[brian]

Hi Mark,

Thanks again for clarifying. So I have submitted the following:

Northern Territory –
I tried to submit but I cannot submit on their platform because at one of the questions: are you currently living in the Northern Territory, the answer is No and it then tells me:
“The NT Government is currently not accepting new nomination applications except for those who have urgent visa deadlines. You will not be able to continue this application.”

ACT:

Submitted the Canberra matrix.

Victoria

Made an account on the portal but have not found where I can submit an ROI. When I choose Apply I see the following as options. No 491 visa options.
VISA Type

188X – Extension

888A – Business Innovation

888B – Business Investor

888C – Significant Investor

Thanks again. I am still considering trying to study but I am seeing certain posts on facebook allude to an invitation round happening right now; are there usual or typical invitation dates or nomination times, or are they random, as and when needed?

Thanks

• This reply was modified 4 months, 3 weeks ago by  brian.

[brian]

Hi Mark, thanks for all the help again. Definitely more helpful than one or two of the migration agents i have tried to deal with in the past and it’s definitely a difficult system to navigate. Makes me want to be a MARA agent just because I felt so let down when I paid such high fees for agents assessments and advice, only to feel like it was a waste, they are not very forthcoming with help as their entire business model relies on them doing the work, and to be honest once you have the road map it’s not actually difficult to gather documents and file for yourself. Doing it myself and with help from this forum is so much more rewarding. It’s a complicated process but not impossible.

If you have any guidance or info about where to engage each state separately that would be great. So far I registered on the migration western australia website.

I am unsure of other states and which may currently have my occupation on their list. If you have more info or can point me in the direction that would be great.

I found the following info thus far:

Western Australia
It is on the WASMOL schedule 2 list available for 491 nomination only. No 190 nomination.
I have registered as a candidate on the migration western australia website.

New South Wales
It appears to be on the list and falls under category for 3121. It follows the Pathway 2 for Offshore candidates and says I should submit an EOI on skillselect.
I have not found a separate registration or application page specific for NSW outside of skillselect.

Queensland
I don’t believe it is on their skills list QSOL offshore list unfortunately. Have not submitted any application direct to the QLD state.

South Australia
Listed for 491 nomination under offshore candidates. It says to register on skill select and submit my EOI. Does not mention a separate state registration or application.

Northern Territory
On the list for 491 sponsorship. Offshore migration list. I have not registered/applied to NT as I have just right this minute found a place to apply, but it says: Before applying, please ensure that you have first read our eligibility page and have lodged your expression of interest in the Department of Home Affairs Skillselect. I have done this. So will register with this portal and state today.

ACT
It appears on the critical skills list and eligible for 491 nomination. I have to submit a Canberra skills matrix. I believe my tentative score is only 55/185 so on the first look this does not appear very competitive, but I can attempt to submit this later today as well alongside the NT application above.

Victoria
I am not certain if it’s on the list for Victoria but I just found the Live in Melbourne portal. Will research this today as I have not submitted anything here.

And often forgotten about island of Tasmania.
Does not appear that the occupation is on their skills list. I have not submitted anything extra aside from Skill select.

If you have any further other sites or info that would be helpful I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you

[brian]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the info. Yes. Bit disappointed really as I have 80 points but I am reading on other forums such as reddit, and I saw also a statistics page where it shows that 312116 and state nomination is not very common. Maybe 5 in the last 3 years, and each of those 5 nominations had 95 points.

So bit wary my 80 points will not be sufficient.

Currently in an unrelated field and have been applying to new jobs but it’s not exactly an easy job market in the UK unfortunately.

I thought that if I received family nomination then I would receive an invite. Clearly that only boosts my points and is no guarantee of an invite. Quite unfortunate again really.

Thanks for the help and info. If all else fails and I do not receive a nomination I may have to try go and study in Australia.

• This reply was modified 5 months ago by  brian.

[brian]

To add to previous reply: from further research it appears because that the Other geospatial scientist role is considered a skill level 1, instead of the aerial survey technician skill level 2, therefore I probably will not receive a positive assessment without 5 years of relevant work experience (I have 2 years of highly relevant) and then another 2.6 of somewhat relevant work experience. So I assume I likely would not receive a positive assessment.

[brian]

Great info, thank you for the help.

I have also found that I could submit another application to VETASSESS for Other Geospatial scientist – 232214.

This I believe aligns with my work but I would only just scrape 2 years specifically with this kind of experience from my most recent role, hopefully this would be enough to be considered as qualified. Or is the requirement higher? I assume 2 years as that is what I required to be considered qualified for the aerial survey technician role.

With Other Geospatial Scientist therefore I am eligible for 189 independent as well as Family sponsored 491 for regional australia. In which case I could receive family nomination and an invitation to apply? Correct?

I believe I would have to get a new statement of service from my employer and HR department, slight modified to be more in line with the requirements of other spatial scientist – from what I can tell I should NOT submit the exact same statement of service to vetassess. Instead just reword it to focus more on the analysis side as opposed to the technical field work side. Which is 100% accurate as I spent majority of my work time in the office, preparing plans, analysing data and maps etc. which very much lines up with other spatial scientist.

If I received a positive assessment based on the 2 years of work experience I have, I would then have:
Under 40 – 25 points.
Recognised degree – 15 points.
Single applicant – 10points.
Work experience – 2years (qualifying years). 0 points
English language – superior. 20 points.
Family nominated/sponsored regional 491. – 15points.

Total points 80.

Is this correct? Can I run into any issues with this? Other than the potential negative assessment? If I did this and got the positive assessment, then I might receive the 491 visa due to family sponsored?

My only other option would be completely retrain in a different career path within australia with the hopes of then securing the 485 graduate visa and then permanent residency. But that is extremely costly and can take another say 4 years.

• This reply was modified 5 months ago by  brian.

[brian]

Hi Mark, I have just gone to submit an expression of interest. A few questions if I may:

1. It asks me to select visa types. My visa would be 491.
Skilled Work – Regional (Subclass 491) (Provisional) – State and Territory Nominated

I have not yet been nominated and have not received a nomination by a state, I thought this was the first step and I would then receive nomination after submitting my EOI.

2. It mentions I should contact state and territories directly – so I plan to do this and will apply to any and all states and territories which include the 312116 visa on their lists.

3. Before I click to submit the expression of interest it has a sort of summary page that seems to indicate I have 90 points. I am a bit confused as I don’t feel I have 90 points, I had calculated that i had 70points.

Skilled Work – Regional (Subclass 491) (Provisional) – State and Territory Nominated

The EOI for this subclass is able to be completed. The client’s claims equal 90 points

I of course don’t want to submit it with an error but from what I can tell everything I have input I should have 70 points – without a nomination.

I have also input my work experience – all of it. On VETASSESS assessment they assessed that I had 2.6years of experience because the first 2years was seen as qualifying me for the position. I have included all 4.6years of experience on the application, not just the last 2.6 post qualification. Is this wrong/incorrect?

thank you for your help.

[brian]

Hi there,

So i officially did my English exam and got the superior English result (90 points in each discipline for PTE academic) that was required for award of the 20 extra points.

Now I’m looking to submit the expression of interest. Will submitting an EOI negatively affect if I attempt to study as well?

I want to pursue all options but wary that if I try to apply for a student visa, with the genuine entry declaration and they see an expression of interest in skill select they may then deny my student visa?

Any useful guide or tips for submitting the EOI, I really don’t want to make any mistakes in the application.

Thanks.

[brian]

Hi Mark thanks for the response.

I’m also looking into trying to study a diploma in Australia. Would that be an option to boost my points further? I have heard that mature age students are often not granted a study visa or it can be very difficult to get one. I feel like studying there could be great as I could get into Australia as a student, make connections in the field and occupation whilst studying; boost my skills, get into the area; boost my scores and then potential have a better chance or perhaps a bridging course.

Is there anything else I can do other than switching my job. It’s a difficult time and not the best idea to switch jobs but I am quite open to it as I really want to improve my chances of getting in.

I’ve also done some calculations and with current 70points, and then state nomination I would be up to 85 points. So quite significant over the bare minimum of 65. Or so I am trying to hope.. lol