r/ImmigrationAustralia

Hi everyone,

I'm from India and I'm looking for some honest advice from people who have studied or migrated to Australia.

Here's my background:

Completed Class 12 (Arts stream) in 2025

Subjects: Mathematics and Economics

Scored 87%

Took a gap year to prepare for CA (Chartered Accountancy) but unfortunately couldn't clear it.

Now I've decided to pursue my higher education in Australia.

My main goal is to obtain Australian Permanent Residency (PR) as early and realistically as possible. Salary is important too, but PR is my top priority.

I'm trying to decide which bachelor's degree to pursue.

I'm looking for advice based on:

●Current job demand

●PR prospects

●State nomination opportunities

●Employer sponsorship possibilities

●Long-term career stability

I'm not looking for the easiest degree—I'm looking for the smartest choice from a migration and career perspective.

I'd really appreciate advice from:

●International students

●People who have successfully obtained PR

●Teachers, nurses, IT professionals, engineers, or anyone familiar with Australia's migration system

●Registered migration agents (if any are here)

Questions:

●Which degree would you choose if you were in my position in 2026?

●Which occupations have the strongest long-term PR prospects?

●Are there any degrees I should avoid even if they're currently popular?

●I have a genuine interest in teaching. Would you still recommend it for someone whose main goal is PR?

If you could start over, what would you study and why?

I'm looking for honest, experience-based advice rather than information from education agents or YouTube videos

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I'm an Electrical Engineer from Pakistan and am currently looking into the Australian skilled migration pathway, particularly the Subclass 190 visa.

A little about my background:

• Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from NED University, Pakistan (Washington Accord accredited)
• Around 2.5 years of relevant experience in:
  • Commercial & Industrial Solar PV projects
  • Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
  • Hybrid solar systems and microgrids
  • Project engineering and technical pre-sales
• Co-author of a published research paper on solar irradiance forecasting using deep learning.
• My estimated points are currently somewhere between 70-80 points depending on my English score. My IELTS has expired, and I'm planning to take PTE Academic and am aiming for Superior English.

I would appreciate some guidance, especially from fellow Pakistanis or Electrical Engineers who have gone through this process.

General questions:

1. How many Pakistani Electrical Engineers here have received Subclass 190 invitations or grants recently, and what were your points?
2. Based on my profile, do I have a realistic chance of receiving an invitation?
3. Is it better to apply through:
   • A Pakistani migration agent,
   • An Australian MARA agent,
   • Or do the process myself?
4. Since my degree is already accredited under the Washington Accord, do I still need to apply for an educational document assessment?
5. For a stronger application, is it recommended to obtain:
   • Only the employment/skills assessment, or
   • Both educational and employment assessments?

Specific questions:

1. For my role as an Electrical Engineer, should I be referencing ANZSCO 233311 – Electrical Engineer or the new OSCA 243331 code when applying for my skills assessment with Engineers Australia?
2. I currently have around 2.5 years of relevant experience. Does Engineers Australia require a minimum of 5 years of experience to provide a positive Employment Skills Assessment?
3. My experience letters only contain general employment information and do not closely match the duties listed under ANZSCO 233311 or OSCA 243331. Unfortunately, my employer's HR department has refused to include detailed responsibilities.

Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? What alternative evidence did you provide to demonstrate that your work experience aligned with the nominated occupation? For example:

• Manager or supervisor declarations
• Reference letters
• Other supporting evidence

1. If I do not currently meet the experience requirement for an authority-level assessment, what would be the recommended pathway to begin my migration process now? Would it make sense to obtain the skills assessment first and continue accumulating experience while waiting for invitations?

Any advice, recent experiences, or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some genuine advice because I’m feeling really stressed and don’t know what else I can do.

My situation is:
* My CoE expires on 30 June.
* My case was delayed because of my medical examination, but I completed my medical on 5 May, and since then I’ve been waiting for a decision.
* I’ve already called ART several times, and they have told me that my case is still pending.
* My main concern is about applying for the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa.

What should I do in this situation? Has anyone been through something similar?

I asked a migration agent whether I could leave Australia and apply for the 485 visa from offshore, but they advised me that this would not be possible in my circumstances. I’m not sure whether that’s correct or if there are any other options available.

Has anyone experienced this before or knows what my options are if ART doesn’t make a decision before my CoE expires?

I’m looking for genuine advice from people who have dealt with a similar situation. If there’s anything I can do to improve my chances or any alternative pathway I should consider, I’d really appreciate your guidance.
Thank you so much for your help.

Hi Reddit,

My husband and I are both IT professionals based in Bangalore, evaluating Australia PR vs Canada PR and need honest opinions from people who've been through this.

Our profiles:

• Me: QA Automation / SDET, 9.6 years exp, B.Tech CS
• Husband: Software Engineer, 6.6 years exp, B.Tech Mechanical

Points calculated by agent:

• Australia 189 = 80 pts
• Australia 190 = 85 pts
• Australia 491 = 95 pts

Questions:

1. Australia vs Canada — which has better IT opportunities for QA Automation + SDE?
2. How long did job hunt take after landing with PR?
3. Is 80 pts competitive for 189 invitation in current draws?
4. Anyone with Mechanical degree gone through ACS — any issues faced?
5. Overall which country is better for Indian IT couple long term?
6. Any regrets?

We haven't started the process yet — still evaluating. All honest opinions welcome! 🙏

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for honest advice about my chances of getting permanent residency in Australia through skilled migration.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Food Engineering and a Master’s degree in Engineering Management. I also have around 7 years of total work experience in production engineering, operations management, logistics, manufacturing, and supply chain roles. During this time, I have also worked in managerial positions.
My current plan is to first attend a language school in Australia and then complete a 2-year Master’s degree. By the time I finish this study pathway and start seriously pursuing migration options, I will be around 38–39 years old.
My questions are:
Do I still have a realistic chance of obtaining PR through skilled migration at that age?
Would employer sponsorship be a more realistic pathway in my situation?
How important is it to have Australian work experience or to be on the skilled occupation list?
At this stage, is it still worth pursuing this plan, or does age reduce the chances significantly?
I would really appreciate honest feedback from people who have experience with the process or professional knowledge in this area.
Thank you in advance.

Urgent Appeal for Help: Devastated, Alone, and Scammed by My Migration Agent in Sydney After My Mother Passed Away (Age 20)

Hi everyone, I am writing this out of absolute desperation and fear. I am a 20-year-old Indonesian living in Sydney. I am completely alone, terrified, and currently crying my eyes out because I feel backed into a corner by the very people I trusted to guide me.

My beloved mother passed away unexpectedly on 18 August 2025. She put everything she had—she went all-in—just so I could have a chance at a better future here in Australia. Now she is gone, and I am left entirely by myself with no family support. To make matters worse, I have just discovered that my migration agent has been deceiving and taking advantage of me during the darkest period of my life.

Here is my situation and the timeline of events:

1. Background & Tragedy

• My mother married my step-father (an Australian PR). We moved to Australia, and I was included in her Partner Visa application (Subclass 309/100) as a 17-year-old dependent child.
• We were granted the 309 Temporary Resident (Provisional) visa. Tragically, my mother passed away while the PR (Subclass 100) stage was still processing.
• Just 2 months after my mother passed away, my step-father completely abandoned me. He packed up, went back to Indonesia, started a life with a new partner, and cut off all legal custody, financial, or emotional responsibility for me. I was left completely stranded in the house.

2. The Visa Status & Home Affairs Correspondence

• Currently, my VEVO still shows that my Subclass 309 (Provisional Resident) visa is active.
• After notifying Home Affairs about my mother's passing, they sent a Notice of Intention to Consider Refusal (sppg6/sppg7 form), stating they have grounds to refuse me as a dependent child because the primary applicant is deceased and there is no longer a sponsor. They asked me to provide an explanation under Compassionate Grounds.

3. The Cruel Deception by My Migration Agent (Indonesian-Owned Agency in Sydney)

• My agency is located in Sydney, and the owner is Indonesian. Throughout March and April 2026, my agent repeatedly and strictly insisted to me that Home Affairs would NEVER refund our visa application charge (VAC).
• Based on this claim, they pressured me to pay them $2,500 AUD to submit a "Compassionate Grounds" response, constantly shifting plans and keeping me in a state of absolute panic.
• The Forced Student Visa Backup: Even though I wanted to focus 100% on fighting my case through the SPPG7 (Compassionate Grounds) response, the agent pressured and rushed me into applying for a Student Visa as a "backup plan," telling me my PR chances were too small. Out of sheer panic and fear, I complied and the Student Visa was lodged, even though I clearly told them I have no financial capacity to support it.
• The Shocking Discovery Today (25 June 2026): I checked my late mother’s Gmail account today and found a direct letter from Home Affairs regarding a REFUND REQUEST. I went straight to the agency’s office, and it turns out the agency had already requested and initiated the refund process back in JANUARY 2026!
• By logic, they completely lied to my face. They were telling me a refund was impossible in March and April, while they had secretly pushed the refund request through behind my back since January. They hid this official correspondence from me for 6 months just so they could extort $2,500 AUD from a grieving orphan.
• When I confronted them today, they claimed over the phone that "they hope my visa gets officially refused" so they can quote me a new price and charge me more money to take the case to the AAT (Tribunal) or Ministerial Intervention.

I am begging for your help and advice. I am in deep fear. The agent was the only party I trusted, and they betrayed me for money. I cannot go back to Indonesia because it is simply too late for me there; I have no home, no financial resources, no job, and absolutely no one left to take me in. I would be completely homeless and vulnerable. Australia is where my mother’s dream for me lies, and I want to fight for it.

My Questions for the Community:

1. Visa Strategy: Since my VEVO still shows my Subclass 309 is currently active but a VAC refund has been requested and is underway, how much time do I realistically have left? Is there ANY legal avenue or precedent where a child dependent can still fight and be granted the Subclass 100 PR on compassionate grounds after the primary applicant passes away and the sponsor abandons them? (Note: I want to know if this PR/TR path can still be saved under the SPPG7 response, despite the agent forcing me to lodge a Student Visa).
2. Reporting the Agent with Limited Evidence: I want to report this agent to MARA (Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority) for secretly initiating the refund request in January, lying to me in March/April, and withholding official letters just to extract money. However, I am terrified because I don't have strong physical evidence. The agent only made the claims about "hoping my visa gets refused to open a new price" over the phone, and my only other proof consists of some WhatsApp chat logs and the clear timeline mismatch of the email I found today. Will MARA still investigate my case based on this? Could I lose a legal battle against them?
3. Pro-Bono Help: Can anyone recommend a strict, honest, and free/pro-bono immigration lawyer, community leader, or legal clinic in Sydney (like IARC or Legal Aid) that specializes in complex compassionate ground cases and agent malpractice?

You can contact me

Hey everyone just had a few questions asking on behalf on my friend who doesn’t have Reddit.

My friend is hoping to apply for the partner visa (820). Her partner is currently on Centrelink Jobseeker and only recently declared their relationship saying that it has only stated May of this year despite the relationship starting in 2025 May due to requiring the full amount from job seeker.

Context:
They been together for a year-ish however only recently declared in centrelink. Started living together (lease on both names) this year end Feb 26 however was living at partner’s place prior to moving in together. They do not have shared bank accounts yet (planning to make one next week) but have been sharing the amount of groceries and food etc even prior to moving in together with it categorised on the banking app as groceries/food etc. Her partner is Singaporean and doesn’t have many friends in Australia but despite having friends, they don’t hang out regularly. When with family, photos are taken all together either however she has photos with her partner and she has a cat which is now her and her partner’s cat. The relationship however is recognised by both family and friends of both parties.

1. ⁠Would the declaration of centrelink affect the process or eligibility of applying for the 820 partner visa?
2. ⁠With only setting up a shared bank account next week be considered “lack of evidence” etc?

This is a genuine relationship, they just aren’t the kind of people who really hangs out with friends or really takes photos with friends and family. They are quite worried about whether centrelink affects application of the visa

Thank you sm!

I am an Indian doctor who wishes to move to Australia. I know the pathway is long. It will take more than two years to even land my first job there. I plan to become a GP, most likely in a rural area, especially since Australia is in such need of doctors and government projections show that demand will continue to skyrocket.

I am wondering: is racism in rural parts of Australia actually worse than in the cities? Furthermore, is the risk of encountering racism enough of a reason to give up on the Australian dream altogether?

I'm on a Partner 100 Visa. Are there any differences in applying RRV (the process, length, documents) outside and inside Australia?

Hello everyone,

I’ve checked out the Permanent Residence page on this subreddit and noticed a lot of opinions for people coming to Australia Nurse school to fast track residency.

I’m 22 year old Canadian and I want to live in Australia and be a nurse. Nursing and healthcare is my passion, I I’ve worked on an ambulance, homes, ER. Etc. I’d like to be an ER nurse ultimately and then ICU.

The reason I want to go to Australia is I’m from Tofino BC and I am a huge surfer and tbh I’m just tired of freezing weather year round, and I absolutely love the quality of life in Australia. however I love healthcare and this isn’t just a push to get residency it’s genuinely a passion in a beautiful area of the world.

I was curious if anyone knows the timeline from when you achieve a RN job, I know there competitve and I’d like to eventually be in the ER but I get it’s a process, however is the timeline like 1-3 years as a RN to your Residency or is it longer, just curious before I commit to paying money to do so.