10 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Completing Your Expression of Interest (EOI) Form, Part B
Previously we shared our first Do’s and Don’ts for applicants who are considering submitting their EOI (10 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Completing Your Expression of Interest (EOI), Part A), and today we share the last five with you.
An Expression of Interest (EOI) is a method of showing your interest in applying for a skilled visa to migrate to Australia. It is one of the steps applicants must complete before they can apply for points based skilled visas, namely subclasses 189, 190 and 489 visas.
As we already mentioned in our previous blog, applying for an Australian visa can be straightforward. Yet, the length and complexity of the process leave plenty of room for applicants to make honest mistakes along the way. Unfortunately, the reasons for the mistake, honest or not, are immaterial in the eyes of the case officer and the consequences of errors can be extremely negative. The applicant may simply not receive an invitation to apply for a visa, or even have a visa application refused with no option to apply for a review.
If you are dreaming about moving to Australia, do not submit any form without being 100% sure that it is filled out correctly. Learn the subject well, or best – consult a registered migration agent.
Here are our next five Do’s and Don’ts for applicants preparing their EOI:
1. Know in advance how many points you can claim for your English proficiency.
Do not confuse “lowest score” with “average / overall score”, and if you are a native English speaker (and hold an eligible passport) remember that you still need to complete a formal English proficiency test to claim points. And here is a great tip - did you know that to claim points for English proficiency, all scores must be from one exam unless your results are from the Occupational English Test (OET)?
2. Make sure you meet the Australian study requirements before you rely on this section’s points.
Not all courses can be considered here, and it is critical to confirm the official length of the course prior to lodging an EOI. If your course, for example, is registered for only 1.5 years, you cannot claim points against it even if it took you longer to complete it.
3. Do not rely on your partner’s occupation for points unless it is on the relevant list of occupations and the partner meets English language requirements.
The relevant list depends on the visa you apply for and your occupation. And it’s not the end: your partner must also obtain a positive skills assessment prior to lodging an EOI and be under 45 years old.
4. Following the “partner” topic, make sure you meet the requirements to be considered as partners before you rely on your partner’s points or apply for a visa together.
Your partner can be married to you or they can be your de-facto partner; however, we highly recommend you consult a registered migration agent if your marriage may not be recognised in Australia or if you do not have evidence for your long-term relationship.
5. Lastly, for this list (but absolutely not the last mistake one can make on their EOI form or at any other stage of the visa application process), we would like to encourage you NOT TO GIVE UP.
Whether living in Australia has been your dream for the last ten years or it is just a new idea; whether you are interested in a temporary move or a permanent one, your present effort and persistence will be worth it in the future. So, if you began the process by yourself but feel stuck, a good migration agent may be able to advise how to improve your chances, expedite the process or suggest a different pathway.
This is the end of our 10 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Completing Your Expression of Interest (EOI) Form. As we have said plenty of times before, applying for an Australian visa can be tricky and there are many more mistakes people make – and will probably continue to make – when they prepare their application.
We truly hope you found this list helpful. If you know someone who might find it useful too, share it with them.
We love being part of people’s journey to Australia, so contact us or email info@owis.com.au if you have additional questions!