# Decision Ready Checklist - how to get it done cheaply?



## 457holder (Nov 5, 2012)

Hi,

I want to do my subclass 186 ENS application as a DRC.

I am in Australia, on a 457, working for the employer who is sponsoring me. I am from the US, which is classified as a low-risk country.

Reality: I must pay all expenses, both employer and employee side. I don't have much spare cash to spend unnecessarily.

So, I'm trying to get a DRC done on the cheap. So far, what I have been told is:
(1) Both the Employer nomination and the Sponsored Employee application must be certified as decision ready. (This means I have to pay for BOTH checklists).
(2) The firm my employer usually uses has given me a quote of $3500 for this, not including any fees for things like the medical, police checks or the actual application.

Here's the thing. I've already done most of the hard yards, and am finalising the ones that are left. I've got the skill assessment letter already (for which the same firm would have charged me an extra $1500 + assessment fees). There really isn't anything hard to do that I don't already have in progress. I literally want to pay the migration agent to read over my paperwork and call it decision ready, and do the same for the employer paperwork (this employer has sponsored multiple PR's before, so they know what they've had to do in the past). $3500 seems extreme for this, but that's how people seem to be quoting.

I've spent weeks getting fingerprints done, months getting a statement of service from a former employer in the US, and nights talking on the phone to random entities back in the US rather than sleeping. I've already done 99% of the work that that $3600 covers. I just need the official MA approval of what I've done.

I don't know if the employer and employee parts have to be done by the same agent, or whether they can be done separately, do you?

Has anyone had success in doing what I want to do, walking into a migration agent's office with completed paperwork and asking, "Is this right? Will you sign this checklist?" and getting a better deal than $3500? Could you private message me the name of an agent you've used successfully and what the outcome was?

I'm in Sydney and would prefer an agent in this area or Canberra.

Any ideas?


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## dicklittle (Sep 24, 2012)

I am not applying for your visa type but it must be possible to do as you say. We spoke to a few agents about using them for a partner visa before deciding to go it alone. When speaking to them, when they could see i was pretty confident I could go it alone without an agent they started offering a cut down check service for half the fee or less. Im sure if u speak to enough agents and make it clear its not an option for them to get the full service charge off you they might do a deal


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## 457holder (Nov 5, 2012)

Thank you, dl.

I guess you've just given me some way to fill my lunch hours now that my situation is primarily that of playing a waiting game for police check documents to come in.

I've tried talking with MA's before, and still got quotes along those lines. HOWEVER, I haven't spoken with any since I've created my Binder of Evidence (all of the stuff I need to file my app), complete with "originals", "certified copies ready to go" and "pending mailed items awaiting response" folders, and with the Excel spreadsheet file I'm using to track progress and completion of all required tasks and any communications and random information required, and my own copy of the DRC on top. ;-)

Since I can now speak authoritatively about what I've done -- and in fact indicate that I was able to get timeframes sped up on things on my own, without an agent's assistance -- I am probably in a better position to bargain in this manner.

Tomorrow, I'll start at the A's, and work my way down.  Still looking for specific suggestions, if anyone has any, though.


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## Biggy (Jul 13, 2013)

Lets be honest mate, if you have done 99% of the work yourself which is the exact situation I'm in I would go alone. I opted to go for Global Visa's as I'm doing the ENS 186 from offshore and it was mainly to help my sponsor out as they have never done it before. This company can't even certify my paperwork which is absolutely ridiculous!! The only reason being on your case is your employer would have to do the nomination application himself instead of having you pay for an agent to do all the easy work for him. If you know your employer well enough that he would share with you his business incomes etc. maybe you could work this out together so you can do all the work the agent would do. If you have any problems just post here or even pay an agent for an hour at the most.


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## Biggy (Jul 13, 2013)

Just read on the PomsinOz forum that a DRC can only be submitted by a RMA. I was not to sure what you meant about walking in and asking him to sign the checklist. Surely some RMA's would help you out with a discounted rate.


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## 457holder (Nov 5, 2012)

Biggy said:


> Just read on the PomsinOz forum that a DRC can only be submitted by a RMA. I was not to sure what you meant about walking in and asking him to sign the checklist. Surely some RMA's would help you out with a discounted rate.


My DRC has already been done and was approved in April. 

You'd be surprised how they are simply *not* willing to discount even if it means less work. I've had estimates between $3K and $12K. All have a process they go through that takes them the same time as if you walked in with nothing, and they charge you for that process. The only difference is YOUR OWN elapsed time after engaging the agent (ie, do you take 6 months to get the paperwork together to give to them, or do you take 6 hours?).

And yeah, I had to have my employer's done as well. And yeah, I had to pay for it, including all government fees. And yeah, that is AGAINST THE LAW. But EVERY migration agent I've spoken with aids and abets this practice by hiding the source of the payment through a trust account so that the government doesn't see that the employer didn't really pay it.

But about $10.5K later, including all fees for everything and all costs of obtaining required documents, I got my application in, and 4 months later it was approved. Someone i know who submitted his a month later, NOT through an agent, is still waiting. It's been 6 months for him. So I don't know if the DRC expedited my application, but based on the evidence I have, it at least didn't slow it down.


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## Biggy (Jul 13, 2013)

Lol, I must still be living in 2012. Thought your post was just recent. That's great news bud. Only 4 months too. I've agreed with my boss that I'll pay for everything also. I'm just hoping he'll fork out the 2% of payroll to meet the training benchmark as he has no training in place unfortunately. Told him he'll get every cent back. Did you have any problems meeting the benchmark?? Yes, it's not a cheap process to get where you want in life but I'm sure you will be reaping the rewards now after your decision. You put so much work into it yourself you actually think you could pass as being a RMA. Good Luck!


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## londongal (Aug 21, 2013)

Hi Biggy and 457holder

I am new to this forum. My employer is sponsoring me for PR and we are going down DRC route to get speedy processing.

My agent says there is a backlog of cases and it could be a couple of months up to 6 months. I am trying to find some concrete time frames, so your post is really helpful. And BTW 457holder, I think you were ripped off. My agent is charging under $2K to sign off DRC. Shame I didn't come across this site earlier, could have saved you some bucks.

Londongal x


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## Biggy (Jul 13, 2013)

londongal said:


> Hi Biggy and 457holder
> 
> I am new to this forum. My employer is sponsoring me for PR and we are going down DRC route to get speedy processing.
> 
> ...


Hi Londongal

You should join Pomsinoz.com also. I find it to be more active than here regarding replies. There is a thread regularly updated, Skillselect ENS 186 Timeline. As for concrete, you will find a range of sporadic time frames. The word on the street is 3 to 4 months DRC at the mo and some Non DRC applications have been processed even quicker through the transition stream. Nobody seems to know how immigration operates!


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## londongal (Aug 21, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestion Biggy. I'll jump on there and have a look.

It seems like processing times are a lottery. Some have lucky numbers that come up sooner than others. 

I will keep reading the posts and I will update mine when I hear back about my nomination. 

Londongal x


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## londongal (Aug 21, 2013)

Hi all

For those not aware, some visa application fees are increasing on 1 September 2013. This does include ENS and RSMS. Sigh!


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## Biggy (Jul 13, 2013)

londongal said:


> Hi all
> 
> For those not aware, some visa application fees are increasing on 1 September 2013. This does include ENS and RSMS. Sigh!


So I heard. 15% increase. At first I thought it was going to be for each additional dependant which would have worked out well for me but that was old news! No chance of lodging before the 1st.  I was lucky getting my skills assessment for $300 then all of a sudden, let's put it up to a grand, ridiculous price.


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