GazTheHat

How long does it take to get one?

Anyone experience of getting one??

scoob_babe

Depends if you are going to be sponsored by your existing company or doing it off your own back. I believe it took a friend about 8-9 months for the whole emigrating thing inc medicals etc and she was doing this herself. She might have been able to go earlier if there hadn't been a house to sell first.
How are you intending to do this?

GazTheHat

Yeah, off my own back.

I did speak with them a while back and passed the number-game-criteria-score-thingmajig.

I just couldn't remember how long they said it would take and wandered if anyone had done it and what time.

So April is outta the question then.

davegtt

You can get a working visa over night for 12 months. Pretty easy if you look into it, obviously if your looking for a permanent move to Oz then its a different type of visa and is a long winded process

GazTheHat

Got any details on that magical overnight 12m visa?

Sounds good. Can it be upgraded to longer at a later date do you know?

Klaatu

Working visa processes have been tightened up, it's not that easy any more. Employers have to demonstrate the local hire market cannot supply the skills you have. Luckily for you skills are in demand here right now. Even if you pass the points system, you are not automatically granted a visa. You are looking at at least 6 months from application to the visa being granted, if at all. So, if you are keen, start the procees now.

Be prepared to pay a high premium for rents and properties, also, be prepared to be told which city you will be allowed to work in depening on your skills.

SJ_Skyline

Loads of info about visas, costs, places and issues on British Expats Board although you really do need to dig deep into the board and search hard.

I believe the 457 is the more common business visa which allows you to live and work in australia for 4 years.

mightyyid

You could do this and then apply out there - but being in the country does require a different process and can actually be harder - the idea is that you are out of the country when it happens and they have a call on whether you are the best fit. Being in the country means you have an 'in' and thus creates different issues.

When I moved there it was with my company but I landed without a visa at all - just entered on a tourist and had the visa set-up when in situ - but this was different as I was employed - for you, employment will not be possible without a valid work visa, and I'm not sure if an 'overnight 12 month visa' would be available to get a job in Australia when you are there...

GazTheHat

Thanks for all the comments, plenty of things i didn't know. Especially the above comment.

That's just the thing. The jobs i could take that have been advertised have been all over, in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Addelaide.

We're not fussed where it is, although Sydney is favourite. Sydney was great, but we've not been to the other 3 places (yet).

I've got a figure of £1500 for a family work visa (me, wifey & 3yr old). Did i dream that?


Any good online job searches for IT in Oz? I just use Jobserve.

GC8

It took my brother well over 12 months to sort out his residency! This was for someone who had lived there for five years previously, had an identified (skills shortage) trade and who was being sponsored by the State of Southern Australia to central government! Id take any talk of overnight 12 month visas with a pinch of salt. You have to apply and jump through hoops for a working tourist visa when you are 21!

GazTheHat

I turned down a job last year that offered a 4yr visa with it. Wrong timing.

Now it seems all the jobs are for people with visas or live there.

Gonna start the ball rolling this w/end.

DanTerzo

iTrader: (1)

I went travelling for a year and spent 9months in Oz. Everything to do with the 12month work visa was done online, didnt take long, month or two max. I just had to print off the form they emailed me and show it to customs/immigration when i landed. They didnt even ask to see it (landed in Perth tho and heard its a lot more strict landing in Sydney). A few months later i noticed that friends i had met had a work visa sticker in there passport which i didnt have. Panicked a bit and went to immigration offices. Not a problem, passport stamped and the girl told me i didnt really need it anyway.

Cant help out with the residency part tho, which as others have said is a PITA.

There is plenty of IT agencies in each City. Im sure you could get a job very easily out there.

Hope this helps

cnj

I'm in the process of applying for residency at the moment. Got the first stage done. As others have said, it's a bit of a pin in the ***, especially if you do it yourself. The £1500 you've got as a budget doesn't sound too bad, I was told to budget between £1500 and £2000 for the entire process.

I've got a few documents etc. that I can send you about the skilled visa (i.e. residency), just give me a shout if you want me to send them.

GC8

This has just made me realise that I can get into Aus. quite easily, as my brother is now an Australian! Thats made me smile on a f*cking horrible winter day.

Klaatu

The 457 visa is a temporary upto 4 year business visa, an employer needs to sponsor this visa and costs about $6000 to process. If you are granted a 457 visa I suggest you start the process for permanent residency ASAP, sponsored by your employer, also costs about $6000. While you are here on a 457 visa your employer pays for medical insurance, when you are granted PR, that's your responsibility. Either way you MUST have MI as you are not entitled to Medicare (But you do pay the medicare levy, 1.5% of salay, but can claim it back at tax time).

As a aresult of the Glasgow terrorist attacks and Dr Haneef, on a 457 visa in Brisbane, much attention is being applied to 457 applicants.

There are plenty of IT agences, I use seek.com.au myself which most agencies will list jobs with.

Good luck whichever way you chose.

Klaatu

Most visas, when applied for and when they are granted, the applicant is offshore. Visas are activated upon entry.

This is the best web based source of information Department of Immigration and Citizenship don't use any other website. Also if you call the department, make sure you note who you talked to and what was said. Sometimes the "advice" is inconsistent and inaccurate.

GazTheHat

Thanks Klaatu, very helpful.

cnj, if you wanna pm those details that's cool.

Klaatu

FYI....

Australian homes the world's least affordable: survey | PerthNow

Scooby Roo

I've been here [Brisbane] for 2 months on a 457 working Visa.

The sponsoring company paid the costs but you also need to factor in medicals, chest x-rays and getting your medical records from the Doctors.

The process start to finish took about 3 months as the Australian Immigration just change computer systems so there was a delay. Previously the timing was about 6 - 8 weeks for a 457.

Klaatu is right about medical insurance though whether your employer pays for this is up to the package you're offered. You do however take with you reciprical rights bring part of the Commonwealth. This would reduce any medical insurance premium [I save a third on mine]. And you WILL have to have insurance as it's a right imposed on an employing company if they are sponsoring you.

If you do decide to go then make sure that before you go you set up bank accounts etc. Do a bit of research on this and when transferring use an FX company.

With regards to Residency costs are about $6-$8,000. Process can start as early as 6 momths after you arrive but this would need company sponsorship.

Otherwise use expat forums.

Cheers

Roo

Klaatu

I am a British and a New Zealand citizen, here in Sydney on a 457 visa. In reality I, as a NZer, don't need a 457 visa as we're granted a 444 visa (immigration stamp at port of entry) upon entry anyway. I entered Australia as a NZer, so my case is slightly different. I needed "assistance" to sponsor a family member, because since Feb 2001, NZers are temporary residents, hence the corporate sponsored 457 visa. At the time I was advised by the immigration consultant who processed my case that 457 visa application would take 6-8 weeks, and a residency application would take 3-6 months. My 457 visa application took close to 4 months to process because of the nature of my case. I'll be going through the residency process this year, which means no pay rise either LMAO.

I've actually held two 457 visas for Australia.

With medical insurance, almost all insurance companies have wait times for certain services for visitors, so bear that in mind too.

If you are applying on your own I would however recommend an immigration consultant, costly, but effective. Think of it as an investment in your future.

Scooby Roo

Agree with getting a consultant. They will save a lot of time and effort.

They alos serve the Visa online [you can do this but it takes a while].

And yeah they do have some substantial waiting lists on Insurance policies. Basically you take out the policy and have to wait the specified term before being able to claim. If you go with a company they may have coporate policies with an insurance company. Invariably they wave the waiting times. But that's way off in the future.

If you do go through the 457 I would recommend using panel doctors as well for the medicals. Saves heaps of time.

Klaatu.....how'z the weather better than the sunshine coast [at the moment we have "liquid sun" ]

Klaatu

Wait terms are 1 month to 36 months (With Medibank Private on a 457), depending on the "service" and "service provider". Of course we ARE paying the (inflated) premiums for 457 visitors during that time. Fortunately, been able to claim back most medical exepenses so far (Matters not being British and/or NZer, no money no care), even though the pirce tag for insurance for my "family" is neary AU$5k p/a (In my case employer is paying).

The "weather" is like Wellington(NZ) or a London winter at the mo, dull, overcast and wet, and only 21c. Did I say Wellington or London in winter? LMAO. I mean, we have had the coldest Chrimbo in Sydney in 13 years, and the wettest in "a long time" (Meaning nowt really).

I do very much like Wellington, even with "bad" weather.

GazTheHat

Think i'll keep this thread to myself. I was under the impression we'd get more bricks for our bucks out there.

I've delusioned the wifey into thinking she'll get the pool table and workshop she wants.

GazTheHat

I very much doubt i'll get company sponsorship now, that boat sailed. So we'll be going out without a job and lOOking.

So it seems that getting an agency to do it all for me would be the best/easiest option, but is expensive.


The weather has to be better than it has here for the last few weeks:
BBC - Weather Centre - 5 Day Forecast in Celsius for Glasgow International, United Kingdom

Klaatu

You'll have to start speaking the lingo tho mate...

Orstrayan.

The following are results from an OZ-words Competition where entrants were asked to take an Australian word, alter it by one letter only, and supply a witty definition.

Clearly, you need to be an Aussie to understand.

Billabonk: to make passionate love beside a waterhole.
Bludgie: a partner who doesn't work, but is kept as a pet.
Dodgeridoo: a fake indigenous artefact.
Fair drinkum: good-quality Aussie wine.
Flatypus: a cat that has been run over by a vehicle.
Mate****: all your flat mate's belongings, lying strewn around the floor
Shagman: an unemployed male, roaming the Australian bush in search of sexual activity.
Yabble: the unintelligible language of Australian freshwater crustaceans
Bushwanker: a pretentious drongo, who reckons he's above average when it comes to handling himself in the scrub.
Crackie-daks: 'hipster' tracksuit pants.

And for the Kiwi's amongst us:

Shornbag: a particularly attractive naked sheep.