• What is the procedure for migrating to Australia (skilled immigration)?
• Would I be eligible to migrate even if my qualifications and work experience are in different fields?
• What would it cost to migrate to Australia?
• Are the costs per person or for the whole family?
• How much money should I take to Australia (or show in my bank account, during visa processing)?
• Can you provide a list of services offered by United International?
• What sort of assistance we get from you to settle in the new country?
• Can you guarantee that my migration application will be approved?
• Can I get a refund of the fees paid if my migration application is refused?
• Why is it so expensive to migrate to Australia?
• Does Australia practice a discriminatory immigration policy?
• When can I apply to be a citizen of Australia?
• What is the best time to apply?
• Why should I use a Registered Migration Agent?
• About the Principal Consultant
• About United International

What is the procedure for migrating to Australia (skilled immigration)?

The skilled immigration process to Australia is essentially of 3 steps.

The first step is to have your skills assessed by the relevant assessment agency in Australia. This is essential and without a successful skills assessment, your immigration application cannot proceed. There are a number of skills assessment bodies in Australia and you need to satisfy the criteria established by the assessment body. A careful preparation of your application is also essential to get a successful outcome. The time taken to process the application depends on the assessment body and it could take anywhere from as little as one week to several months, depending on your occupation.

Once you have received a favourable assessment, you can then lodge the immigration application with the DIMIA (Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Australia). This is the second step and it should take around 4 months for DIMA to get back to you with the outcome of your application.

The third and final step is for you to submit a police clearance certificate and undergo necessary health checks, upon being advised by DIMIA. At the end of the process, you (and your family) will be issued with the residence visas that would allow you to migrate to Australia.

Would I be eligible to migrate even if my qualifications and work experience are in different fields?

In some cases, yes. But in a majority of cases, you will be eligible to secure 10 points for work experience, only if you have work experience in the same field as your occupation (for which you have been assessed) or in a closely related field. So, if you are not able to secure the full 10 points for work experience and if you are an independent applicant without the spouse points, it is unlikely that you would reach the pass mark of 120 points for the skilled independent category.

For some occupations such as information technology professions, your qualification can be from some other field and the skills can be successfully assessed based on your work experience alone. The work experience requirements are rigorous in such cases. Try out our free evaluation to find out the points you score.

What would it cost to migrate to Australia?

The fees of the skills assessment body, Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) and others are given below:

Please contact us for details of our fees. If you submit your details for a Free Evaluation, you will receive details of our fees along with the evaluation report.

Are the costs per person or for the whole family?

The skill assessment charges are to be paid only by the principal applicant and only if spouse points are to be claimed, there would be a separate fee for the skill assessment of the spouse. The visa application fee is the same for a single person or for the family (principal applicant, spouse & children). Our fee is the same for single applicants as well as those with family.

How much money should I take to Australia (or show in my bank account, during visa processing)?

There is no minimum set amount prescribed by DIMIA that you should show in your bank account, during the processing of your visa. However the changes brought about in 1999, require newly arrived migrants to wait for a period of 2 years, before they would become eligible for any social security payments such as unemployment benefit. So you should be able to take sufficient amount of funds with you in order to be able to survive during the initial period in Australia, till the time you find employment.

Can you provide a list of services offered by United International ?

We provide the following services and more than this list, a friendly, transparent and quick service that would make the move as painless as possible:

What sort of assistance we get from you to settle in the new country?

We offer settlement advice for all our clients. This includes information about the job market in Australia, finding accommodation, getting a tax file number, applying for driver's license, preparation of resumes, etc. The whole aim is to make your initial period of settlement in the new country as comfortable as possible.

Please visit the page Value Added Services for more information on the settlement assistance we provide for you and your family.

Can you guarantee that my migration application will be approved?

We will not accept your instructions to proceed with your application unless we are convinced that your application has a good chance of being approved. We will endeavour to ensure that your application is presented in the best way along with a legal submission covering all aspects of the migration regulations and the procedures advice manual PAM3, that the visa officers use. However as much as we would like to provide you a guarantee that your application will be approved, the Migration Agents Code of Conduct strictly prohibits us from providing you that guarantee. If we do provide you a guarantee that your application will be approved, we will be in breach of the Code of Conduct and we would be subject to disciplinary action by the Migration Agents Registration Authority

Please read on and your questions will be answered in the next section.

Can I get a refund of the fees paid if my migration application is refused?

In the unfortunate event of a skill assessment or migration applications being rejected or refused, we would not charge our client any further fee quoted at the time of signing an agreement. So you would not incur any further loss. We charge our fee in instalments and only when our client clears a stage an invoice is raised for the next stage of the application process. We would not advise you to apply, if your chance of succeeding is not good, so it is all the more reason to get in touch with a registered migration agent.

Any fee paid to the skills assessment bodies or the Department of Immigration would not be refunded to you. For more details, you could request for a sample agreement from us.

Why is it so expensive to migrate to Australia?

When you really come to think about it, the lifestyle and security you and your family will be able to experience and enjoy in Australia will far outweigh the cost in terms of fees you pay to us and in terms of the lodgment fee you have to pay to DIMIA. To ensure that the right type of immigrants enter Australia, the government there spends a considerable amount of time and money. In return for your honesty and professional and business expertise, Australia offers you and your family, a unique lifestyle second to none in the world.

Does Australia practice a discriminatory immigration policy?

No. Australia does not practice a discriminatory immigration policy. Anyone from any country can apply to immigrate to Australia, regardless of his/her ethnic origin, gender, colour or religion. The White Australia Policy was got rid of in the 1950s and since then there have been thousands of immigrants from all over the world arriving in Australia to make it their home. Today Australia is a truly multicultural country accepting immigrants from all corners of the world to contribute to the richness of their land.

When can I apply to be a citizen of Australia?

The Australian Government encourages all permanent residents to apply for citizenship as soon as they are eligible to apply. You may apply to become a citizen when you have accumulated a total of 2 years of residence in Australia, out of the last 5 years immediately before you submit your citizenship application.

What is the best time to apply?

The best time to apply is 'NOW'. Because as you get older you get fewer points and if you are over 45, you would not be eligible to apply to migrate to Australia. Also, with each change to the migration act and regulations, it becomes increasingly more difficult to migrate.

Why should I use a Registered Migration Agent?

A registered migration agent (RMA) is certified by an Australian Government Body called MARA (Migration Agents Registration Authority) after the agent has a thorough knowledge of all aspects of the immigration act and regulations of Australia. There are exams conducted by MARA before the registration takes place. Also the agent needs to have a post graduate qualification with law components in it and needs to be an Australian Citizen, so that if there are any malpractices by the agent, he/she can be punished under Australian law. The costs of maintaining the registration are also very high.

RMAs are also required to keep their knowledge up-to-date by attending CPD (Continuing Professional Development) courses periodically in Australia. RMAs are also required to maintain a library of all migration acts, regulations and related information. RMAs are also given access to the Procedure Advice Manual (PAM), which the visa officers use in deciding an application.

Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) recognises onlyMARA registered agents to file immigration applications on behalf of applicants.

In the last few years more than 50% of all applications ended up being rejected by DIMIA. An application assisted by a registered migration agent can enhance the prospects for acceptance by DIMIA.To enhance the prospects of your application to be accepted, we present a legal submission with your application. In this, we address every single aspect of the law, regulations and DIMIA immigration procedures manual with respect to your case and this could sometimes run up to over 30 pages. We can communicate with the DIMIA office to follow up on your application, which may not be possible if you do the application directly or by an unrecognised agent.

In addition to your immigration application, we give expert guidance on preparing the skills assessment applications. The skills assessment is essential and without a successful skills assessment, your immigration application cannot proceed. There are a number of skills assessment bodies in Australia and you need to satisfy the criteria established by the assessment body. A careful preparation of your application is also essential to get a successful outcome. With our experience in handling a number of applications, we can successfully guide you through.

About the Principal Consultant

The principal consultant at United International, has lived and worked in Australia and New Zealand for several years. He has worked in MNCs and Standards Australia in senior management level positions and has a first hand knowledge of life in these countries. He travels to Australia periodically and has associates in several cities in Australia. This would be valuable to you when you actually take residence - as you would have help in finding jobs, accommodation, etc.

Non-registered agents offering advice on immigration issues may not be equipped to provide you with accurate information and guidance. There is very little advantage in going through one such person. Instead, you could lodge the application yourself and save a lot of money.

About United International

United International is a professional consulting firm operating in the field of migration consulting for Australia. We are a professionally run firm and offer quality advice. Our office is equipped with a network of computers and all modern communication devices. We are well equipped to provide you advice, no matter where you are. Currently we are processing applications from all around the world and the distance has not been a problem for either us or to our clients. All our counsellors are trained professionals and you can expect a friendly and transparent service, throughout the time your application is handled by us.

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