@tangentph I'll share with you our recent experience with the transition from student visa application to 189... We thought its gonna be simple but its full of technicalities.. We're onshore by the way. Before our visa expired, we decided to apply for another student visa and was given the bridging visa A. Unexpectedly, while waiting for the student visa grant we received the invite for 189. We immediately lodged our 189. So our dilemma started here, we did not get a bridging visa for the 189 right away. Turns out, that its not automatically given.. During this time, we didn't know if its safe to withdraw our student visa application or not.. So we called immi (queued for like 2 hours) and the staff told us that its better not to withdraw it just yet but wait for the BVC to be granted. During this time, we were hoping that the student visa will not be granted as it might further aggravate the situation. If it gets granted it only means that we'll need to have it cancelled and cancellation would mean that it will cancel all the bridging visas that were granted and the possibility of being unlawful as well (worst condition to be in while waiting for a PR grant,hehe). After a few days of waitin, we got the BVC. The BVC was not in effect because of the BVA that is currently in effect. We didn't know what to do, whether to withdraw our student visa application or not, and if we withdraw what are the consequences awaiting for us. I read forums and somehow freaked out a little bit because I saw a lot of applicants who are in the same situation being granted with BVE (lowest form of bridging visa-no travel rights, no work rights plus the time stayed here in Au is reset) We even asked a MARA Agent but she couldn't give us an answer.. So, i was thinking there might be a deciding factor why they got BVE, turns out they voluntarily cancelled their student visa. We called immi again and they told us that we can now safely withdraw the student visa application and the BVC will take effect after the cool down period. So fortunately, it ended well..
Disclaimer: I'm not saying that we'll have the same situation but before you do anything call the immi first and stay away from BVE,hehe
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY in all the things that you do whatever situation you're in just KEEP THE FAITH.