Hello Monday

Well, I had several emails back and forth with the coordinator in Australia last night - funny - she was in her office on a Monday and I was at home on a Sunday evening and it was the same time period. Ah the time zones. In any event, she is lodging my visa nomination this week, and once that is done, I will get a number to go ahead and apply online for my 457 visa. She is optimistic that my visa could be ready in just 10 business days, and that barring any hitches, I could possibly be flying to Australia in early April, just 4 weeks from now or sooner! I went to town today and picked up my criminal record check - always scary to get that done, as you hope nothing will show up on it. I always worry about identity theft and whether someone has used my name in a crime somehow, but alas - it was clear. Phew! That didn't take long, just a couple of days.

I found out I do not need to forward any documents for the 457 visa as it is completed online, but for the RSMS (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme) visa, they will be looking at everything in great detail. That visa will be applied for once I make it to Australia, and takes several months to process. That one is for permanent residency, allowing me to stay in Australia indefinitely, should I choose to, and provides me with all the rights and privileges of any other Australian resident, such as medicare, and the ability to work elsewhere should I wish to leave the agency that is sponsoring me. I am to commit for 2 years minimum with them, and I'm totally okay with that. I may even like it and stay for years - who knows?

I was able to go to the local Work Centre in Sooke and have them scan my criminal record check so have since emailed that on to the recruitment agency. Apparently that is the last document I need to send them, as the rest will go to the immigration folks from here on in - thankfully. I need to get some passport photos taken so will probably do that later this week when I'm in Victoria. Wal-mart does them on the spot for cheap, so I'll probably get a couple of sets, as I'll need a set for the RSMS visa along with the 457 visa.

With the 457 visa, I have to show proof of private medical insurance as I will not be covered under their medicare until I have the RSMS visa. I checked into one website that runs quotes through a number of companies and came up with a policy for 6 months at $900 - steep! So I may have to check around a bit. It would cover doctors visits, hospital visits, x-rays and blood work, that sort of thing. I've had travel health insurance this past year while I've been travelling but it isn't enough. They want proof of real health insurance, so I'll have to get that soon enough too. I'll wait until my visa application is launched though, as I don't want to buy something with a timeclock ticking before I need to. I already have that kind of healthcare in Canada.

So that is the latest and greatest - while there is a lot of paperwork, it will be worth it in the end!