In 2015, when I decided to apply for my Australian PR, I found out that there is so much misinformation floating around that it becomes very difficult to apply for PR without hiring migration agent.

I did not want to waste $2000+ on hiring migration agent so I read every blog, every forum, and every website out there on Australia. I educated myself and then created a step-by-step process to Australian PR for myself.

I got my Australian PR in 2016… in just 5 Days after applying!

 

In this post, you will learn:

• What is the Skilled Migration Program to become Australian PR?
• Which is the best visa for Accounting degree holders?
• 4 major concerns you have about the PR process
• Why this is the best time to move to Australia?
• Step-by-Step process to apply for Australian PR through Australian Government’s online portal

 

Don’t have time now? I have created a FREE downloadable version, Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For Accountant, for you to use.

WHAT IS THE SKILLED MIGRATION PROGRAM TO BECOME AN AUSTRALIAN PERMANENT RESIDENT (PR)

Skilled Migration Program is the official name given by Australia Government to what is generally called Australian PR. It is essentially a 5-year visa to live and work in Australia as an Australian Resident.

If a PR holder completes at least 4 years living in Australia, then he/she is eligible to apply for citizenship.

Skilled Migration Program is a points-based system.

It means you need to score at least 65 points on their criteria to be able to apply.

 

Let’s see what does it mean to have an Australian PR:

• You can stay in, or travel in and out of, Australia indefinitely during the 5-year period
• You can work and study in Australia
• You can enroll in Medicare – free healthcare program
• You can apply for Australian Citizenship
• You can sponsor your family members for Permanent Residence as well
• And you don’t need a visa to visit New Zealand 😉

WHAT IS THE BEST VISA FOR ACCOUNTING DEGREE HOLDERS

The visa type that I decided to apply for is called Skilled – Independent Visa (subclass 189). This is what I call the King of all visas.

It allows the visa-holder to live and work in any city in Australia.

 

There are two other closely related visas that you can apply for as well:

1. Skilled – Nominated Visa (subclass 190) which can be applied even at 60 points instead of 65 because you get 5 points automatically from state sponsorship. Unlike for 189 visa, the visa-holder of 190 visa is required to stay in a certain state for 2 years.
2. Skilled – Work Regional Provisional Visa (subclass 491) which can be applied at just 50 points because you get 15 points automatically from either state sponsorship or nomination by a family member who already lives in Australia as a PR or a citizen. Unlike 189 visa, this is not a PR visa, but during your 5-year stay here on this visa, you can apply for PR.

Both these visa have exactly similar process to apply as that of 189 visa, so everything that is given in this post applies for all the visas.

4 MAJOR CONCERNS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN PR PROCESS

Concern # 1: Is getting PR a competitive process or will I get it?

It’s not a competitive process once you understand how the quota works.

On 1st July of each year, Australian Government releases quota (known as Occupation Ceiling) for each profession.

Table below shows the occupation ceilings from 1st July 2019 to 30 June 2020 for Accounting & related fields:

Occupation Ceilings from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020

Field	Occupation Ceiling
Accountants	2746
Auditors, Company Secretaries & Corporate Treasurers	1552
Actuaries, Mathematicians & Statisticians	1000
Economists	1000

 

Here’s the full list of Occupation Ceilings being updated real-time on the Australian Government’s website.

Concern # 2: Can I get Australian PR if I have no job experience in Accounting field?

Job experience is only relevant if you have one-year Australian experience or 3 year foreign experience for extra points for PR, otherwise you are fully eligible to apply for PR without experience.

Concern # 3: How long does it really take to get Australian PR?

If you have required points and meet the relevant criteria, then it can take anywhere between few weeks to a few months. But can take more than a year on low points. It has to be noted that Accounting is an extremely competitive field and thus requires high points for even initial consideration.

Before this critical process, there are 2 steps (IELTS/PTE exam and Skills Assessment) that will take you 8-10 weeks to complete depending on how you pace it.

Concern # 4: How much does it cost to get Australian PR?

The major cost is actual visa cost which is AUD 4045. But the good news is that it has to be paid only AFTER Expression of Interest (EOI) has gotten accepted.

Before this cost, there are two small costs:

– IELTS or PTE registration fees ~ AUD300

– Skills Assessment fees to IPA/CPA/CAANZ ~ AUD500-700

The above two costs are your actual investments before you get PR.

Concern # 5: Is ACCA and CIMA recognized in Australia?

Since ACCA and CIMA are two of the most recognized qualifications, both the qualifications are fully recognized in Australia for migration purposes. For CIMA, applicants should have passed the professional levels of CIMA and hold chartered Status.

If the applicants don’t have an undergrad degree, that status would be provided by Accountant Skills Assessment body (IPA/CPA) after reviewing qualifications and documentations.

International qualifications like ACCA and CIMA are recognized as being beyond undergrad level and thus can be used for Australian Immigration purposes.

WHY THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO MOVE TO AUSTRALIA

2 Reasons:

1) It is the easiest first world country at the moment that is giving PR to people from third world countries.

Getting Australian PR means you can get citizenship after 4 years of living here.

 

2) Even though Australia is the easiest first world country to migrate to, it is getting difficult every year.

I’ve been tracking it for the past 3 years, collecting data points to analyse the trend. As job markets are getting more saturated, population is rising, major cities are filling up, and supply (number of people applying for PR) is increasing, we are seeing that it’s getting more difficult every year.

Before July 2018, you could get PR at 60 points for several fields, now it’s minimum 65 points to apply.

Moreover, Australia recently removed an entire class of visa which employers used to bring labor from third world countries.

Finally, since 2018 about 200 job categories have been removed from a list of 650. This means that not all professions are welcomed anymore. Accountants have survived the removal of job categories, but will they survive another year, two or four?

 

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS TO APPLY FOR AUSTRALIAN PR

Table below summarizes how points are calculated for Expression of Interest (EOI).

Category		Points
Age
18-24 years old		25
25-32 years old		30
33-39 years old		25
Overseas or Australian Degree
Bachelors or Masters Degree		15
Australian Study (Degree or Diploma)
Studied in Australia for at least 2 years		5
Work Experience (in Accounting field)		Outside Australia	Inside Australia
Less than 3 years	Less than 1 year	0	0
3 to 4 years	1 to 2 years	5	5
5 to 7 years	3 to 4 years	10	10
8 to 10 years	5 to 7 years	15	15
IELTS band / PTE score
6 or 6.5 band / 50 to 64 score		0
7 or 7.5 band / 65 to 78 score		10
8, 8.5 or 9 band / 79 to 90 score		20
Spouse Points
Unmarried		10
Spouse with 6 Band (IELTS) / 50 Score (PTE)		5
Spouse with 6 Band (IELTS) / 50 Score (PTE) + Relevant Skills Assessment		10
Professional Year in Australia		5
Community Language Certification in Australia (NAATI)		5

The above table is what applicants have to play with to reach 65 points.

Step 1: Take IELTS or PTE exam

I never used to speak English until I was 20. So this step really scared me at first.

My first thought was, ‘Oh man, do I really need to take IELTS exam?’, and my second thought was, ‘Is there a way I can skip it?’ To this, the simple answer is No, IELTS is mandatory.

Since 2018, however, there are other tests that can be used in place for IELTS, such as PTE, but it is compulsory to prepare and take an English test.

The good news is (Yes, there is good news as well) that only IELTS General Training Test is required, which is much simpler than Academic Training.

IELTS test has 4 components: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking.

In order to get 10 points towards total score, you need to have at least 7 score in each of the 4 components.

In order to get 20 points towards total score, you need to have at least 8 score in each of the 4 components.

Just google ‘British Council IELTS register’ in your city and chose a date for 1 month in advance.

1 month is more than enough time to prepare for IELTS. If you give yourself 2 or 3 months, you will still be preparing in the last month only. Human psychology!

I scored 8.5 Band in IELTS. Here’s my Test Result.

In 2018, I created the smartest online course on IELTS Preparation, called Ultimate Guide to Hacking IELTS, that has since then helped 3000+ people nail their IELTS exam and apply for this PRs.

 

If you instead decide to take PTE exam, my online course on PTE Preparation, called Ultimate Guide to Acing PTE, has helped 1000+ people ace their PTE exam.

 

Step 2: Skills Assessment from IPA or CPA (officially known as Migration Skills Assessment)

This is the step to secure 15 points for Bachelors or Masters Degree, and another 5 to 10 points for work experience.

This list below is called Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), highlighting only Accounting related occupations. Applicant is only eligible to apply for 189 visa if the Degree title is closely related to one of these occupations.

Degree Title	ANZSCO Code
Accountant (General)	221111
Corporate Treasurer	221212
External Auditor	221213
Management Accountant	221112
Taxation Accountant	221113
Finance Manager	132211

—

• If you are applying for Engineering fields (such as electrical, mechanical, etc.), here is the Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For Engineers.
• If you are applying for ICT-related fields (such as computer science, software engineering, etc.), here is the Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For ICT & Software Engineering.

—

Moving on.

To get Skills Assessed, just follow the steps at IPA or CPA Portal, which are the official bodies designated by Department of Home Affairs, Australia.

All you have to do is:

• Choose occupation name and code from the table above
• Fill the online form at IPA or CPA with degree details and attach the documents they have asked for.
• Attach evidence of work experience (for additional points).

 

It has to be noted that CPA or IPA assessment is based on subjects and courses you have studied previously. There are certain mandatory courses that must be completed by the applicant when applying for the assessment.

In case any course/subject is missing, the PR applicant would need to undertake that course online and meet the relevant criteria before getting assessed. The details of required courses for each occupation are detailed here.

Once you’ve completed Step 2, you should have your Skills Assessment Certificate ready in 10 days and you can move on to Step 3.

Step 3: Expression of Interest (EOI)

After completing step 1 and 2, you are ready to submit your Expression of Interest (EOI).

EOI is completed online by logging into portal called, SkillSelect.

It is completely FREE to submit and it doesn’t take more than 30 minutes to fill in the information.

To start EOI application, click HERE.

Press ‘Submit an EOI’, and a new window will open.

Started filling in your personal information.

Create your Password by giving email and passport information.

Once done, an EOI ID will be issued to Login anytime and update EOI, even after submitting it.

Selected visa type: Skilled – Independent (Subclass 189)

Enter your IELTS/PTE score, Education qualification, and Employment details.

On the Skills Assessment section, select your nominated occupation, as the one that has been endorsed by IPA / CPA in Step 2.

Select ‘Yes’ for the question asking ‘Does the client have a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority?’.

No documents are needed to be attached for proof at this stage but reference numbers for both IELTS/PTE and Skills Assessment by ACS have to be provided.

Once you submit EOI, it will show you confirmation with total points.

And then you wait!

It will take anywhere from a week to more than a year depending on your total points.

After you get an email saying your EOI has been approved and you are invited to apply for visa, move to step 4.

Step 4: Visa Application

You will have 60 days after the EOI acceptance invitation to make a visa application online.

To lodge visa application, follow this link to Immigration portal.

Create your ‘username’ and ‘password’ and hop in.

The information you submitted in EOI will already be pre-filled here.

This step is extremely simple as well.

You just have to submit visa application form online which takes 5 minutes to fill as most of the information is repeated from EOI.

Then you attached scanned versions of relevant documents (don’t have to be certified).

Documents Required:

– Positive Skills Assessment evidence by IPA or CPA

– Age (Passport or Birth Certificate)

– IELTS/PTE Result

– Degree & Employment Proof (same as submitted to IPA / CPA in Step 2)

After you attach these documents, press Submit.

After about a month, they might ask for Form 80. This is a bit lengthy form to fill in.

Information to fill in form 80:

• Residential addresses for last 10 years
• Travel history for last 10 years (trick I used to complete this section was to see the stamps and dates of those stamps on my passport)
• Internships and part-time work information
• Parents and siblings’ basic information (name, date of birth, citizenship)
• 2-line answer to why I am travelling to Australia, and why do I want to remain in Australia

This was my 2-line answer:

“I’m a top performer in my field. I can contribute at the highest level in a country which advocates merit. I believe I’ll be an asset to this multi-cultural society Australia is”

This part is lengthy but simple and no extra documentary evidence is required.

Once you submit this form, you will be asked to submit your Police Character Certificate (from countries you have lived in the past 10 years) and also get Medical check-up done from the designated lab in your city.

When you go to the medical place mentioned by the Immigration Authority, they will already know what to do, and they will send the results directly to the Immigration Authority.

And that is it!

After completing Step 4, I got the awesome email with PR in just a month.

Now here I am in Australia 🙂

 

Through AustraliaYours, I love sharing my experiences that can help my readers save thousands of dollars and many months of effort. I hope this was useful.

P.S. I have created a FREE downloadable version, Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For Accountants, for you to use.

In 2015, when I decided to apply for my Australian PR, I found out that there is so much misinformation floating around that it becomes very difficult to apply for PR without hiring migration agent.

I did not want to waste $2000+ on hiring migration agent so I read every blog, every forum, and every website out there on Australia. I educated myself and then created a step-by-step process to Australian PR for myself.

I got my Australian PR in 2016… in just 5 Days after applying!

 

In this post, you will learn:

• What is the Skilled Migration Program to become Australian PR?
• Which is the best visa for Computer Science & Software Engineering degree holders?
• 4 major concerns you have about the PR process
• Why this is the best time to move to Australia?
• Step-by-Step process to apply for Australian PR through Australian Government’s online portal

 

Don’t have time now? I have created a FREE downloadable version, Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For Computer Science & Software Engineering Degree Holders, for you to use.

WHAT IS THE SKILLED MIGRATION PROGRAM TO BECOME AN AUSTRALIAN PERMANENT RESIDENT (PR)

Skilled Migration Program is the official name given by Australia Government to what is generally called Australian PR. It is essentially a 5-year visa to live and work in Australia as an Australian Resident.

If a PR holder completes at least 4 years living in Australia, then he/she is eligible to apply for citizenship.

Skilled Migration Program is a points-based system.

It means you need to score at least 65 points on their criteria to be able to apply.

 

Let’s see what does it mean to have an Australian PR:

• You can stay in, or travel in and out of, Australia indefinitely during the 5-year period
• You can work and study in Australia
• You can enroll in Medicare – free healthcare program
• You can apply for Australian Citizenship
• You can sponsor your family members for Permanent Residence as well
• And you don’t need a visa to visit New Zealand 😉

WHAT IS THE BEST VISA FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE & SOFTWARE ENGINEERING DEGREE HOLDERS

The visa type that I decided to apply for is called Skilled – Independent Visa (subclass 189). This is what I call the King of all visas.

It allows the visa-holder to live and work in any city in Australia.

 

There are two other closely related visas that you can apply for as well:

1. Skilled – Nominated Visa (subclass 190) which can be applied even at 60 points instead of 65 because you get 5 points automatically from state sponsorship. Unlike for 189 visa, the visa-holder of 190 visa is required to stay in a certain state for 2 years.
2. Skilled – Work Regional Provisional Visa (subclass 491) which can be applied at just 50 points because you get 15 points automatically from either state sponsorship or nomination by a family member who already lives in Australia as a PR or a citizen. Unlike 189 visa, this is not a PR visa, but during your 5-year stay here on this visa, you can apply for PR.

Both these visa have exactly similar process to apply as that of 189 visa, so everything that is given in this post applies for all the visas.

4 MAJOR CONCERNS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN PR PROCESS

Concern # 1: Is getting PR a competitive process or will I get it?

It’s not a competitive process once you understand how the quota works.

On 1st July of each year, Australian Government releases quota (known as Occupation Ceiling) for each profession.

Table below shows the occupation ceilings from 1st July 2019 to 30 June 2020 for ICT fields:

Occupation Ceilings from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020

Field	Occupation Ceiling
ICT Business and Systems Analysts	2587
Software and Applications Programmers	8748
Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists	2887
Computer Network Professionals	2553

That’s more than 16,000 PRs every year for just ICT degree holders! Do you really think you can’t take 1 spot out of these 16,000+ spots? 😉

Here’s the full list of Occupation Ceilings being updated real-time on the Australian Government’s website.

Concern # 2: Can I get Australian PR if I have no job experience in ICT field, or if my degree is not in ICT field?

You need to have full-time work experience in ICT related field for 2 years after your graduation before you are eligible to apply for Australian PR. Any work experience after the first 2 years will count towards additional points (more on this later).

But if your degree is in non-ICT field, then you need to have 6 years of work experience before you can apply.

Concern # 3: How long does it really take to get Australian PR?

The critical process is from the time applicant submits Expression of Interest (explained in last section) till the time it gets accepted. If your score is 75 points at the time of applying, you can get invited within 5 Days. If you have 70 points, then it can take anywhere between few weeks to a few months. And if you have 65 points, then it can take more than a year.

Before this critical process, there are 2 steps (IELTS/PTE exam and Skills Assessment) that will take you 8-10 weeks to complete depending on how you pace it.

Concern # 4: How much does it cost to get Australian PR?

The major cost is actual visa cost which is AUD 4045. But the good news is that it has to be paid only AFTER Expression of Interest (EOI) has gotten accepted.

Before this cost, there are two small costs:

– IELTS or PTE registration fees ~ AUD300

– Skills Assessment fees to ACS ~ AUD500 (fee details link)

The above two costs are your actual investments before you get PR.

WHY THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO MOVE TO AUSTRALIA

2 Reasons:

1) It is the easiest first world country at the moment that is giving PR to people from third world countries.

Even more so, Engineers are in huge demand in Australia.

Getting Australian PR means you can get citizenship after 4 years of living here.

 

2) Even though Australia is the easiest first world country to migrate to, it is getting difficult every year.

I’ve been tracking it for the past 3 years, collecting data points to analyse the trend. As job markets are getting more saturated, population is rising, major cities are filling up, and supply (number of people applying for PR) is increasing, we are seeing that it’s getting more difficult every year.

Before July 2018, you could get PR at 60 points for several fields, now it’s minimum 65 points to apply.

Moreover, Australia recently removed an entire class of visa which employers used to bring labor from third world countries.

Finally, since 2018 about 200 job categories have been removed from a list of 650. This means that not all professions are welcomed anymore. Engineers have survived the removal of job categories, but will they survive another year, two or four?

 

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS TO APPLY FOR AUSTRALIAN PR

Table below summarizes how points are calculated for Expression of Interest (EOI).

Category		Points
Age
18-24 years old		25
25-32 years old		30
33-39 years old		25
Overseas or Australian Degree
Bachelors or Masters Degree		15
Australian Study (Degree or Diploma)
Studied in Australia for at least 2 years		5
Work Experience (in ICT related field)		Outside Australia	Inside Australia
Less than 3 years	Less than 1 year	0	0
3 to 4 years	1 to 2 years	5	5
5 to 7 years	3 to 4 years	10	10
8 to 10 years	5 to 7 years	15	15
IELTS band / PTE score
6 or 6.5 band / 50 to 64 score		0
7 or 7.5 band / 65 to 78 score		10
8, 8.5 or 9 band / 79 to 90 score		20
Spouse Points
Unmarried		10
Spouse with 6 Band (IELTS) / 50 Score (PTE)		5
Spouse with 6 Band (IELTS) / 50 Score (PTE) + Relevant Skills Assessment		10
Professional Year in Australia		5
Community Language Certification in Australia (NAATI)		5

The above table is what applicants have to play with to reach 65 points.

Step 1: Take IELTS or PTE exam

I never used to speak English until I was 20. So this step really scared me at first.

My first thought was, ‘Oh man, do I really need to take IELTS exam?’, and my second thought was, ‘Is there a way I can skip it?’ To this, the simple answer is No, IELTS is mandatory.

Since 2018, however, there are other tests that can be used in place for IELTS, such as PTE, but it is compulsory to prepare and take an English test.

The good news is (Yes, there is good news as well) that only IELTS General Training Test is required, which is much simpler than Academic Training.

IELTS test has 4 components: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking.

In order to get 10 points towards total score, you need to have at least 7 score in each of the 4 components.

In order to get 20 points towards total score, you need to have at least 8 score in each of the 4 components.

Just google ‘British Council IELTS register’ in your city and chose a date for 1 month in advance.

1 month is more than enough time to prepare for IELTS. If you give yourself 2 or 3 months, you will still be preparing in the last month only. Human psychology!

I scored 8.5 Band in IELTS. Here’s my Test Result.

In 2018, I created the smartest online course on IELTS Preparation, called Ultimate Guide to Hacking IELTS, that has since then helped 3000+ people nail their IELTS exam and apply for this PRs.

 

If you instead decide to take PTE exam, my online course on PTE Preparation, called Ultimate Guide to Acing PTE, has helped 1000+ people ace their PTE exam.

 

Step 2: Skills Assessment from ACS (officially known as Migration Skills Assessment)

This is the step to secure 15 points for Bachelors or Masters Degree, and another 5 to 10 points for work experience.

This list below is called Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), highlighting only ICT related occupations. Applicant is only eligible to apply for 189 visa if the Degree title is closely related to one of these occupations.

Degree Title	ANZSCO Code
ICT Business Analyst	261111
Systems Analyst	261112
Analyst Programmer	261311
Developer Programmer	261312
Software Engineer	261313
ICT Security Specialist	262112
Computer Network and Systems Engineer	263111

—

• If you are applying for other Engineering fields (such as electrical, mechanical, etc.), here is the Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For Engineers.
• If you are applying for Accounting related fields, here is the Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For Accountants.

—

Moving on.

To get Skills Assessed, just follow the steps at ACS portal, which is the official body designated by Department of Home Affairs, Australia.

All you have to do is:

• Choose occupation name and code from the table above
• Fill the online form at ACS with degree details and attach the documents they have asked for
• Attach evidence of work experience (only get points if it is in ICT field)

Note: You are only eligible to apply for Skills Assessment if you have completed 2 years of full-time work in ICT-related field AFTER your graduation date.

Here’s the PDF of Migration Skills Assessment Guidelines if you want to read more details on which documents are required.

Once you’ve completed Step 2, you should have your Skills Assessment Certificate ready in 8-10 weeks and you can move on to Step 3.

Step 3: Expression of Interest (EOI)

After completing step 1 and 2, you are ready to submit your Expression of Interest (EOI).

EOI is completed online by logging into portal called, SkillSelect.

It is completely FREE to submit and it doesn’t take more than 30 minutes to fill in the information.

To start EOI application, click HERE.

Press ‘Submit an EOI’, and a new window will open.

Started filling in your personal information.

Create your Password by giving email and passport information.

Once done, an EOI ID will be issued to Login anytime and update EOI, even after submitting it.

Selected visa type: Skilled – Independent (Subclass 189)

Enter your IELTS/PTE score, Education qualification, and Employment details.

On the Skills Assessment section, select your nominated occupation, as the one that has been endorsed by ACS in Step 2.

Select ‘Yes’ for the question asking ‘Does the client have a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority?’.

No documents are needed to be attached for proof at this stage but reference numbers for both IELTS/PTE and Skills Assessment by ACS have to be provided.

Once you submit EOI, it will show you confirmation with total points.

And then you wait!

It will take anywhere from 5 Days to more than a year depending on your total points.

After you get an email saying your EOI has been approved and you are invited to apply for visa, move to step 4.

Step 4: Visa Application

You will have 60 days after the EOI acceptance invitation to make a visa application online.

To lodge visa application, follow this link to Immigration portal.

Create your ‘username’ and ‘password’ and hop in.

The information you submitted in EOI will already be pre-filled here.

This step is extremely simple as well.

You just have to submit visa application form online which takes 5 minutes to fill as most of the information is repeated from EOI.

Then you attached scanned versions of relevant documents (don’t have to be certified).

Documents Required:

– Positive Skills Assessment evidence by ACS

– Age (Passport or Birth Certificate)

– IELTS/PTE Result

– Degree & Employment Proof (same as submitted to ACS in Step2)

After you attach these documents, press Submit.

After about a month, they might ask for Form 80. This is a bit lengthy form to fill in.

Information to fill in form 80:

• Residential addresses for last 10 years
• Travel history for last 10 years (trick I used to complete this section was to see the stamps and dates of those stamps on my passport)
• Internships and part-time work information
• Parents and siblings’ basic information (name, date of birth, citizenship)
• 2-line answer to why I am travelling to Australia, and why do I want to remain in Australia

This was my 2-line answer:

“I’m a top performer in my field. I can contribute at the highest level in a country which advocates merit. I believe I’ll be an asset to this multi-cultural society Australia is”

This part is lengthy but simple and no extra documentary evidence is required.

Once you submit this form, you will be asked to submit your Police Character Certificate (from countries you have lived in the past 10 years) and also get Medical check-up done from the designated lab in your city.

When you go to the medical place mentioned by the Immigration Authority, they will already know what to do, and they will send the results directly to the Immigration Authority.

And that is it!

After completing Step 4, I got the awesome email with PR in just a month.

Now here I am in Australia 🙂

 

Through AustraliaYours, I love sharing my experiences that can help my readers save thousands of dollars and many months of effort. I hope this was useful.

P.S. I have created a FREE downloadable version, Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For Computer Science & Software Engineering Degree Holders, for you to use.

In 2015, when I decided to apply for my Australian PR, I found out that there is so much misinformation floating around that it becomes very difficult to apply for PR without hiring migration agent.

I did not want to waste $2000+ on hiring migration agent so I read every blog, every forum, and every website out there on Australia. I educated myself and then created a step-by-step process to Australian PR for myself.

I got my Australian PR in 2016… in just 5 Days after applying!

 

In this post, you will learn:

• What is the Skilled Migration Program to become Australian PR?
• Which is the best visa for Engineers?
• 2 most important things migration agents did not tell me
• 4 major concerns I had about the PR process
• Why this is the best time to move to Australia?
• Step-by-Step process to apply for Australian PR through the Australian Government’s online portal

 

Don’t have time now? I have created a FREE downloadable version, Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For Engineers, for you to use.

 

WHAT IS THE SKILLED MIGRATION PROGRAM TO BECOME AN AUSTRALIAN PERMANENT RESIDENT (PR)

Skilled Migration Program is the official name given by the Australia Government to what is generally called Australian PR. It is essentially a 5-year visa to live and work in Australia as an Australian Resident.

If a PR holder completes at least 4 years living in Australia, then he/she is eligible to apply for citizenship.

Skilled Migration Program is a points-based system.

It means you need to score at least 65 points on their criteria to be able to apply.

 

Let’s see what does it mean to have an Australian PR:

• You can stay in, or travel in and out of, Australia indefinitely during the 5-year period
• You can work and study in Australia
• You can enroll in Medicare – free healthcare program
• You can apply for Australian Citizenship
• You can sponsor your family members for Permanent Residence as well
• And you don’t need a visa to visit New Zealand 😉

 

WHAT IS THE BEST VISA FOR ENGINEERS

The visa type that I decided to apply for is called Skilled – Independent Visa (subclass 189). This is what I call the King of all visas.

It allows the visa-holder to live and work in any city in Australia.

 

There are two other closely related visas that you can apply for as well:

1. Skilled – Nominated Visa (subclass 190) which can be applied even at 60 points instead of 65 because you get 5 points automatically from state sponsorship. Unlike for 189 visa, the visa-holder of 190 visa is required to stay in a certain state for 2 years.
2. Skilled – Work Regional Provisional Visa (subclass 491) which can be applied at just 50 points because you get 15 points automatically from either state sponsorship or nomination by a family member who already lives in Australia as a PR or a citizen. Unlike 189 visa, this is not a PR visa, but during your 5-year stay here on this visa, you can apply for PR.

Both these visa have exactly similar process to apply as that of 189 visa, so everything that is given in this post applies for all the visas.

 

2 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS MIGRATION AGENTS DID NOT TELL ME

1) Agents do not have access to anything different than applicants

What agents didn’t tell me was that the online portal to apply for PR only has One Account Per Person. Meaning, that it’s the same login account that both I and my agent would have access to.

Agents do not have any backdoor way to make sure the case is pushed a bit extra. They don’t have separate accounts in which more information is shown.

 

2) There are only 2 technical aspects in the entire process of application, rest is just filling forms and uploading them

The 2 technical parts that require some effort are: IELTS / PTE exam and Technical Essays (known as CDR) – more on these in the last section.

My migration agent will not be of any help in either of these.

And how can they? Most of the migration agents I was talking to didn’t even have appropriate English in their emails, and how many have scored 8+ in IELTS themselves? None.

 

4 MAJOR CONCERNS I HAD ABOUT THE PR PROCESS

Concern # 1: Is getting PR a competitive process or will I get it?

I found out that it’s not a competitive process once I understood how the quota works.

On 1st July of each year, Australian Government releases quota (known as Occupation Ceiling) for each profession.

Table below shows the occupation ceilings from 1st July 2019 to 30 June 2020 for some Engineering Fields.

 

Occupation Ceilings from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020 for some Engineering Fields

Engineering Field	Occupation Ceiling
Chemical and Materials Engineers	1000
Civil Engineering Professionals	3771
Electrical Engineers	1000
Electronics Engineers	1000
Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers	1600
Other Engineering Professionals	1000

 

Here’s the full list of Occupation Ceilings being updated real-time on the Australian Government’s website.

 

Concern # 2: Can I get Australian PR even if I have no job experience or job experience in a non-engineering field?

Job experience is only relevant if someone has completed at least 3 years in the engineering field overseas, or at least 1 year in Australia. Otherwise, there are no points for it.

At the time of applying, I had only completed 2 years of job experience overseas, and that too in a non-engineering field, which was irrelevant for PR process. I still got PR.

 

Concern # 3: How long does it really take to get Australian PR?

The critical process is from the time applicant submits Expression of Interest (explained in last section) till the time it gets accepted. Because I had 65 points at the time of applying, I got accepted in 5 Days.

Before this critical process, there are 2 steps (IELTS/PTE exam and Skills Assessment) which took me about 4 months to complete. After my Expression of Interest got accepted, I submitted online application (Step 4) that took another 8 weeks to process before I got my PR.

 

Concern # 4: How much does it cost to get Australian PR?

The major cost is actual visa cost which is AUD 4045. But the good news is that it has to be paid only AFTER Expression of Interest (EOI) has gotten accepted.

Before this cost, there are two small costs:

– IELTS or PTE registration fees ~ AUD300

– Skills Assessment fees to Engineers Australia ~ USD600-850 (fee details link)

The above two costs were my actual investments before I got PR.

 

WHY THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO MOVE TO AUSTRALIA

2 Reasons:

1) It is the easiest first world country at the moment that is giving PR to people from third world countries.

Even more so, Engineers are in huge demand in Australia.

Getting Australian PR means you can get citizenship after 4 years of living here.

 

2) Even though Australia is the easiest first world country to migrate to, it is getting difficult every year.

I’ve been tracking it for the past 3 years, collecting data points to analyse the trend. As job markets are getting more saturated, population is rising, major cities are filling up, and supply (number of people applying for PR) is increasing, we are seeing that it’s getting more difficult every year.

Before July 2018, you could get PR at 60 points for several fields, now it’s minimum 65 points to apply.

Moreover, Australia recently removed an entire class of visa which employers used to bring labor from third world countries.

Finally, since 2018 about 200 job categories have been removed from a list of 650. This means that not all professions are welcomed anymore. Engineers have survived the removal of job categories, but will they survive another year, two or four?

 

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS TO APPLY FOR AUSTRALIAN PR

Table below summarizes how points are calculated for Expression of Interest (EOI):

Category		Points
Age
18-24 years old		25
25-32 years old		30
33-39 years old		25
Overseas or Australian Degree
Bachelors or Masters Degree		15
Australian Study (Degree or Diploma)
Studied in Australia for at least 2 years		5
Work Experience (in Engineering field)		Outside Australia	Inside Australia
Less than 3 years	Less than 1 year	0	0
3 to 4 years	1 to 2 years	5	5
5 to 7 years	3 to 4 years	10	10
8 to 10 years	5 to 7 years	15	15
IELTS band / PTE score
6 or 6.5 band / 50 to 64 score		0
7 or 7.5 band / 65 to 78 score		10
8, 8.5 or 9 band / 79 to 90 score		20
Spouse Points
Unmarried		10
Spouse with 6 Band (IELTS) / 50 Score (PTE)		5
Spouse with 6 Band (IELTS) / 50 Score (PTE) + Relevant Skills Assessment		10
Professional Year in Australia		5
Community Language Certification in Australia (NAATI)		5

The above table is what applicants have to play with to reach 65+ points.

 

This was my profile at the time of applying:

Waqas

Age: 26 (30 points)

Degree: Bachelors (15 points)

Work Experience: Less than 3 years (0 points)

IELTS score: 8.5 (20 points)

Total: 65 points

 

Step 1: Take IELTS or PTE exam

I never used to speak English until I was 20. So this step really scared me at first.

My first thought was, ‘Oh man, do I really need to take IELTS exam?’, and my second thought was, ‘Is there a way I can skip it?’ To this, the simple answer is No, IELTS is mandatory.

Since 2018, however, there are other tests that can be used in place for IELTS, such as PTE, but it is compulsory to prepare and take an English test.

The good news is (Yes, there is good news as well) that only IELTS General Training Test is required, which is much simpler than Academic Training.

IELTS test has 4 components: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking.

In order to get 10 points towards total score, I needed to have at least 7 score in each of the 4 components.

In order to get 20 points towards total score, I needed to have at least 8 score in each of the 4 components.

Registering for IELTS is very easy. I just Googled ‘British Council IELTS register’ in my city.

A link popped up. I registered there, and chose a date for 1 month in advance.

1 month was more than enough time to prepare for IELTS. I knew that if I gave myself 2 or 3 months, I will still only be preparing in the last month. Human psychology!

 

I scored 8.5 band in IELTS. Here’s my Test Result.

In 2018, I created the smartest online course on IELTS Preparation, called Ultimate Guide to Hacking IELTS, that has since then helped 3000+ people nail their IELTS exam and apply for this PRs.

 

If you instead decide to take PTE exam, my online course on PTE Preparation, called Ultimate Guide to Acing PTE, has helped 1000+ people ace their PTE exam.

 

Step 2: Skills Assessment from Engineers Australia (officially known as Migration Skills Assessment)

This is the step to secure 15 points for Bachelors or Masters Degree, and another 5 to 10 points for work experience.

This list below is called Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), highlighting only Engineering nominated occupations. Applicant is only eligible to apply for 189 visa if the Degree title is closely related to one of these nominated occupations.

Degree Title (Nominated Occupation)	ANZSCO Code	Category
Chemical Engineer	233111	Chemical and Materials Engineers
Materials Engineer	233112
Civil Engineer	233212	Civil Engineering Professionals
Geotechnical Engineer	233212
Structural Engineer	233214
Transport Engineer	233215
Electrical Engineer	233311	Electrical Engineers
Electronics Engineer	233411	Electronics Engineers
Industrial Engineer	233511	Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers
Mechanical Engineer	233512
Production or Plant Engineer	233513
Telecommunications Engineer	263311	Telecommunications Engineering Professionals
Telecommunications Network Engineer	263312
Aeronautical Engineer	233911	Other Engineering Professionals
Agricultural Engineer	233912
Biomedical Engineer	233913
Engineering Technologist	233914
Environmental Engineer	233915
Telecommunications Engineer	263311	Telecommunications Engineering Professionals
Telecommunications Network Engineer	263312
Telecommunications Field Engineer	313212	Telecommunications Technical Specialists
Telecommunications Network Planner	313213
Telecommunications Technical Officer or Technologist	313214

—

• If you are applying for Software Engineering or ICT fields, here is the Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For ICT & Software Engineers.
• If you are applying for Accounting related fields, here is the Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For Accountants.

—

Moving on.

To get Skills Assessed, I created an account on Engineers Australia portal, which is the official body designated by Department of Home Affairs, Australia.

Once there, I clicked on ‘Apply For Migration Skills Assessment’ and created my account.

—

For university graduates from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, the pathway to Skills Assessment requires CDR – Competency Demonstration Report.

The only exceptions are Indian and Sri Lankan Engineering graduates after 13 June 2014, and Pakistani Engineering graduates after 21 June 2017.

These graduates can just choose Washington Accord Pathway.

—

In summary:

• Choose occupation name and code from the table above
• Fill the online form with degree details and attach the documents they have asked for
• Attach evidence of work experience (only get points if it is in engineering field)
• Complete CDR – Competency Demonstration Report (next section)

 

Competency Demonstration Report (CDR)

The CDR consists of 3 parts:

1. Continuing Professional Development
2. Three Career Episodes
3. Summary Statement

 

Continuing Professional Development

This is just ONE-page list of applicant’s engineering related activities since graduation. These can include:

• Formal post-graduate study
• Conferences at which you have delivered papers or attended
• Short courses, workshops, seminars, discussion groups, technical inspections and technical meetings you have attended
• Preparation and presentation of material for courses, conferences, seminars and symposia
• Services to the engineering profession (volunteer work, board or committee volunteering, mentoring, etc.)
• Private study (includes books, journals, manuals, etc.)

 

Three Career Episodes

This is the most crucial step in CDR.

According to Engineering Australia,

“A career episode is an account of your engineering education and/or work experience. Each career episode focuses upon a specific period or distinct aspect of your engineering activity. Each career episode must focus on a different period or aspect of your engineering activity. Each episode should focus on how you applied your engineering knowledge and skills in the nominated occupation.”

Each career episode must clearly demonstrate engineering knowledge and skills in the field chosen. That is, applicant has to state what he did and describe how he did it, emphasising his own personal role in the experience.

 

Summary Statement

Once I had written my 3 Career Episodes, I filled a Summary Statement template provided by Engineers Australia on it’s website.

After this I submitted and waited for about 12 weeks to get Positive Skills Assessment.

–

I’m providing my readers exclusive CDR Writing KIT. 

 

Interested? >> Click here for details

–  

Step 3: Expression of Interest (EOI)

After completing step 1 and 2, I was ready to submit my Expression of Interest (EOI).

EOI is completed online by logging into portal called, SkillSelect.

It is completely FREE to submit and it didn’t take me more than 30 minutes to fill in the information.

To start my EOI application process, I clicked HERE.

Pressed ‘Submit an EOI’, and a new window opened.

Started filling my personal information.

Created my Password by giving email and passport information.

Once done, an EOI ID was issued to Login anytime and update EOI, even after submitting it.

Selected visa type: Skilled – Independent (Subclass 189)

Entered my IELTS score information, Education qualification, and Employment details.

On the Skills Assessment section, selected my occupation, as the one that has been endorsed by Engineers Australia in Step 2.

Selected ‘Yes’ for the question asking ‘Does the client have a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority?’.

No documents were needed to be attached for proof at this stage but reference number for both IELTS and Skills Assessment by Engineers Ausralia had to be provided.

Once I submitted EOI, it showed me confirmation with total points of 65.

 

And then I waited!

On 6 July 2016, after 5 Days of submitting, I got email saying my EOI has been approved and I’m invited to apply for visa (step 4).

 

Step 4: Visa Application

I had 60 days after the EOI acceptance invitation to make a visa application online.

To lodge my visa application, I followed this link to Immigration portal.

Created my ‘username’ and ‘password’ and hopped in.

The information I submitted in EOI had already been pre-filled here.

This step was extremely simple as well.

I just had to submit visa application form online which took 5 minutes to fill as most of the information was repeated from EOI.

Then I attached scanned versions of relevant documents (don’t have to be certified).

 

Documents Required:

– Positive Skills Assessment evidence by Engineers Australia

– Age (Passport or Birth Certificate)

– IELTS/PTE Result

– Degree & Employment Proof (same as submitted to Engineers Australia in Step2)

After I attached these documents, I pressed Submit.

After about a month, they asked for submitting Form 80. This was a bit lengthy form to fill in.

Information to fill in form 80:

• Residential addresses for last 10 years
• Travel history for last 10 years (trick I used to complete this section was to see the stamps and dates of those stamps on my passport)
• Internships and part-time work information
• Parents and siblings’ basic information (name, date of birth, citizenship)
• 2-line answer to why I am travelling to Australia, and why do I want to remain in Australia

 

This was my 2-line answer:

“I’m a top performer in my field. I can contribute at the highest level in a country which advocates merit. I believe I’ll be an asset to this multi-cultural society Australia is”

 

This part was lengthy but simple and no extra documentary evidence was required.

Once I submitted this form, I was asked to submit my Police Character Certificate (from countries I have lived in the past 10 years) and also get Medical check-up done from the designated lab in my city.

When I went to the medical place mentioned by Immigration Authority, they already know what to do, and they sent the results directly to the Immigration Authority.

And that was it!

After completing Step 4, I got the awesome email with PR in just a month.

Now here I am in Australia 🙂

Through AustraliaYours, I love sharing my experiences that can help my readers save thousands of dollars and many months of effort. I hope this was useful.

P.S. I have created a FREE downloadable version, Ultimate Guide To Australian PR For Engineers, for you to use.

3 months before moving to Australia, I decided to try to get a PhD offer. In the subsequent weeks, I applied to the top 8 universities in Australia.

3 weeks before landing in Australia, I had meetings with 3 different professors from 3 different universities finalised.

1 week after landing, I had a PhD offer from The University of Melbourne (top ranked university in Australia).

 

In this post, I’m going to share with you the exact strategy I used, and you should use, to beat the competition and get an offer for PhD or MPhil in Australia… or from pretty much anywhere in the world.

 

Why You Should Apply For PhD or MPhil In Australia

Let’s be honest, Australia is an awesome place to study and live. You can be doing your research in Marine Biology in the Great Barrier Reef, or in Urban Planning in Melbourne (most liveable city in the world for 7 years straight, and also the happiest city in the world).

If that’s not a good enough reason to convince you, then here are my 3 favourite ones:

1) You Make Money

Unlike in Bachelors or Masters-by-coursework in which you pay anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000 per year to university, in PhD (or even in MPhil in most universities) you are paid to do research. This stipend in Australia is usually between $2500-$3000 per month, but it varies depending on your program.

On top of it, you are allowed to work for 20 hours per week on a student visa. This means you make somewhere around $4000-$5000 per month. That’s what most people make in full-time jobs… and they don’t even get a degree after 3 years.

2) You Can Get PhD Offer Even If You Haven’t Done Masters

In Australia, you can get a PhD offer on your Bachelors degree. The only condition is that it’s a 4-year program, with the first year focused on MPhil.

3) You Become An Australian Permanent Resident (PR) 

Once you finish your degree, you’ve already accumulated enough points to apply and get your PR at your doorstep (ok, it’s more like in your inbox rather than doorstep).

 

The Uncommon Way To Get A PhD or MPhil Offer

Number 1 mistake that people make when applying for Research (that includes PhD and MPhil) is that they apply directly to a university they are interested in. They use university’s portal to submit their research proposal and let it forward your proposal to the relevant professors in the department.

You are not going to do that.

I have been involved in universities’ ecosystems for 8 years. Together with my Professor, I even hired 4 PhDs as part of our team between 2014-2017, when I was researching at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

The game works differently at the backend.

Firstly, professors do not go through all the applications sent via the university’s portal.

These applications sent via the portal are generic in nature, and they are forwarded to multiple professors.

No one has time to consider generic applications. Each professor receives enough specific, targeted emails from the prospective students, that he/she doesn’t have to waste time reviewing generic applications.

Secondly, professors do not hire researchers based on their GPAs or degrees.

They hire researchers who can demonstrate that they understand the research professor is specifically working on, and can show they can contribute towards it.

What you should know is that each professor gets funding that he has to spend every year on his research project. He is eagerly looking forward to hiring PhDs and researchers who can advance his research. The professor is in this game for his own benefit. He is not doing you a favour by hiring you. Instead, he wants to hire you to make contributions towards his field of research, so he can improve his standing in the university and research community, and keep getting funding for future.

If you can demonstrate to him that you understand his research project, and you are capable of contributing towards it, he wants to hire you.

Note here: You will still have to go through the formal application process through university, but that stage would be a mere formality if there is a professor in the university who has discussed a research proposal with you, and willing to hire you.

 

This brings me to the most important aspect of this post: How do you get in touch with a professor with the aim of getting an offer?

 

Step-By-Step Process to Get in Touch With Professors

This strategy takes some effort up front, but it certainly gets you responses from at least a few professors. In my case, it was from 3 professors out of the 8 I emailed.

The overarching theme of everything I write on AustraliaYours is to work like a Top Performer, not an average person. Top Performers strategize, put some effort up front, and get 5-10X better results than everyone else.

For more examples, you can read:

• How I Got Multiple Job Offers After Moving To Australia
• How To Hack IELTS Exam

Also, there are 2 ways to get a PhD or an MPhil offer. One, you develop your own research proposal and try to get funding for that. Two, you align yourself with a specific professor’s research project, showing to him that you are a valuable asset. This strategy is for the latter.

 

Let’s dive in to your step-by-step process.

 

Step 1: Your Field

If you tell me that you are very interested in Urban Planning or Artificial Intelligence, I will ask you to show me what you’ve studied or done in this field before.

You will have to show me at least one of these (if more than one, even better):

• Your Masters research project in the field you are interested in
• Your Bachelors final year research project in the field you are interested in
• Your Job experience as a researcher in your field
• Your blog, a chapter in a book that you’ve written, or any publications in the field you are interested in

There has to be something that will act as your anchor in your email to professors. Your interest alone is not sufficient to get you a response.

But don’t think that your future research has to be bounded by your past experience. Your past experience is necessary to show your credibility in your field. Once you get a meeting with the professor, you can swiftly align yourself with his research project.

 

Step 2: Your Hunt

Once you’ve streamlined your field, it’s time to get on Google.

Search each university’s website to find out professors who are working in the field related to your field.

You will usually find 1-3 professors in each university who are relevant to your field.

For each of them, open their profiles and see what are their 5 recent publications. Reading the executive summaries of these publications will help you further narrow down who is the most relevant professor for you.

Next, read the last section of these recent publications. This is where the authors have usually mentioned whether or not they are continuing with this research further. And if they are, what is the research problem they are contemplating on.

For some professors, you can find out what they are currently working on, or plan to work on in the future, by just visiting their web profiles.

Through this process (which will take you 1-2 weeks), you will be able to shortlist at least one professor in each university, and his exact research project which is most related to your field.

 

Step 3: Your Email

Next you will craft an email, using the template below, tailored for each professor.

After the template, I’ve provided my sample email to demonstrate how a completed email should look like.

Email Template:

Dear Professor [Surname],

I am [first name], currently working as a [designation/role], at the [workplace/university]. Before that, I graduated from the [university].

For the past XX years, I have been [2 lines about your work/research at workplace/university].

My work received [1 line to tell any awards/acclaim/recognition your work/research received].

I have read about some of the research you are conducting at your [professor’s department name], and I would like to discuss more about it.

Some of the aspects your research talks about are [“mention exact things that you shortlisted from your research in step 2”] and [“mention some more”].

I have substantial experience and understanding of [mention how your field/experience is similar].

I would be ecstatic if I can meet with you to understand more about your research on [XYZ topic], and explore if there is any way I can contribute towards it.

(I would be ecstatic to discuss more about your research on [XYZ topic] via call or email, and explore how I can contribute towards it. Use this if you are not in, or can’t travel to, Australia).

I’ve also attached my CV for your consideration.

Thank you so much in advance for your valuable time.

Best regards,

[Full Name]

– 

BTW, if you require one-on-one personalised help revamping your academic or professional CV, email me at hassan@australiayours.com

–

Sample Email:

Dear Professor Simon,

I am Waqas, currently working as a Research Engineer Future Mobility, at the Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design. Before that, I graduated from National University of Singapore.

For the past 3 years, I have been a lead researcher working with Singapore Ministry of Transport on a major piece of national work – examining the Future of Transport out to 2040 and its implications for policy and investment.

My work was recently published and garnered huge interest from stakeholders and media.

I have read about your Planning and Transport in City Regions Research at your Centre for Urban Research, University of XYZ, and I would like to discuss more about it.

Some of the aspects your research talks about are “to understand processes of urban development and patterns of mobility at the metro-regional scale, and the policy measures needed to improve the productivity, livability and sustainability of city-regions” and “looks toward experience elsewhere in metropolitan scale land-use and transport planning”.

I have substantial experience and understanding of Singapore’s approach on urban development, especially when it comes to transport planning. And with 6 million population megacity, Singapore can be a useful case study for Melbourne and Sydney.

I would be ecstatic if I can meet with you to understand more about your research on Future Cities, and explore how I can contribute towards it.

I’ve also attached my CV for your consideration.

Thank you so much in advance for your valuable time.

Best regards,

Waqas Hassan

—

There are 3 powerful psychological triggers embedded in this email.

1. It demonstrates to the professor that this person has taken a long time to actually understand his work. 90% of the people don’t do it.
2. You are not asking for an offer up front. Instead, you are asking for a meeting to discuss the research further. Professors love to talk about their work.
3. You are positioning yourself as a knowledgeable person in your field, rather than a scavenger willing to pounce on every opportunity.

You can change the template as per your requirements, but do not ignore these psychological triggers, or your response rate will take a huge dip.

 

Step 4: Your Meeting / E-meeting

For all the professors you are able to secure an opportunity for further discussion, it’s your responsibility to read everything about him and his current research.

In your discussion, follow these few principles to discuss a PhD or an MPhil opportunity:

In the first part, discuss what your past experience or research has been, and what are the skills that you’ve developed throughout the years.

In the second part, demonstrate to the professor that you’ve thoroughly read his research by asking him some thoughtful questions about his research project.

For example, “I read your research on the driverless cars technology. I have also read other research in this field and found yours to be one of the most holistic. I’m curious that have you considered the fact that even if the technology is there, people might not adopt driverless cars because they generally prefer driving themselves?”

In the last part, suggest how you can contribute as a researcher towards this specific topic, and ask if there are any PhD or MPhil positions he is considering within the next 3-6 months.

—

This entire process has proven to work wonders. And you can see how it differentiates you as a candidate from the other 99% of the people who are sending in generic applications.

Ask yourself this: If you are a professor, would you want to work with a student who puts in so much effort up front, or would you bang your head against hundreds of generic applications?

Feel free to be creative with any step in the process, but follow all the steps to really make sure you ace it.

And once you get a PhD or an MPhil offer, don’t forget to share your story with me at hassan@australiayours.com

I love listening to stories 😃

Also, if there are any experiences of yours that you think will help the community, get in touch with me as well. I’m always looking for smart material for South Asian community in Australia.

 

For Live Q&A regarding CDR, IELTS, Jobs, and staying up to date with new awesome blog posts: Follow AustraliaYours on Facebook

 

CALL TO ACTION

In this FREE Ultimate Guide To Australian PR, I’ve detailed Step-by-Step process in easy words that you can use to apply your Australian PR yourself and save $2000+

 

 

 

 

 

You are finally going to make that move. You are moving to Australia. Something you’ve been dreaming for a long time now.

I know you are excited to start this new life, but also overwhelmed with questions, concerns and things-to-do before you move.

I know how overwhelmed I was weeks before taking my flight to this wonderland.

I was totally unprepared before moving to Australia. I had no job, no place to stay, no bank account, and I didn’t even know anyone here.

I was even anxious about what will happen at the airport with this visa document that I have (hint: nothing happens at all. It’s smooth).

I remember getting in panic mode often times and frantically searching online for part-time jobs, full-time jobs, places to stay, and things to buy.

I tested it all. From Facebook groups to blogs to web forums.

From my experiences before coming to Australia, and then learning from the mistakes I made in the first month after coming to Australia, I’ve compiled a list of answers that might save you some (or a lot) of trouble.

 

In this, I answer these questions of yours:

• What should I take care of before moving to Australia?
• What should I do immediately after reaching Australia?
• How should I look for jobs after coming to Australia?

Let’s dive in!

 

What should I take care of before moving to Australia?

 

Rent a room for 1-3 months

1) Your best friend when it comes to renting a room is Facebook.

Use Facebook search bar to search groups of south asian communities.

For example:

Indians in Australia, Melbourne, Sydney, etc

Pakistanis in Australia, Melbourne, Sydney, etc

Bangladeshis in Australia, Melbourne, Sydney, etc

 

I totally understand if you do not want to stay within south asian community, and I strongly advocate multi-cultural multi-racial living, but you can change houses once you are in Australia and have made some friends.

Owners here looking for tenants are generally 10 times more receptive to renting rooms and houses to members of their own communities. So to save you time and effort, I’d advise first renting a room within your own community.

 

In the top Facebook groups, there are thousands of members. Everyday people are posting ‘rooms to rent’. You should be able to secure one within a week or two.

Owner will ask for 1-4 weeks of bond (you can either bank transfer or assure him that you will pay the moment you land).

For most houses, you can leave by giving 1-month notice in advance so there isn’t any long-term binding.

 

2) Your second best friend is Gumtree Australia. For everything.

Gumtree is Australia’s everything for peer-to-peer. Room rental, furniture, cars, you name it.

For room rentals, most people will require you to visit and inspect the house so they can know you and you can know them. So it’s generally a bit difficult to secure a room before entering Australia.

Nonetheless, you can use Gumtree to find a place to stay once you’ve landed.

 

3) Facebook Marketplace

Over the past few months, Facebook Marketplace feature has grown tremendously. It probably has almost as much listings as Gumtree.

Same rule applies as Gumtree. You will have to inspect house as owners will be less likely to commit until they have met you.

 

4) Lastly, if you do not need any commitment for a room before coming to Australia, just book a hotel or a hostel bed for a few days.

Best hotel comparison site: HotelsCombined.com.au

Best hostel booking site: Hostelworld.com

Prepare your documents and check legal limits


• Remember to print an extra copy of your visa and other documents (just to be on the safe side). I also like to keep a copy of everything (passport, visa, ID card, driving license, ticket) on my smartphone as well.
• Do a quick check on airport website to understand the quantity of cigarettes and liquor allowed.

 

What should I do immediately after reaching Australia?

 

Moving Around

• From the airport, buy a Public Transport Pass (depending on which state you are landing, it’s different), and recharge it for $50. That will be enough for 7-10 days. This pass will be valid for trains, trams, and busses.
• Make sure you have Uber downloaded on your smartphones. Uber is about 30-40% cheaper than conventional taxi.

 

Groceries

• After putting your luggage at home, take a trip to Woolworths or Coles to stock up on groceries and toiletries.I didn’t bring anything from home. Everything one needs is conveniently available at these stores located around the country.

 

Mobile

• I bought Lyca Mobile no-contract SIM first. It’s cheap and extremely popular with expats. It will give you local number and data plan that you will require for almost everything – from activating internet banking to reaching out to people.
• Once settled, you can choose a long-term contract plan from either of the 3 main telecom operators: Vodafone, Optus, and Telstra.Vodafone has best prices, especially for students. Telstra (local company) and Optus (Singaporean company) are similar in prices. All 3 of them have equally good coverage, especially in cities.

 

Bank

• CommBank is hands-down number 1 option. I opened an account in both Westpac and CommBank, two largest banks in Australia.Westpac’s customer service and professionalism is not at par with CommBank. Moreover, CommBank has ATMs and branches located at most number of places around the city.

 

Food

• The difference in prices between eating out and cooking at home is mind-boggling in Australia. You can easily have 3 meals for about $10 a day if cooked at home, while eating outside would mean $10-15 per meal at a regular restaurant.But I understand you can’t start cooking from Day 1, so some hacks you can use:– Frozen pre-cooked meals from Woolworths or Coles ($3-5 each). Just microwave and eat.– Promo deals from McDonalds, Hungry Jack’s or Dominos – you can pretty much mix and match to make sure each meal is about $5-6
• To get cookware and utensils, KMart is your best friend.

 

Shopping

• Never buy anything unless you’ve checked Groupon first for a deal on it. I’ve found Groupon to be crazy awesome in Australia, with discounts of 50-70% on tons of products and services.

 

How should I look for jobs after coming to Australia?

Consider it impossible to get a job offer (or even an interview) without first being in Australia. So I will strongly recommend bringing cash for first 2-3 months to sustain yourself.

For full-time jobs (in order of preference)

 

1) Network in a structured way.

Read my article: How I Got Multiple Job Offers in First 3 Months in Australia

 

2) Same Facebook Groups that you used to find your room

• Do not just say that you are looking for a job.Instead, tell about yourself: your skills and work experience. Go as specific as you can.Then ask for people who are in the similar field to message or comment on your post because you want to understand more about this industry in Australia.
• If you get a chance to talk to that person, ask him/her questions on:– How and to whom you should forward your CV?– Is there any lead that person can recommend?

 

3) Visit these 4 websites: AngelList, Seek, Indeed, and Gumtree

• On finding suitable jobs, CALL.Things don’t work in Australia via email. Even if you have to buy premium membership for a month from some of these websites, invest. It’s worth it.Of course, if there is no way to source out number, then you can email but keep that as last resource.
• On call and email, first tell how you can add value in their company. Only after that, focus on pitching your profile and experience.Aim for quality not quantity. A well-structured, well-researched, and specifically tailored 10 job applications will generate better response than 100 cold emails.

 

For part-time jobs (in order of preference)

 

1) Same Facebook groups that you used to find your room

2) Gumtree Australia

3) Jobs related Facebook groups (e.g. Jobs in Melbourne, Jobs in Sydney, etc.)

Part-time jobs come and go very fast. You need to call and ask for a meet-up the same day.

Even for part-time jobs, you will only get best offers by asking people you know to recommend you in companies that they are working in.

So invest in reaching out to people and meeting them in your first 1-2 months. Again, my article
 on networking has tips for this.

For part-time, these jobs are available in abundance and usually do not require any certificates:

• Factory workers (packing and other labour jobs)
• Kitchen-hand in restaurants
• Retail jobs
• Warehouse workers
• Cleaning jobs
• Delivery jobs (most require you to have your own car)

 

P.S. If you haven’t gotten your Australian PR yet, in this FREE Ultimate Guide I’ve detailed Step-by-Step process in easy words that I did to apply and get my Australian PR