Temporary work visas Australia

[Mister Clark]

I got a job offer for a test consultancy in Oz (I have quite a few contacts as well, Aussies that have gone home), the sting was if I left within two years I would have to pay between 5k-10k for them to cover their costs of sponsorship.

Not directly related to your question but might help others, I'm 30 and have applied for and been granted a working holiday visa (applied for it Monday night, granted Tuesday morning).

My understanding is as long as you get to Oz before you turn 31 you can use the visa subject to the usual conditions.

[Scruff]

My daughter did the "Working Visa" for a year. She loved and in order to stay for a second year, she had to work on a fruit farm, for something like 88 days.

Getting a sponsor from the UK is nigh on impossible, unless you are a leader in your field, or have a well-connected network of people over there. My daughter is now on a Sponsored Visa, having been taken on as a permie after three years there (she has worked for herself as Contractor SCUM for the past two years - Movie Production, not IT).

[wubbledoos]

You should try the pomsinoz forum that's a good resource.

I did the ACS and all other stages and was finally awarded my 189 a few weeks ago.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

[kingcook]

There is some info about working as an IT contractor in Australia via an umbrella company on this website:

Umbrella Company Australia | Contractor Taxation

It's nearly 2 years old though, and with the Labour Market Testing thing that came about in November 2013 for the 457 visas, I don't know if any of it works anymore.

It would be good to hear anything you find out. I'm currently undergoing a skills assessment with ACS in the hope of getting PR later this year.

[expat]

My old housemate spent ages trying this. He is a C# team leader with years of experience and knows the various .NET surrounding technologies.

He got several interviews with companies but no one wanted to hire him. Apparently they pretty much always prefer nationals because so many things can go wrong with the visa application they don't want the hassle or the risk of being left short staffed. It is also possible that he is not as good as he thinks he is but he does not seem to struggle with getting jobs here *shrug*

He gave up in the end.

That was my feeling from googling a bit. ISTM that an employer would only take the risk and hassle for one reason, to save money. Nowadays they could do that more from the huge pool of Indian talent, so I'd need someone unwilling to take on an Indian. In short I'd be looking at taking on huge bureaucratic headaches and jumping from contracting into permiedom far from home, tied by the visa to one employer, looking for an employer who is both exploitative and racist. Maybe it's not a good idea.

[MyUserName]

My old housemate spent ages trying this. He is a C# team leader with years of experience and knows the various .NET surrounding technologies.

He got several interviews with companies but no one wanted to hire him. Apparently they pretty much always prefer nationals because so many things can go wrong with the visa application they don't want the hassle or the risk of being left short staffed. It is also possible that he is not as good as he thinks he is but he does not seem to struggle with getting jobs here *shrug*

He gave up in the end.

[expat]

There used to be some UK-based agencies that helped with things like this, particularly with Oracle stuff. You need to get a 457 visa - so start applying for jobs via Australian websites where the company will sponsor you to get one.

I looked a few years back, and it wasn't easy to do, so I gave up.

That's what I suspected. Haven't managed to find anywhere that would sponsor me, years ago when I went to the US there were several software houses/bodyshops/agencies that actively looked for temporary workers. Probably there still are but where they are looking has changed.

How did the visa look to you? Have to get skills certification, right?

[DirtyDog]

That's what I'm asking about. I know you need a job, I'd like to hear anyone's experiences of finding one, getting the visa, etc.

There's lots of info about working holidays and about immigration, but as I said I'm too old for either, and as it happens neither is what I want to do: I'd like to work in a decent job in my real profession (IT, not fruit picking), for probably over a year but not for ever.

There used to be some UK-based agencies that helped with things like this, particularly with Oracle stuff. You need to get a 457 visa - so start applying for jobs via Australian websites where the company will sponsor you to get one.

I looked a few years back, and it wasn't easy to do, so I gave up.

[expat]

If you are under 30 then there is a one year visa that you don't need to have a job arranged, but you can work there - a couple of teachers from my daughter's school did it a couple of years back.

Otherwise, you'll need to get a workers visa, which means you need a job before they will give you one.

That's what I'm asking about. I know you need a job, I'd like to hear anyone's experiences of finding one, getting the visa, etc.

There's lots of info about working holidays and about immigration, but as I said I'm too old for either, and as it happens neither is what I want to do: I'd like to work in a decent job in my real profession (IT, not fruit picking), for probably over a year but not for ever.

[DirtyDog]

If you are under 30 then there is a one year visa that you don't need to have a job arranged, but you can work there - a couple of teachers from my daughter's school did it a couple of years back.

Otherwise, you'll need to get a workers visa, which means you need a job before they will give you one.

[expat]

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of doing this? I'd like to spend some time there - longer than a tourist visit, and I'd like to work (i.e. need to work). I'm too old to immigrate but that's not my plan anyway.

I did this years ago in the US (went for 1 year, stayed for 4) and it was a way of life and work that suited me: long enough to get to know a place, without doing permanent immigration.