Assessment
• Recent Australia Study Requirement or Recent Skilled Employment Experience
• Location
• Health
• Character
• Australian Values Statement

Points Test

The pass mark for the current points test is 65. You can earn points in the following criteria:

• Age
• English Language Ability
• Australian Study Requirement
• Overseas and Australian Skilled Employment
• Qualifications
• Credentialled Community Language
• Regional Australia Study
• Partner Skills
• Professional Year

Website

To learn more about the Skilled – Independent (Migrant) Visa (Subclass 175), go to the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship website:

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/175/

This website is quite comprehensive and it shows how you can earn points and what documentation is required.

My Application

When I was doing my application back then, I had a friend who was also doing the same thing and she was well advanced in her application than I was. This was good because I had someone to ask if I had questions.

I received my visa in 2006, which was a year from when I started putting together all the requirements.

If you are having difficulty and have the money, you can certainly hire an experienced migration agent. Ask for recommendations from friends or their friends as you would want someone who has a good track record. Some of my friends who used a migration agent spent twice as much as I did for the whole process.

There are also forums for Filipinos wanting to apply for a permanent resident visa in Australia. Most of them are really helpful so you could try them as well.

Now be the best that you can be,

Xiela Marie Dacyon