AUS Permanent Residency Visas timelines... (high school, university, vs)

[DreamChasers8]

Hello everyone! My family and I vacationed in Australia for 3 months, 2 years ago and fell in love with it. Our daughter has decided she wants to attend University of Melbourne (Vet program). So we won't be ready to go until 2011 after she graduates high school.

My question is to anyone who has recently obtained a PR Visa for Australia...how long did it take from the time you applied until you received your visa? Last time I looked into it (2 years ago) it was running around 8 months to a year, so I didn't know if that was still a good estimate to go on.

Also how is the economy fairing there vs here in the US?

Any info would be great...thanks guys!
Steph

[minibrings]

to keep current on the Australian economy, I recommend perusing the online versions of newspapers.. theaustralian.com.au; smh.com.au, theage.com.au

The Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age (Melbourne)

[roshw]

Hi,

It took 1 year & 3 months for me to obtain the PR under the skilled migration sub class 176 for paper based applications.

If your holding an ETA passport, it will be quite faster..

Since last Jan the migration procedures has been changed in order to grant the priority to the Critical skilled List (CSL), hence if your nominated occupation is under the CSL, it will take approx 1 year (non -ETA passport), where as if not it will take a longer period I guess..

[Spindle]

Our daughter has decided she wants to attend University of Melbourne (Vet program).

heh. A friend of mine is in his third year of that. I don't know what the entry requirements are for international students, but I recall my friend having to spend a year studying another degree and getting an average of around 90% for his grades in order to be accepted into the vet course - so it's very competitive (though if she has any questions about it, contact the relevant faculty at the university. They love international students).

Also how is the economy fairing there vs here in the US?

apparently we're the only developed nation to have recorded economic growth in the last quarter so our politicians are patting themselves on their backs about it. How the next few quarters will go is anyone's guess, though. By trying to avoid a recession, the Federal government has now put us into a huge debt that is expected to take two decades to pay off so our economic growth in the long run is going to be reduced (not that you care about all this, I'm just blabbering).

[DreamChasers8]

Originally Posted by Spindle

heh. A friend of mine is in his third year of that. I don't know what the entry requirements are for international students, but I recall my friend having to spend a year studying another degree and getting an average of around 90% for his grades in order to be accepted into the vet course - so it's very competitive (though if she has any questions about it, contact the relevant faculty at the university. They love international students).

apparently we're the only developed nation to have recorded economic growth in the last quarter so our politicians are patting themselves on their backs about it. How the next few quarters will go is anyone's guess, though. By trying to avoid a recession, the Federal government has now put us into a huge debt that is expected to take two decades to pay off so our economic growth in the long run is going to be reduced (not that you care about all this, I'm just blabbering).

Thanks Spindle,

All great info and I don't mind the blabbering (guilty of it myself) and it is still good to know.
I don't know if she will have to apply as an international student. If we are granted PR Visas I hope they would see her as a domestic student but then again there are probably state residency requirements to meet. So much more to look in to.

Thanks again for the help