New grad Filipino nurse wanting to work in Australia/New Zealand Part 2

steffi_pie · Feb 23, 2012

Good day everyone..

I have been reading this thread for a long time, but I have not yet gone to the middle part of it..If you don't mind I have a very long list of question, can anyone pls help me.Your kind hearts are very apprreciated!

I attended a free orientation by Philman yesterday, where they are a consultancy firm w/c partnered w/ a Micro-finance company that would give a loan to nurses who would wish to take a BP in Oz.

This is what they said on their orientation

Philman would be helping us in following up w/our requirements for AHPRA..They would pay for the P20,000 assessment fee if we could complete our requirements 30 days from now, but if we can't meet the deadline we have to pay for our assessment..Upon receiving AHPRA's approval letter then comes in The Finance company who would be giving the loan..

We would be in 456 visa when we would enter Oz

here's the rough estimate of what loan they would offer

P60,000 - fare (round trip ticket and return fare)

P150,000 - food & lodging

P150,000 - visa process

P500,000 - tuition fee

for my fellow nurses who are in aus, are these amount really sufficient for my whole stay there for 3 months?

They said that we would be paying the loan after we get a job, but they didn't state how much the interest rate would be.

Is it true that after the 3 months BP, there are no exams/tests that would be given?

They said that because we are in 456 visa when we enter in Aus, we need to exit and go back to philippines for 2 weeks and then return back to Australia after, cause it only takes 2 weeks to apply for a nursing job in australia? is this true?

To all of those who are knowledgeable about these, please I really need your help..I wanted to go to Australia since year 2009, but due to financial constraints I opted to stay and work here in the Philippines..The loan is like a good offer, but do you think I can trust Philman before signing any contract..Please give me feedbacks, I really need your help..

God bless your kind hearts and Have a great day...

ned1968 · Feb 23, 2012

yes it was they Skype. Nursing related questions. As far as I can remember, the questions they asked includes Dialysis, M.I , Diabetes and AAA. I suggest you just explain it clearly coz they will also check your fluency in english.

ned1968 · Feb 23, 2012

I'm from Davao and I sent it to embassy via courier service. yep, i followed up my application almost everyday. its just that i still dont know until now who is my case officer coz i haven't received any emails which indicate a name of a case officer and his/her contact number.

I think there are some delays due to changes for the process of business visa 456 early January of this year. when did you submit your visa application? did you submit your medical receipt together with your visa application? Coz the new process is to lodge your application together with documents and wait for their go signal to have medicals taken. It's pretty much faster since they already launched e-health (results is forwarded to Aus Embassy thru electrionic transfers).. I lodged my visa appliaction and documents last week and now I am waiting for their go signal to have my medicals done. I suggest call them again and ask when could you expect your visa since you will be having your medicals soon. Goodluck and Godbless!

jayvincible · Feb 23, 2012

yes it was they Skype. Nursing related questions. As far as I can remember, the questions they asked includes Dialysis, M.I , Diabetes and AAA. I suggest you just explain it clearly coz they will also check your fluency in english.

I agree with you ned. In my experience, the interviewer asked me about MI, CABG since i worked as a cardio-vascular nurse. I passed the interview even though I think I didn't answer the questions well. I just tried my best to deliver my answers fluently just like when you are doing your speaking test in IELTS. hope this helps. good luck.

jayvincible · Feb 23, 2012

But obviously that's not just their basis whether you pass the interview or not. Being knowledgeable about anything related to your work is a BIG factor. Read med-surg books or you can google possible topics that can be opened up during your interview.

jayvincible · Feb 23, 2012

I think there are some delays due to changes for the process of business visa 456 early January of this year. when did you submit your visa application? did you submit your medical receipt together with your visa application? Coz the new process is to lodge your application together with documents and wait for their go signal to have medicals taken. It's pretty much faster since they already launched e-health (results is forwarded to Aus Embassy thru electrionic transfers).. I lodged my visa appliaction and documents last week and now I am waiting for their go signal to have my medicals done. I suggest call them again and ask when could you expect your visa since you will be having your medicals soon. Goodluck and Godbless!

I'm already done with my medicals. The accredited clinic/agency sent it last 14th of Feb to the embassy. Its just that until now I don't know who my case officer is. I already emailed them for about 10 times already but I haven't received a single reply coming from them. I tried calling them but they just said to wait for it and assured me that my application is not taken for granted. I know I just have to extend my patience beyond my norm, but it really stresses me knowing that my intake will takes place early next month.

eliyel · Feb 23, 2012

I've been reading this forum for months now and it has been of great help. A huge thanks to everyone!

@steffi_pieI have a friend who got the assistance and loan from Philman. He was able to finish his BP I think December last year but had to come back to the Philippines because he wasn't able to get his 456 visa converted to a 457 within the 3-month time period. Or at least that's what I understood based on his story. To cut the long story short, he now has a job in Oz.

Re: your question of whether the amount that they pitched is sufficient, I believe that it is. (Disclaimer: This is only based on my friend's experience, not mine.) It could even be a little cheaper than that.

Re: the interest rate. It is HUGE. I myself went to their office and was oriented by one of their staff. I even met with the officer from the loaning agency. They will not disclose to you the loan details. The only reason why I know how much they're charging and how high the interest rate is, is because of my friend. That's one of the things I don't like about them. There is no FULL DISCLOSURE.

I think that covers most of your questions.

As for me, I didn't go through with Philman's offer. Although I think it is technically "legal" on the surface, I believe that it exploits the already exploited nurses in the Philippines.

eliyel · Feb 23, 2012

Just a summary of the AHPRA application process:

Cost:

Assessment fee: AU$ 220

Application fee: AU$ 115

Adjustment/Registration fee: Approx AU$ 115

***Payment via credit card or manager’s check or TT?

DOCUMENTS NEEDED:

- CV AHPRA format

- Certified true copies of documents

o Birth certificate

o Diploma

o TOR

o RLE

o PRC documents (board rating and board cert)

o Licenses and certifications (IVT, ACLS, etc.)

o COE/SOS

o Passport

o Course description

o NBI Clearance for travel abroad (Cost: Approx Php 300)

Cost: Php 100 per page (not sure)

***Certify that each document is a true copy of the original. Certify that the photograph on photographic documentation (e.g. licence or passport) is a true likeness of the applicant. Witness the signature of the applicant.

***Be initialled on every page by the Authorised Officer. Annotated on the last page as appropriate e.g.

“I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original” and signed by the Authorised Officer.

List the name, date of certification, and contact phone number and position number (if relevant) and have the stamp or seal of the Authorised Officer (if relevant) applied.

- Certificate of Good Standing from PRC to be submitted directly thru PRC

Cost: Php 1,500 for courier service

Php 300 for certificate

- IELTS results to be directly submitted to AHPRA by BC/IDP

Cost: Php 1,500 for courier service and for request of copy

I came up with this based on some of the posts in this forum, the AHPRA website and help from friends. I'm not saying that you should follow this as a prescription for your application but merely a guide that could assist you. Please feel free to call my attention if I posted anything wrong. I hope that other people won't get mad that I posted these information, just trying to help out. Anyway, most of what I included here are posted all over this forum. This is just like a summary. Ok, I'm starting to sound too defensive. Haha! Good luck and may God bless each and everyone of you! :)

steffi_pie · Feb 23, 2012

@eliyel

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and answering my questions, God bless you

aila61 · Feb 23, 2012

@eliyelThank you so much for taking the time to read and answering my questions, God bless you

I am a client of philman, I believe that their program are for those nurses who want to go to australia but don't have the financial support that they need. As for me, we asked for a different loan term (meaning we won't be availing the wHole package loan that they are offering) since less debt less interest right? But I strongly suggest that if you have the money and you are confident that you know the whole process of application including visa processesing then do it by yourself instead of paying an agency. :)

eliyel · Feb 23, 2012

@aila61

When did you avail of Philman's assistance? Because I believe they changed their offering these past couple of months. I asked them if I could just loan probably the tuition for the BP but they said that I can't. What they're offering is a "package". Get their assistance AND the FULL loan. No partial loan whatsoever. Plus their loan term is also fixed. I inquired if I could pay for the loan in less than 2 years, which is what they're offering, but I was told that again, I can't.

I agree with you that if you do have the money or maybe you have relatives who are willing to lend you some, go do it by yourself. :)

Like what I have said, it is just my personal preference to not avail of Philman's assistance. I'm not saying that you should not go for it. But if you have other options, try to look into it first. :)

eliyel · Feb 23, 2012

@steffi_pie, you're most welcome. :) If you have any further questions re: Philman, maybe aila61 can help you with it. First-hand info is always better!