Navigating the complex Australian visa system without a registered immigration agent Perth is a gamble that can cost thousands of dollars, months of wasted time, and potentially your future in Western Australia. The Department of Home Affairs maintains incredibly strict standards, and even a minor oversight can lead to an immediate application refusal.
Western Australia’s inward and outward migration policies and state nomination conditions are constantly changing and nothing can be worse than searching the internet or asking friends for advice. Here are five of the biggest and most costly visa errors that Perth migrants make when applying for visas on their own.
The first mistake is selecting the wrong ANZSCO Occupation Code.
If you’re applying for a skilled visa (such as 190 or 491), it all depends on your nominated profession. For many independent applicants, choosing an Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) code is simply a matter of what their occupation title is.
But the daily activities and duties of your job, and not the job title on your contract, are what Home Affairs and skills assessment authorities look at. Your skills assessment will not be successful if your role doesn’t exactly match the ANZSCO definition. The worst part is that if you enter a wrong code in your Expression of Interest (EOI) then the next visa application you make with incorrect details will be denied and you will need to go through the costly process again.
Miscalculating Points on the EOI
The Skilled Migration points test may seem simple on paper, but it can be a common error made by self-represented applicants. Typical error sites are:
- Work Experience: Points awarded for work experience that was undertaken prior to the date you are considered fully qualified by your skills assessment authority.
- English Proficiency: Taking “Superior” on English, even if test results are actually “Proficient,” or allowing test results to expire before being invited.
- Partner Points: Not knowing exactly what skills and English level are required to earn partner points.
If a person claims more points than they should (even if it is by mistake), and their invitation is audited, they are automatically refused a visa. You’ll get a sizeable refund on your visa application fee and may be penalized for giving false information.
Submitting Non-Compliant or “Genuineness” Documents
One of the primary causes of student visa and partner visa application failures is that there is a lack of evidential weight. In today’s severe regulations, international students have to pass a stringent screening on intentions for studying, for instance. Broad, general Purpose Statements or inadequate financial substantiation result in fast denials.
Having just a marriage certificate and a couple of photos is not sufficient for partner visas anymore. Home Affairs needs a lot of well-documented and legally substantiated evidence that addresses the financial, social and household elements of a true and ongoing relationship. Applicants that have been made independently do not always give the necessary depth of history, resulting in extended processing times or rejection.
Overlooking Strict Timeframes and Bridging Visa Conditions
Visa pathways are tied with strict deadlines. From 28 day turnaround in responding to a natural Request for Further Information (RFI) from a case officer to ensuring that your medical checks and police clearances are in place at the time of decision, timing is everything.
Further, you need to have a perfect understanding of Bridging Visas in order to cope with the transition between visas. Many migrants end up holding an unlawful visa status without realising, or losing the right to work, due to failing to apply for a new visa in time or not being aware of the conditions of the Bridging Visa A, B or C.
Ignoring Perth-Specific and WA State Nomination Criteria
There are at least two distinct streams within the state nomination program in Western Australia – the WA Migration Graduate stream and the WA Skilled stream. Specific priority occupations are identified in the state and local requirements are established for local employment contracts or periods of study in Perth.
News that might be of interest to migrants that isn’t included in the national media likely isn’t significant enough to warrant a change to the WA Skilled Occupation List (WASOL). It is time consuming to apply for visa streams that are not in focus at the time in WA.
Protect Your Investment with Expert Guidance
For an adult, the financial impact of an Australian visa refusal is not just the visa application fee (which has no refund for visa applications that are refused), legal costs and the loss of a right to remain in Australia, but also may involve the cost of appealing a visa refusal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).
When a professional migration agent Perth is involved, there is no guesswork. A registered agent will make sure your paperwork is correct, work out your points with 100% accuracy and tie your plan to the current economic needs of Western Australia. Rely on a professional and be confident that your Australian dream is not as big as you thought because you let the paperwork get in the way.
