Visas & Advice Detail
Your questions: August 2006
Our panel of migration experts answers another selection of questions from readers of Emigrate Australia
Dear Emigrate Australia
I am a UK government research scientist (Cryptosporidium consultant) with a PhD in molecular genetics and my husband is a serving metropolitan police officer and we are keen to respond to the South Australian call for UK serving police officers. We have a ten year-old son and a two-year-old daughter. The query is whether we would likely be turned down at the medical, as our daughter is disabled. Medically she has diabetes insipidus which is easily controlled with inexpensive drugs and will not get worse. She will require further surgery to finish her cleft palate/gum line (although this could be done in the UK). Developmentally she will require attendance at a special school and is likely to require specialist seating / bathing equipment etcetera at home. I know it is difficult to know whether we will be turned down or not because of this but I was hoping for an indication as to the likelihood. This information would help us decide as to whether to proceed with an application. Do the skills wanted by South Australia help to negate the requirements of my daughter?
Anonymous
Shirley Booth of Australian Migration Associates replies.
Unfortunately, it isn't possible to give you a definitive answer as to whether your daughter will meet the required health criteria for Australia. There are three areas of concern to the Australian Health Department. Firstly, there is TB; secondly medical conditions where a person requires treatment, support or assistance which are considered by the Australian Authorities to be in short supply; and thirdly conditions which are likely to result in significant health treatment and costs in Australia. It may be that your daughter's condition will fall within the third category. Only after you have provided detailed medical reports from specialists will the Commonwealth Medical Officer be able to assess the likely costs involved. It isn't possible to jump straight to the medical stage in an application to find out whether your daughter will meet the health entry criteria. You would have to go though the process of lodging an application and having it assessed by the Australian Department of Immigration first. Your daughter will have to meet the health entry criteria applicable to the visa you are applying for, regardless of whether you are sponsored by a state or indeed whether you choose to take out private health insurance cover.
Dear Emigrate Australia
I am a registered staff nurse currently working at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Scotland. I am interested in emigrating to Australia, specifically the Northern Territory, with my six-year-old son. From my initial research I believe my best options may lie with the Employer Nomination Scheme or the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. How would I go about applying under either of these schemes, bearing in mind I am looking at settling in Darwin, Katherine Gove or Alice Springs in NT?
Nicola Lawson
Caroline Cronin of Next Step Migration Ltd replies.
As a registered nurse working in the UK you may find that you have multiple visa options, all offering various different benefits. I would strongly advise you to speak to a migration specialist for detailed information on each category. At first glance the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) appear to be very similar but the criteria does vary greatly. The ENS and the RSMS visa where designed to enable Australian employers to recruit highly skilled workers and therefore to apply for either of these categories you would be required to secure a full-time permanent position with an approved Australian employer.
To apply for the ENS visa you will need to meet the following requirements:
The position to be filled must be on the gazetted occupations list (nursing is listed)
The position must meet the minimum gazetted salary level
The position must be full-time and open for at least three years
You must be under the age of 45 (unless exceptional circumstances)
You must speak vocational English (unless exceptional circumstances)
You must complete a successful skills assessment plus have three years of work experience in the occupation (this requirement can be waived in certain circumstances)
The applicant and all the family unit must meet full health and character requirements
To apply for the RSMS you will need to meet the following:
Full-time permanent offer of employment in a regional area of Australia (all of the Northern Territory is included)
Be under the age of 45 (unless exceptional circumstances)
Speak vocational English (unless exceptional circumstances)
The applicant and family unit must meet full health and character requirements
The business must be operating in a regional area of Australia
The position must be open for at least two years
Criteria for the grant of RSMS visas are generally easier to meet than for the ENS, but RSMS visas are subject to cancellation if you do not remain with the employer for two years. If you are interested in applying for any of these visas then the first thing that you must do is obtain a job offer. I would also advise you to contact the Nursing Board for the Northern Territory which will provide you with information on its registration requirements. The address is: Registrar, Nurses Board of the NT, PO Box 4221, Darwin NT 0801, 10th Floor NT House, 22 Mitchell Street.
For further information:
Australian Migration Associates
Next Step Migration Ltd
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