My Story

Achieving the Permanent residency status is the number one agenda of every international student or prospective migrants wanting to come to Australia.

I was one such international student who arrived in Australia on the 2nd of Feb, 2005 and became a permanent resident on the 28th of May 2008. I had to go through a painful, stressful and outrageously expensive process , though, I think there was also a less expensive way to do so.

Any how, what is done is done. Let me narrate my story in pictures and words. Hope the readers are able to make a much better decision and learn from my experiences.

Offer of admission from UTS

I was offered a letter of offer from UTS some where in Nov 2004. I quickly started the procedure for the final grant of a student visa to Australia. Paying the tuition fees, performing medical check ups, blah blah.

Grant of visa

Finally after filling out all the forms, submitting all the documents requested, I was finally granted the visa.

Letter of grant of visa from the Australian High Commission, Islamabad, Pakistan

Unlike previous times, I was not interviewed for the visa. The visa was sent stamped on my passport and sent to the offices of my educational consultant.

Original Student visa as stamped on my passport. The label has been stamped inoperable on expiry.

Studying at UTS

Studying while searching for work and getting blue collar jobs such as filling shelves in super markets, washing cars and delivering pizzas was some thing I had never done before.

After a lot of struggle, hard work, patience and determination, I was finally able to finish my studies from UTS

Page one of my UTS transcript

















Degree awarded during graduation ceremony


Permanent Residency

I applied for Permanent residency on the 27th of Sept, 2007. After appearing in the IELTS exam for three times, I was able to achieve a score of

Listening 8.5
Reading 9.0
Writing 8.0
Speaking 9.0

in the exam because of which I was able to claim the extra bonus points.




Copy of my IELTS report.

Finally on the 28th of May, after waiting for almost eight months , I was awarded the permanent residency.




Stamp of permanent residency on my passport.

End of story!

Junaid

Migration Agent Registration Number: 0964018

The hurdle of IELTS

One of the processes to gain permanent residency is to gain a certain score in the International English Language Testing System, IELTS exams.

As per the legislative changes introduced in the points system from the 1st of September, 2007, if you gain 7 or more then 7 in ALL modules of IELTS, then, you score 25 points.

When I first appeared in the IELTS test in Sept, 2004 in Pakistan, I scored more then 7 in all modules of IELTS in the academic version of the test.

While applying for residency in 2007, I was very much confident that I would score more then 7 in all modules of IELTS on the first go, however, to my surprise, I was unable to score 7 in all modules and was constantly getting 6.5 in the reading module.


Finally on the third attempt, I achieved above 7 band in all modules of IELTS and got through the exam. I actually got 8.5 in listening, 9 in reading, 9 in speaking and 8 in writing.


Word of Advice

Do not take the IELTS exam lightly, even if you are really confident of your English language skills. It can become a difficult hurde. For those who have a weakness in a particular area of the English language should prepare well before the exam.

IELTS can become a real pain in the neck without any reason.

Prepare well and do not take it lightly.


Practice Material:

I have been receiving a lot of queries from people asking for help in the IELTS examination.

I am putting up some material which you can download by clicking on the following links.

http://rapidshare.com/users/V4KHSM

Simply download all files and then unzip them all in the same directory.

Please note that all files are required to unzip the archive. You have to use the winrar application to be able to open the archive.

Best of luck.

Junaid

Migration Agent Registration Number: 0964018