Hi teikwing, I'm going through the same thing as you are, only difference is I'm going solo and is in the IT industry.

I'm doing it by myself instead of via an agent because their service charges will leave me with nothing to spend if I ever step foot on Aussie soil (about 200% of what you're paying for if you do it yourself).

I have submitted my skills for assessment by the Australian Computer Association and paid AU$450 for it and they expect us to wait 3 months for the results. This portion is quite tedious as you need to get your photocopied certificate of all your relevant qualifications certified by MOHE or notary public only then you can submit for skills assessment

I have also scheduled my IELTS exam next month

I will have to wait for my skills to be assessed and deemed suitable for the SOL that I have applied for only then I can submit EOI

Like what hihihehe said, get your skills assessed first before anything else.

At the end of the day it will cost me about 13k (visa AU$3500, skills assessment AU$450, IELTS RM610, etc ie certification of certs by notary public)