Why should you not wait with applying for Australian Permanent Visa?
As a Mara Registered Migration Agent I talk to thousands of people looking to make the move to Australia. People ask for Australia Visa and application guidance which is our area of speciality. One of the most important pieces of advice anyone providing Australian Migration advice should give and here for free is “Don’t leave your timing too late”. Apply for an Australian permanent Visa as soon as you can especially if you are looking at Skilled Migration, as this Australian Visa pathway is age sensitive.
Many is the time that I answer the phone to talk to prospective applicants who could potentially apply for the Visa were it not for their age. A person may have met all the other important criteria, but age can be the factor that would prevent them from applying for the Visa.
Many prospective applicants leave it too late to start the process. Even though the Skilled Migrant Visa can be applied for before the applicant’s 45th birthday, it takes months to prepare the application ready for lodgement. Applicants must complete several steps before submitting a complete application. These can take a long time to prepare and finalise. In some cases, applicants must wait for an Invitation from the Australian Immigration Department to apply for the Visa and this stage is very hard to control and predict in terms of the timing.
Applicants for the Skilled Migrant visa must remember that this visa is points tested. One of the Visa points category is age and the older the applicant gets, the less points can be claimed.
Leaving it too late also means that you will not have enough time re-train or get more work experience. Once you have reached the age limit, the options are very restrictive if not unavailable, even if you are offered a job by an Australian employer.
The age is the time of application. In other words, your age will be calculated at the time of submission even if the application takes months to process.
Another thing to remember is that Immigration Rules are constantly changing. The Visa options you had available last year, might no longer be on the table. Applying for an Australian Residency Visa is not getting easier; in fact rules are getting stricter with visa application fees rising substantially in the last 5 years.
So not only does it make good sense to apply as soon as you can with regards to making sure that you meet the criteria, it also makes good economic sense.
Even though I have mentioned 45 as a cut off age, the advice is sound at most ages because the availability for a certain type of visa or the demand for a skill can also change quickly.
The 45 years age limit mainly applies to the Australian Skilled Migrant (Points Based) and Employer Sponsored (Permanent) Migration.
The early application advice is sound even for other Visa classes as the last few years have not only seen significant price rises, such as in the Australian Spouse and Fiancée categories, but also there have been significant delays in processing times added to such applications such as the Parent Category.
It has to be remembered, that most Australian Permanent Residency visas come with a specific timeframe that the visa holder has, to enable them relocate to Australia. In the majority of Australian Permanent visas, you will have 5 years to move.
So, starting your journey to Australia sooner rather than later is certainly better all round. Changes are always occurring and to beat negative changes, you should make an application while the ability is there.
So, if you are thinking about applying for a Visa for Australia then don’t wait. Taylor Hampton Solicitors’ Emigrate to Australia can give you advice on Migration to Australia.
Our details are: [email protected]k or call our London office on 0207 427 5290.
So, don’t delay, call us today to find out what is available for you and your family for a Move to Australia.
