Getting down to it...

The ICAA has declared that my qualifications are “suitable for immigration purposes” as a management accountant a week before expected. I really don’t want to waste any time in getting my visa, since the assessment is valid for a maximum of two years, as is the IELTS result.

Since changes are taking place more frequently than website updates, most of the information is out of date. The best place to start with the visa application process is probably the introductory page for the online application at http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/general-skilled-migration.htm

The online application requires you to read the Life in Australia booklet before applying, available here. I ordered a copy today, with reference number '20101206221226 Khan'. Of course, the pdf version is also available from here, and contains essential facts and figures about Australia, including some history, general knowledge, government, laws and civil rights and some social commentary on Australian way of life, complete with 'barbies' (barbecues) and invaluable advice on what do on stuffing a grill too-many: "[Australians] say, ‘excuse me’ or ‘pardon me’ if they burp or belch in public or in a person’s home".

This link shows the print preview for the online application with each section and information required.

But then I don't need to know that anymore, it seems, since the GSM no longer applies to management accountants and a number of other professions previously on the critical skills list, as per my last conversation with Bilal, an immigration consultant at Mumtaz and Associates, a (likely) reputed law firm that also specializes in immigration consultancy. Some of the other immigration consultants listed on the net are available here.

Bilal pointed out that the revised list of occupations leaves only a few of the prior list of occupations (including some computing occupations) for GSM. State sponsorship is the only way through.

We agreed that processing time for state sponsorship is actually shorter than it would have been for GSM, but on the downside, applicants are confined to work in a particular state for a period of at least two years.

However, the fact of the matter needs some proper study and discernment, as the latest schedules of eligible occupations are given in a complex legal document from the Australian Government Attorney-General website, dated December 2, 2010.

Of the four schedules applicable to different visa types and application dates (new versus old), the only schedule in which 'Management Accountant' does not appear is Schedule 1, which apparently refers only to pre-July 2010 applications.

So the whole immigration process is a lot more complex than previously, simply because Australia has been struggling to make its immigration policy more in line with its growing requirement for skilled workers while trying its best to keep out the likely misfits and failures.

Hopefully once the dust settles things will be clearer, but until then I have some digging to do.


Mainly, I need to answer the following questions:

1. Which visa types am I eligible for?

2. Which is my best option, after evaluating all the relevant factors?

3. Where do I want to go and why?

4. What is my plan for landing a job?


More on this soon.