Last Sunday was a little special. We did a little gathering, all thanks to Denise's help in organising it. It might probably never happen if she left it to me to do it.

So Denise and her husband Patrick, Patrick (the original), Grace, Jen, Albany and I were hosted by Alvin and his wife, Morley at his house in Harisdale. Hmm his house... maybe I won't talk about it lest Singaporeans think I am inciting unhappiness again. Let's just say Alvin's house is good.

So who is Denise and Alvin? I don't know where they came from but they appeared in my blog and then contacted me, the rest was history. Separately I met up for a short chat with Micky and his wife, Jacqueline (sp?) and both their young lovely daughters in their house in Southern River. Hopefully I can get them to join the next gathering at Alvin's. Suddenly I seemed to have a couple friends in Perth, it feels so much less discomforting to be honest.

Jen commented for the first time since she knew me, I am for once, for sociable than her. I wasn't. Nothing's change. Still the same introvert, still quiet when I meet people. What brings the difference is the blog I am writing. Since the day I started writing, astonishing things had happened to me, I'll share them little by little in future if anyone is interested. The gathering for instance, was almost totally fueled by the blog alone, not me.

I never enjoyed meeting new people, much less quite a few new people at the same time. But this one was somehow special. What made it intriguing was the mix. Alvin had a rather high flying career and is a retiree in Perth now. Both Patricks and Grace are professionals. We have a tai-tai in Denise and Morley, an unemployed Jen, baby Albany and his blue collared worker father. We were practically from all walks of life but we got along rather well. We chatted endlessly throughout, none of the topics bored me at all.

Needless to say, the gathering did all of us good. The retirees get some company, Denise found someone who loves her cake, Patrick found a golf kaki in Alvin, Jen enjoyed herself as a sociable creature in her natural setting. Grace found friends in the suburb where her future house would be at.

Me. I found some hope. When I came to Perth a few months back, I knew nobody. ZERO. I am not even talking about friends here, there wasn't a single soul I could even link a name to. Then one thing led to another. Jenny's friend Penny (who is joining us in Perth in March) introduced her Uncle Lai to us. Uncle Lai introduced Eugene to us who got me a casual job and eventually became my landlord. I got to know Patrick, then Denise, Alvin and Micky and all their spouses. Before I came to Singapore, I thought about this issue before. I could not picture how I am going to survive being me, a rather unsociable person, in a brand new environment. Being friendless will get me killed before anything else.

But when you keep throwing darts of beliefs, some of them are bound to land at the right places. There will be unexplainable forces backing you as long as you keep believing. I am still believing. Hopefully I will be proven right and somehow manage to settle down in future just like many earlier Singaporeans migrants did before me.

This blog will be the record. You readers will be the witnesses.

Life is as tough as being a Liverpool supporter since 1990. The media tells the world you are shit. Just like the way the Straits Times and Mediacorp keep harping how elites are being valued in Singapore and how the rest of us are shit. I felt connected with the club because they value the community.

One example is that they do not clamp down on locals who produce and sell merchandise such as knitted scarves with the Liverpool brand on the streets just outside the stadium on match days. We know very well what some other clubs, authorities and organisations will do instead. We know very well what our Singapore government does to poor folks out there just wanting to make a buck for a living. Sweep them off the streets because they do not have the license to operate a trade. From fixing up somebody's shoes, cutting a key, selling newspaper, ice cream, home-made sng-bao, door-to-door hawking, probably teaching tuition soon. If you do it and never get caught, it doesn't mean it is legal.

I agree that regulation is necessary for any society but to a reasonable extent. We are over-doing it, leaving no space for the less well-to-do folks to roam. We are driving them against the wall, forcing them to undertake the miserably paid jobs that they are only qualified for. The government encourages these group to upgrade themselves but not willing to offer a full grant or loan. If you earn $800 bucks a month, will you be interested to take on a 'upgrading course' that the government is subsiding 50% for? If only the policies makers understand the feeling of living from mouth to mouth?

Self help, my ass.

Liverpool FC has been involved in organising activities to bring joy to the less fortunate such as this one for as far back in history as I have read about them. Kenny Dalglish, the current manager has been known to give a surprise visit to deliver a signed Liverpool jersey to a kid with terminal illness among tons of other true stories.

When Liverpool FC came to Singapore a few years back, among carrying out many promotional activities and playing the exhibition match itself, they did not leave out their community projects by conducting soccer clinics for the disabled. In another country they would have visited an orphanage similar.

Obviously, "Community first, profits second" has taken a toil on Liverpool's performance over the decades. Liverpool lost out by refusing to maximise gate revenue profits by increasing its ticket prices as high as their competitors not because the club is afraid that attendance will fall when locals could not afford it because some foreign fan will gladly pick up the ticket on a higher price. It is that they value their local fans and knew what supporting the club meant to them. Also, by not playing hard-ball maximising sponsorship dough as well as ruthlessly increasing market capacity, Liverpool fails to keep up with their competitors who are more aggressive in this area.

Despite this, Liverpool survives and win trophies now and then, albeit not the coveted league title that eludes them for more than 2 decades. Rival fans taunt us about falling to win the league title and having a shit team all the time. True Liverpool fans understand the underlying meaning of supporting this club. Yes, this club is about winning trophies but it is also about the way it carries itself, it's social responsibility and its willingness not to win at all cost.

If only our Singapore government choose to adopt a more caring and softer stance instead of a hardcore profit maximising mantra. If only our top officials sincerely care about the less fortunate, visit them personally (without some fucking media around to report it to the whole world) to offer comfort and assistance instead of leaving the job to their underpaid cronies to do a half-hearted job with limited manpower and budget. How many of us will worship them with unconditional loyalty, ~~through wind or shine~~ floods and escaped criminals?

I wonder how many Liverpool fans really understand what supporting the club is about. No doubt, there are black sheep who bring the name and reputation of the club down by misbehavior but some things have never changed.

The Liverpool Way is not just about soccer. It is about respect and humility. It is a way of life. That is the reason why I'll Never Walk Alone.

Congratulations Liverpool FC, Winners of 2012 Carling Cup.

Today's Yahoo! article on Baey Yam Keng's ~~prata flipping~~ follow up comment on the whathisname PRC scholar issue left me boiling

Scholarships should be based on merit, not nationality: Baey

No words will be minced in my post. PAP for all your wisdom and experience, you guys have fallen short big time in this one. First, on meritocracy:

"Intelligence is a process, not a fixed, gene-determined, thing. This process begins very early on, before we can even really see it, and we therefore often confuse these early, invisible stages with some sort of innate giftedness. Then we test kids and report the results as innate differences — this one is gifted, this one is not. This one has extra promise; that one does not. We send the “gifted” ones to good schools with small class sizes, better-trained teachers, better infrastructure, better relationships with parents, and higher expectations. We send the apparently-unpromising kids to under-funded, teach-to-test schools with minimal expectations.

And then we tell ourselves that we live in a meritocracy."

- Jennifer Senior

The common people doesn't matter anymore

Gone were the days where the Nation, government and people stands at ONE. Where everyone believes in our nation building song "Stand up for Singapore" which emphasize the recognition of everyone's importance. Nowadays, only the elites matter for the nation - under the ugly mask of

M.E.R.I.T.O.C.R.A.C.Y

A challenge to the PAP

I challenge the PAP to conduct an experiment. Remove scholarship from these so call scholars, along with free accommodation and monthly allowances and whatever perks that they receiving - you guys know best.

Get them to earn their living part time while juggling with their studies. Give the benefits removed from them to any ITE student on the street and see who turns out better in 10 years time. Or better - who contributes more to Singapore in the future.

I'm all for attractive the best talents globally to play a part and make Singapore a better place. But have the PAP did adequate studies to conclude that these sponsored students can do that? Can the PAP guarantee that these foreign students stay in Singapore instead of returning to their home country to contribute to their countries?

Is it any wonder why we are not putting in effort to uncover the next Sim Wong Woo and placing the attention on areas with unproven yields?

Isn't attracting the best talents about making Singapore an irresistible place to be at, even without these incredulous perks for the foreigners?

The PAP double standard

Is meritocracy an one-off thing? Does an individual needs only to prove himself once or consistently throughout their service to deserve the royal treatment based on meritocracy? If it is the former, the system needs to be scrapped. If it is the latter, at least half the PAP should be sacked.

Look at the failings of government for the last 5 years. Let's not get things ugly by getting me to list them all out. Did the PAP take a hard look at themselves and conclude they are still the best people to run the show? If I may conclude, there are 2 possibilities.

It is either:

1) The PAP practices a double standard in the playing meritocracy game with their countrymen with themselves exempted.

2) They have extremely thick skin - even for dogs.

Pick one.

My maternal grandparents were both from China. Decades ago, they migrated to Malaysia and lived there ever since. Even till their deaths, they did not return to China. My paternal grandfather was from China but I knew very little about him. He died in Singapore. My paternal grandmother was from Malacca, Malaysia, still healthy at a ripe age of 85.

My father was born in Selangor, Malaysia. He came to Singapore at a very young age. My mother was from Pahang, Malaysia. She came to Singapore in her late teens, got to know my dad and he made his best decision of his life by marrying my mother.

Jen's paternal grandfather was from China. I'm not too sure about her grandmother and her maternal grandparents. Her dad was from Hong Kong and her mum is a Malaysian. Jen holds a Malaysian passport though she grew up entirely in Singapore and know not a word of Malay.

Like my parents' case, I wouldn't have been born or gotten married and started a family with Jen if somebody didn't decide to migrate somewhere else a long time ago. Among these list of foreigners, I am the only true born and breed Singaporean. Unfortunately, I am tainted with the Singaporean blood that makes me resistant to change, extremely risk adverse, dare not to speak up and a serial moaning complainer. Many of my generation and the current batch of youth were embossed with the curse since birth.

How could we not be? The younger generation were born with MRT trains, air conditioned public facilities and covered link ways all set up for them. Cooked food is readily available in every nook and cranny of the island. From the day a Singaporean baby is born, everything he goes through is scarily systematically predictable. It is almost as if we are products of a manufacturing factoring, being segregating in different conveyer lanes according to our quality without a chance to redeem ourselves if we do not make the cut in a stage too early. Likewise, the elites are assumed infallible for life.

But it was written in the stars. My bloodline were migrants so were Jen's. I decided to move out of Singapore in spite of all my fears. Just as my parents and grandparents did, to seek a better world for themselves and their future generations.

No one questions any of their filial piety. Because being filial does not mean being physical ensnared by your parents' side. How many of us have gotten married, moved out, not visited nor making a telephone call to the parents in weeks or even months? So much for being with the parents by staying in Singapore. I call my mum once a week, twice if I could and I miss my family and dogs every single day.

I wondered how my mum felt when she came to Singapore empty handed as a young adult, leaving her parents in Malaysia. I have never asked her about it before. Was it because she knew, thus she let me go?

This post is harder than I initially thought it would be. There are too many things that we shared together, I can probably write a book on it. Perhaps I will in future when I finally end this blog.

We knew each other under strange circumstances. There was a class re-arrangement just less than a month to the start of secondary one. Everyone was still pretty much strangers to one another by the end of January.

Tucky was designated to be the Special One since he was arrange to seat with me. We had a conversation. I could not remember the details, you know kids talk. But somehow the topic of my birthday popped up during the conversation. As Tucky reminded me once in a while over the years, that I looked 'kinda sad' that I had to go to school the very next day of the day we knew each other. Something along the line.

The next morning before school, I was at Tucky's home upon his invitation - probably his idea of cheering me up for a sucky birthday @ school later on. He showed me his amazing array of nintendo games. A shocking collection in fact. Needless to say I was in awe and that was the start of our incredible friendship built solidly on games and medieval fantasy in the early years.

That day he demonstrated how to play Captain Tsubasa 2. He duly entered a long gibbish looking code (it was japanese) and we were magically teleported into the great finale of the game. BRAZIL vs JAPAN. Japan scored first after some struggle, with Tucky's usage of Hyuga's most powerful kick. Then the computer playing Brazil scored 2. With the time running down, Tucky tried to pull back one goal to bring that game to a draw. He tried ways and means but couldn't put one past the 'Super Goalkeeper' (in his words.) Then I told him to do the same trick that he did that got him the first goal. He looked enlightened and tried it.

The flight of Hyuga's shot took place, crashing every defender out of the path of his ferocious shot including Super Goalkeeper! Then the shot crashed into the left post of the goal and was cleared by the defender, putting our goal celebrations to an abrupt stop.

We were almost late for school that day, with bus 51 doing us no favours being infamously tortoise slow. Tucky generously made me go home with his Tsubasa 2 cartridge that day. On this very day, our friendship was forged with endless of games we played together, as well as our reading literature and the sports that we participated together. We spent a lot of time outside school hours together. Time just melted away like that.

Needless to say, my teenage years was heavily influenced by Tucky. I am always secretly thankful I got to know him. Given my rebellious streak and the lack of attention from my parents, I could have gotten into real trouble if I joined the wrong group of people. Knowing him early in my secondary school life could have been the best thing that happened to me back then.

After I came to Perth, he told me that I was always around for him during important events in his life. After he listed some of them, I realised he was right. Wow, we really came a long long way down the road. But he did the exact same for me too. He was there (in a flash) when my girlfriend left me during my NS days, he was there when I knocked on the wrong hotel door to pick up Jen on my wedding day. he was there to lend me the moral support when I was worried for my wife and child's safety outside the delivery theatre. Ironically Tucky's happiest days are not with me but it doesn't matter for I was there for him on his saddest. I will continue to do so as long as he needs me to.

One of the bitter pill I had to swallow about migration is the loss of the company of such a great friend. I would have love to watch the skies at Henderson Waves and the bright lights of the ships docked in the shores of West Coast Park with Tucky with my 'time off' granted by Jen. I would have drag him to the rally of Worker's Party's Hougang by-election. He would oblige as usual.

On many nights when I drove home after work, gazing at the shiny stars in the unblocked clear sky, I wished my friends were all with me here. There were limited joys in enjoying these good things myself. Imagine the weekends we would have here in Perth, the places that we would explore and drowsed ourselves in awe. That would only remain fantasy unfortunately, that's how imperfect life is.

My friend, if you still read this blog, I want to tell you that you have been one of the most important person in my life. Thank you for giving me so much and expecting nothing in return. I hope I'll have a chance to go on another overseas trip with you. Hopefully I don't have to wait another 20 years for that. Please don't forget me while I'm away.

I wish you happiness every single day, not just this day.

Albany, 5.0 kg at first month

The traditional Chinese Baby Shower, also known as 滿月 has an origin that most of us do not know today.

Back in olden days, the mortality rate of babies was very high because of the lack of medical technology and knowledge. Thus Chinese gathered to celebrate if a baby survived for a first month. Many of us follow the tradition without understanding the true meaning behind a practice. With this understanding in us, we are not upset without being able to hold one for Albany.

We are not able throw a baby shower party for Albany today because we do not have our own house so it is not 'convenient', so to speak. It's alright, so long as all are healthy and well and everyone's happy. Besides we are busy with the usual weekly grocery shopping and packing mother-in-law's stuff as she will be moving to Jen's sister's home today.

She made the decision because that will save us A$100/week for rental in this arrangement. At the same time, Jen's confinement period is officially over. She was the best performer during this month. Other than not having a single shower in the searing heat of the Great Australian Summer, she managed to feed Albany almost entirely on breast milk. All these while juggling the tension between her husband and mother.

Mother-in-law will be happy as she will have a decent space of her own. She had it hard for the past 2 months too. Jen will be happy as she can bathe as she wants and probably eat some nice things moderately finally. I'm happy because Albany is well and healthy for the past month. Everyone's happy.

We'll learn to cope. When humans are forced to the wall, they'll always perform to survive. That's the secret innate strength of humans that many of us didn't have to harness because life treats us to be honest, pretty well in Singapore. Many mums these days have maids to assist them for a start or their mothers or in-laws living within reasonable traveling distance to lend a helping hand when required. We'll be alone again after tonight.

Jen. Albany. Me.

Mandurah Sunset

When I penned my thoughts about our 4th month in Perth, we were still a couple. Just one day after, we became a family, with Albany finally born after 10 days overdue. In a blink of the eye, we are 5 months into Perth.

I could still remember the moment Albany cried for the first time. I staggered over the pedestal she was placed on while they cleaned her up. She looked beautifully normal; no Down's Syndrome as warned by KK Hospital. Tears threatened to well but I held them back by turning away. I walked back to Jen and gave a silly grin. The medical staff would have noticed there was something wrong about me by then.

Too many thoughts on my mind but the main feel of relief was apparent. The negative mind of mine had warned of possible ordeals such as Jen suffering a miscarriage due to the new environment, improper nutrition or during the period where we had to shift lodgings. There was this nagging feeling of being driven out anytime because there wasn't a rental agreement signed and Albany would be sleeping on the streets with us. We had to count our blessings to have delivered her well and healthy. Jen was amazing and took everything thrown at her in stride.

If somebody could have come from the future and got me to read my own blog in 2007 when I was toying with the thought of migration, I'm not too sure if I would still attempted it after realising the rocky adventures we would be going through. To be honest, I expected adventures in 2007. In fact, I looked forward to them. We told each other that we had nothing to lose and could come back to Singapore if things didn't work out well. How differently things turned out since. The conceiving of Albany took us totally by surprised and we were forced to make decisions fast and sharp along the way.

What now, from here?

Another unsettling month ahead with Albany going full month in a moment, the mother-in-law moving to sister-in-law's place to stay before leaving Perth in March, along with Summer. The only thought in both our minds.

Can we cope?

Month 1

Month 2

Month 3

Milestone: Breaking Even

Month 4

I have not written a single post on Yaw Shin Leong before. This post is not an exception. It's boring to write about things that everyone is talking about, getting in the mix simply means making more noise. Admit it, you guys are just jealous someone gets to shag a MILF while you don't.

While everyone is talking about the expulsion of Mr Yaw, Worker's Party and the by-election, let's look at strange things that happened on the sidelines. Within short hours of Worker's Party's press conference, somebody apparently was giving one of his own.

I quote:

"The Workers' Party needs to come clean with the people what information have they got about Mr Yaw and in particular, what did they know about him prior to the May election. And if they know, why did they field Mr Yaw. I think it is sad that the voters have been misled by the Workers Party," Khaw said, as quoted by CNA.

Who's this Khaw and where did he crawl out from? Worker's Party's press conference was held at 1700hrs, peak vehicular traffic hours. Did the Channel News Asia got to Khaw on an ambulance? That must be the only way to reach him fast enough. Either that or I'll love to buy that teleport machine Khaw holds in his possession. Or was he 'just happened' to be somewhere where news crew 'just happened' to be there to hear him taking a cheap shot?

Let's look at some other thing Mr Khaw advised in his little press conference:

Khaw reminded voters to consider a person's character when they go to the polls, adding that there is no difference between a person's personal and professional life once he or she enters politics, according to CNA.

Oh yeah. A person's character is important indeed. Listen to Mr Khaw voters. The next time you cast your bloody important vote, remember what Mr Khaw said today.

Meanwhile, remember these faces and see if you want to vote for them or listen to Mr Khaw. The choice is yours. Democracy remember?

Dignity Lim

Disgrace Fu

The Unspeakable One

Team Leader

Big Man

Flip prata

Caring

Retard

You know, I can go on but you get the drift. Besides it's tiring at 0440 hrs here. Wife warned that I won't be a very happy man if I sleep at 0500hrs.

Just a parting shot:

I pay $8 to get my tits sucked. Can you?

Diam lah.

Today is St Valentine's Day so let's start the first reason with something nice.

My child is my personalised gift to my wife

I'm old but not that old. Many of my peers are still going through that lovey-dovey stage of their relationships. Some of them are trying to have kids, some intend to do so in the near future and some of plan not to have kids.

I'll like to address the last group. If you love your spouse, have a child.

I could die prematurely at work, or through an illness. So could my spouse. So could anyone else or their spouse. A child is the best gift you can leave behind for a loved one. Not those photographs in facebook, not videos, not your expensively renovated love-nest. Not that stained smelly underwear.

Only your child could provide the comfort for the loss of a partner the way no material can.

What if I die too early?

The problem is money. If I die too early, my child will be a financial burden to my spouse. That is the reason why I refuse to indulge in luxury. I refuse to call that air-conditioner a need because it truly isn't. Neither is that car, iphone nor that hotel banquet, home renovation, posh furniture, luxury electronic goods and yearly overseas vacation.

The longer I live, the more confident I am leaving behind enough funds to ensure my child to continue to be a precious legacy gift to my spouse. Contrary to what is commonly believed, I feel that many young couples these days can afford at least 2 children if they are willing to sacrifice just a fraction of what their parents did for them. The next time you dine in that restaurant or attempt to make an order for that cup of KOI bubble tea, think over what you just read. Before that, stop for a minute to think about your parents' struggles. You know their stories best.

A Single Mum's grit

I could never understand why my elder sister refused to give up the custody of her child. She has been struggling in all fronts to keep things going in the face of the ex-husband's harassments. At one stage, she seemed like she had fallen into depression but she managed to pull it through.

The amazing strength that my niece gave her is phenomenal.

Before this, I ruled out the possibility of having my own child but my sister's ordeal was an inspiration.

Grateful to be alive

I could have been dead even before I was born - a victim of the "Two is enough" campaign of Singapore. Obviously money was an issue back in those days just as in the present. My mum seriously considered aborting me to save some money from being fined upon my birth.

Yet these days, people talk about not just the affordability of raising a child, they talk about the returns of investment in having a child. Oh, but by not giving the best, you are bringing the child into the world to suffer. And you need money to give the best to a child don't you?

Money aside, sometime back two fellows were generous enough to give you life and not expecting anything in return. These folks gave you the best they could, not the best (how do you define that anyway?) If you are grateful enough, let someone else have the chance to be as grateful as you, one day in the future.

A child disciplines her father

I read an article somewhere about a research is done on tons of successful people and they found 'the common secret' behind these people - discipline. Not surprisingly, that stuck out like a sore thumb in my life. I have to admit discipline is one attribute I sorrowfully lack all my life.

That's not to say I'm going to be a real successful person from now on. How do we define success anyway? Not important for now. We can agree a bit of discipline doesn't hurt. It should make me a better man.

Discipline is hard to instill in anyone at any stage of life and especially so at my age. A child as close to that magic potion as it could get. You can change your mind, sack a boss, dump that goldfish but you can't quit a child.

Living life again

Have you been stuck in a puzzle or an RPG game at the same stage for weeks and found that when the breakthrough comes, it opens a huge gateway of possibilities and new places to explore? Just when you felt life is monotonous and you have seen it all, a first newborn truly humbles you.

You learn new things at breakneck speed. You forge (or could unfortunately, break) a teamwork with your spouse like never before. Everyday you watch how the baby struggles to control her physical components and learning worldly skills. Their eagerness to improve is contagious. You face work, and the world in another perspective.

Liberation

By then you realise you are no longer energetic as before. Your body creaks and starts giving you problems in some way or another. You'll be happy to pass on the soul to a new generation while you erode slowly in that miserable shell. You care lesser about your appearance, well being and petty yearnings - experiencing some sort of strange sense of freedom although in reality you are constricted with more responsibilities.

No regrets

You can only experience it. Imagination and words do not work.

When your infant wail and coo upon your hug

When you feel her helplessness and regard you as her everything

When she gives that unintentional smile

When she gives you that blank stare with her mouth forming an 'O'

When she defecates while you change her nappy just so coincidentally each time

When she finally sleeps peacefully

There are many more to come, many parents will be eager to share.

Only when you experience these little things, will you realise true satisfaction does not come from work achievements or the accumulation of money.

If you miss this part of life out, you are missing a big part of life. If living life is about fulfillment, isn't this the greatest return of investment you can do with money?

**Important: Information provided is only accurate at the time of posting. Due diligence is recommended to confirm changes to the application requirements and procedures at www.immi.gov.au

**Important update: New immigration guidelines from 1 July 2012 [read this]

**Author is not qualified to offer any form of migration advice, thus read this with a pinch of salt.

**The below article has since been outdated. To read about the latest guide (1 July 2013), go to "How to Apply for Australia Permanent Resident Visa (Subclass 189)" [Click here]

Skilled Migration Application (Subclass 175)

Introduction

The original post "How Did I Get Here" was done on the 30th Oct 2011. That means I have been posting garbage, nothing really useful to mankind for 3.5 months. By the time I stop updating this blog, I hope to leave a small legacy that might offer some form of help, however small, to someone out there.

I will do so by writing this simple guide. It will not be awfully detailed because I'm never capable of producing fine work in the first place. But it'll be functional. In Singapore terms, we call it 'just pass'.

There are many types of Skilled Migration visas as shown in this list:

Skilled – Independent (Residence) visa (subclass 885)
Skilled – Sponsored (Residence) visa (subclass 886)
Skilled – Regional visa (subclass 887)
Skilled – Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 487)
Skilled – Graduate visa (subclass 485)
Skilled – Independent (Migrant) visa (subclass 175)
Skilled – Sponsored (Migrant) visa (subclass 176)
Skilled – Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 475)
Skilled – Recognised Graduate visa (subclass 476)

Subclass 175

The visa that will be highlighted in this post is called subclass 175. It is one form of skilled migration, which is also commonly known as Permanent Resident Visa and it is probably the most visa that Singaporeans apply for.

Cost of application:

A$2,960 at the time this is posted. This cost does not include other charges like a health screen report, police clearance and the IELTS test.

Step 1: Qualification

Qualifying is simple though not easy. You'll need to fulfill 3 requirements:

are under 50 years of age
have competent English language skills
have the skills and qualifications that meet the Australian standard for an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).

It is simple isn't it? The first 2 are probably not a big issue to most Singaporeans. The last requirement is the killer. Always check the latest Skilled Occupation List (SOL) as it changes often. Then check if you could chalk up 65 points, which is the current passing mark.

Step 2: Application

If you do not qualify there are obviously 2 choices from here:

1) Stand up for Singapore

2) Get yourself qualified

If you do, here are the next steps:

1) Apply through a migration agent

2) Apply on your own

If you choose 1), that's out of my scope. There are a good number of agents in Singapore who are more than willing to do business with you. Usually there will be a happy ending - at a cost that you have to be willing to pay.

If you are ~~cheapo~~ adventurous like me and decide to apply yourself there is another choice to make:

1) Apply physically

2) Apply online

You can't go wrong by following either systems faithfully. Do not play punk by leaving any information or documents required. This is not a school exam where you can pass by answering 9 out of 10 questions. You need to put in a 100% effort here or prepare to kiss goodbye to your A$2,960.

Both systems, though tedious, are well constructed. If you follow the checklist to a T for 1) or fill in all fields for 2), you'll be alright.

Step 3: Wait

If you are dying to get out of Singapore and leave for Australia, prepare to die. This one really tests your patience. Checking the status of your application is available online once you are contacted and provided a Transaction Reference Number (TRN). The initial wait can be unbearable. This isn't spending S$10 for the application of a HDB BTO flat after all. The stakes involved are higher.

Once you are allocated a case officer, things will get moving. The officer will contact you to request for incomplete information (provided he/she hasn't dump your application in the bin by then) or missing documents. This is when your health check will be requested. The medical centre will be sending the report directly to Adelaide office on your behalf so all you have to do is to turn up for the check. However, you will have to send the police clearance yourself after you obtain it for S$50.00 (presently). After these final documents are received by the Australian office, your application will move another inch towards the closing stage.

Step 4: Result

If your visa is not approved, it's not a tragedy. You can always stand up for Singapore. If your visa is approved however, you'll be heading to the Australia Embassy in Singapore to get your visa.

It is merely a sticker no bigger than a single page of your Singapore passport. It looks something like that:

A very costly sticker

Ah, once this sticker is pasted on the last page of your passport, you can start setting a date to make your initial entry, which is 1 year upon the visa is granted. Should you fail to make the initial entry, your visa will be forfeited.

So make that trip, get your feet landed in Australia soil, get that passport stamped at the custom, your initial entry is done and you are official a Permanent Resident of Australia.

Congratulations!

Wait. Don't be too happy yet. For the next 5 years after that, you must reside at least 2 years in Australia or your visa will not be extended at the end of the 5 years. There are some concessions about this but I don't want to talk about it in this post. Just remember - 2 out of 5 years.

Good luck.

151

Patrick bought a new car today and we are 100% excited by it. Obviously the excitement ratio is around Pat 99%, and me 1%. Nonetheless, I felt thrilled for Patrick.

Well no one is interested in how I feel. So let's not waste time with it and talk about the car!

What a beauty

Make: Mazda

Model: 3

Year: 2012

Engine: 2L, 4 cyclinder 16 valve DOHC S-VT

Power: 108KW from regular unleaded

Transmission: Manual, 6 speed

Well, just look at that. How can Mr Patrick not be happy? Even his car looks happy be to bought by him. Both of them will have to wait 2 weeks to be reunited though.

I wonder what name will Patrick gave his car. Susan? Elizabeth, Veronica? Nay. Patrick may be older than me but he is actually more modern thinking and technology savvy than me. No teasing please. Most likely he'll give a modern name like Megan. Or Chanel. Heh.

Trivialities aside, Patrick's Mazda 3 is going to serve him well. With a decent boot for his golf clubs, reasonable fuel consumption, safe and comfortable drive, he'll go places. Yeah, literally go places. I bet my last dollar on it.

The important question: HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

I hope Patrick isn't annoyed with me for talking about money here. But the price is all over the net for anyone to check anyway so I dangerously assume he doesn't mind. It'll burn an A$22,000 in Patrick's pocket but looking at the situation, he is taking it in stride. Well coming from Singapore, I don't think anyone will seriously feel annoyed paying that price for that prize.

The most important question though, is whether Patrick will take us down south in future together in his polished beauty instead of us smelling his exhaust in a panting Barry White from behind. But I must baotoh a bit that Patrick did 130km/h on Singapore roads (Yeah book him!) so it's not telling what's going to happen here.

I'll need to end the procrastination and settle my family private health insurance as well as a personal life insurance soon.

As the story goes, Maggie found her new job, submitted her resignation and is 2 weeks away from a new job, new working environment. Still, I am hearing her echo her fears whenever I met her online. It's already a couple of weeks since she signed her appointment letter, surely the nerves have subsided by now?

Not quite. Maggie is afraid. I have ran out of words to counsel her. But today Maggie asked me an interesting question, "Were you afraid when you migrated?"

Over work, I thought over her question. There were strong vivid flashbacks of how I felt in the initial weeks. I remembered how terrible I felt when I made the last call to my mum before boarding the plane. When we reached Perth, there wasn't a 'wow' factor as with my previous visits as a tourist. The same cold feeling when I stepped into Belmont Forum, totally numbed. During the first few weeks, I had the strange mentality that whatever I was going through would end and I would be flying back home with Jen. Everything would be normal then.

Maggie hit the point home, I was afraid.

Then I found the job. Deep inside I was terrified but I couldn't tell anyone. I didn't want to take up this job but I needed the money. I was a project manager - not a tradie. I couldn't operate a hand grinder to save my life. Sparks seared the skin of my face and arms. The grinder jerked and kick-backed during my first cutting job. It could have shave my fingers off if I didn't grab it tight enough with the sudden recoil. I had countless metal splinters embedded painfully in my skin. My arms and back ached terribly after the first week. I hurt my eye bad enough to require a minor surgery. The joints of my fingers swelled. Till today I still cannot clench my fist because couple of fingers give me too much pain. I could very well never play the guitar again in this life.

After 3 months on the job, work became a routine. So much so, I don't pay attention to pain anymore. I became much more proficient in my job and my technical skills improved vastly. The latest weigh indicated my weight to be 66.7kg, down from 73kg when I first landed in Perth.

I'm still afraid. Not as petrified as before. Not when I was new to Perth, struggling to adapt to the dry weather, not knowing what to do for Jen who was 5 months pregnant then, not knowing how to find a job and .. not knowing a single soul.

I'm still afraid. I have fears of losing my job with Jen unemployed with a baby to feed, getting kicked out by the landlord, potential injuries or even death at work, the responsibility of making the decision for the future of my family.

My dear friend Mag, I understand your fears. 8 years to the old job, an abrupt change is frightening. In 2 weeks time, you will be meeting new people at work. Your traveling routine, job scope and working hours will drastically change. But do not be afraid, for you are not alone. Everyday people challenge their fears. Some do it better because they do not have an option of turning back, such as myself. For now, Albany is too young to travel. There is nowhere we can go. As a sole breadwinner, I could only grind on.

Remember the reasons that made you choose to look for a new job. Never forget them. When you are facing discomfort with the total new life in 2 weeks time, recall them and remind yourself why you made the choice. By focusing on your motivation to make this big change, you'll overcome your anxieties. You'll do well.

Do not worry. Do not be afraid. You'll be fine. Fantastically fine.

A Singaporean In Australia

Scholarships should be based on merit, not nationality: Baey

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