Im sitting here stunned, I applied for a job last month on the web "on the off chance" but not really expecting to hear anything back.

I get a call on Monday, asking me for a skype interview Yesterday....


Today I get a call offering me the bloody job... and asking how soon I can sign the paperwork for the sponsorship visa to Australia !!!! they Want me to start by the end of next month.

I am prepared to go and all, just so fast and unexpected as I didnt think I had a hope in hell of getting the job.

So fingers crossed im of to Oz (near Perth) by the end next month. So much to do, so little bloody time to do it.





Anyone know the process that is required to go through the employment visa process to get there (employer is handling it all) I just want to know the process.

Well done and congratulations!
<<sensible head on>> make sure the employer doesn't want any money from you to 'process the Visa, etc'. <<sensible head off>>.

Cracking!

Things like that are best done fast rather than give yourself time to change your mind

Do your homework fully on the employer before jumping.

And Perth isn't Australia, it's a city in the far west corner of the continent, that's a good few thousand miles from anywhere. Like living on an island, surrounded by desert/scrub. Cost of living is higher than UK nowdays, but the wages are much much higher in real terms, and housing on the fringes is relatively cheap.

I was in Fremantle way back for the America's Cup, and it was faster and cheaper to air freight spares from California, than to get them from Sydney. Still the same so I'm told.

Good luck, and look out for the Great Whites.

Cheers,
Nev.

Go for it...

Had the chance way back....

Didn't do it..... let family talk me out of it.

Always regretted it.......


As land Rover says... 'One Life Live It'

I did something similar back in 1998. The paperwork took some time as the company in Aus had to prove to the Aus government that there was no one in Aus who could do the job first. They may have already cleared that hurdle. I had to get x-rays done to prove I didn't have TB. I spent quite a few hours in Australia House in London whilst it was all processed. Get on the Aus government website, there should be a load of info there as to what paperwork needs to be done.

Congrats BTW!

Maybe its me being over cautous, but why would company use skype?

just me !!

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Originally posted by owelly
Well done and congratulations!
<<sensible head on>> make sure the employer doesn't want any money from you to 'process the Visa, etc'. <<sensible head off>>.

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Originally posted by steve m
Maybe its me being over cautous, but why would company use skype?

just me !!

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Lots of companies do phone or Skype interviews these days. My girlfriend has had a few. Saves time in the long run and they already know you either have the ability to set up Skype or at least have the ability to get someone to do it.

Congrats

Congrats mate!!!
(what's it doing?)

Cool!

good on ya mate, enjoy the barbies with all the sheilas

It a job as a Agricultural Mech for a "New Holland" dealer.

BBQ's yes Shelia's No, would be taking my other half.

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Originally posted by Irony
Lots of companies do phone or Skype interviews these days. My girlfriend has had a few. Saves time in the long run and they already know you either have the ability to set up Skype or at least have the ability to get someone to do it.

Congrats

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quote:

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Originally posted by Hector.Brocklebank
It a job as a Agricultural Mech for a "New Holland" dealer.

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Congratulations. Life-changing or what? Fabulous adventure looms. It's all gonna turn to rat droppings in the N. Hemisphere anyway so you'll get some degree of shelter from it down there.

My daughter's just graduated and I'm trying to persuade her to leave Spain and get herself to Aus'.

Nev's comment re' the size of the place rings true. I flew over the place W. to E. first time in '75 as aircrew. 480kts and 4 hours after 'coasting in,' we were still flogging over brown, parched uninhabited land, (less than 15% of the population live more than 30 miles from the coast). The VC10 captain turned to me and said, "That's why it's known as the GAFA Bob. Short for Great Australian Fork All."

"Revel in your time." (Blade Runner).

Nice one

BEJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJEEEEEZZZZZZZZZUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Its like bloody buses !!

just been offered a job with an oil company in Aberdeen, to train in their workshop then to go offshore after I'm up to speed on their equipment, wanting me to start with them on Monday !!! FFS

oh my brain is on fire with what to do now.....

Oz or the Deen??? Oz every time!

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Originally posted by Hector.Brocklebank
BEJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJEEEEEZZZZZZZZZUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Its like bloody buses !!

just been offered a job with an oil company in Aberdeen, to train in their workshop then to go offshore after I'm up to speed on their equipment, wanting me to start with them on Monday !!! FFS

oh my brain is on fire with what to do now.....

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Nice one - or should I say nice two?

If you decide to go to Oz look up RichardK he is in Perth nowadays.

Cheers

mark

What you do now, (simplistically) I would venture to suggest is to decide whether you want just a new job, or a new life and a new job.

Before upping sticks from Blighty and moving to Spain 11 years ago, we made a list of what we wanted from life, new house, new location, anything, even a new car. You make two lists, 'Essentail criteria,' 'Desirable criteria,' (Naturally, there may be absolute 'dealbreakers' etc, but all can be accommodated in your two lists.
With the villa we eventually bought, it ticked every 'essential' box and missed out on one 'desirable:' walking distance to a bar!
All other considerations were met, (including schooling for our (then) 2 young children.

Nice to be able to chose though eh? Great position to be in.

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Originally posted by bobinspain


Nice to be able to chose though eh? Great position to be in.

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Oz is a different world. I get three months there every other winter with my little sister. Her partner repairs heavy plant, mostly very big hydraulic things. He works by himself, works hard and makes a bomb. The Perth working culture is loads of small independents. If you are good, fast, effective then all is well.
The life style is outdoors in the garden or the beach. Kids love it. While I'm loafing on Trigg beach after having a surf there is a succession of school classes coming down for surf lessons. So maths 8.00, english 8.45, surfing 10.15.
Weather is hot for the summer. 30 - 40 for about 4 months and last time I was there we had rain on two days out of 90. Winters can be cool at night, wet but also 20+ some days.
This has pluses and minuses. Last autumn Brett phoned my sis and asked her to charter a flight asap to Caiguna on the Nullabor to go repair a tractor unit. They were there 500 miles plus later that day, fixed the unit in 40+ heat and flew back the same evening. Worth it for the company with a broken unit and a load worth six figures that would spoil. Hard for Brett. Great for little Sis, fun trip. Super great for the bank balance. Just remember to take all your spanners!
Aberdeen? Sure.

[Edited on 18/7/12 by Dusty]

Oz can be a great place to live - but the culture is quite different than in the UK. It seems the same for most of the time, but then it trips you up. My daughter and her husband live in Sydney, which really is an expensive place - just like living close in to London (but a lot more interesting). House prices are scary, with a reasonable-sized bungalow in a decent-but-not-posh area approaching A$1million. There are cheaper areas, but they can start to get a bit rough. There are some VERY seedy areas! Perth is similar, although not quite so expensive.

We went to Perth to visit my wife's cousin... we realised well into the flight from Sydney just how big Australia is! We could have got to New Zealand in the same time.

Oz is more expensive in many ways - my daughter now uses a Kindle, simply because the cost of new books is so high. In the UK we're used to books being discounted - there they take the cover price and add a fat percentage. With Kindle she can buy the books off UK or USA Amazon and download them cut-price.

Medical care can be expensive - it seems to be half-way between the UK and USA.

Expect to spend a lot of time educating your kids about personal safety when out and about - not dodgy characters (although I'm sure they have them) - but stuff like covering up in strong sunshine, knowing where the places are where you might meet nasty creatures, and so on. The sort of stuff that Oz kids pick up as they grow up. You'll probably have to pick up a lot yourself!

Eating out can be a great experience, but again can be very expensive. The portions tend to be huge too!

If you're part of a close family then bear in mind how far away you'll be if something happens - my daughter was heart-broken when her grandfather died a few years ago, and she really felt remote.

BUT - it really is a great place, if you can take it in your stride!

Just a small anecdote: my cousin and aunt moved down there from Canada a few years ago. My cousin has a couple of kids, married to an Aussie. My sister went to visit once, and was KIDNAPPED by my aunt, who was starving for someone to talk to from home. Just kind of lets you know how isolated Purrrth is.

Hi

Thanks to all for the public (and private) advice.



The job offer came through in writing and was very very good, but the recruitment company comfirmed that they wanted near on £3000.00 in visa application fee's and that my non Eu passport holding wife would have to take an english language test @ £500.00

I did a bit of research and the is visa fee's (outwith what the employer coughs up for) but nowhere the amount the recruitment agency was talking about, and that my other half as secondary applicant DOES NOT need to undertake their English language test (her English is actually better than some native speakers mind you)

So i told them i would not do it unless the fee was waived.

I got a very snotty email back from the recruitment company saying that the employer was NOT prepared to pay the visa application fee, and that there was a line of 5 guys behind me ready to pay up instantly if i backed out !!! and they advised me to basically pay up and shut up and be grateful I was being offered a job in Oz

my reply was ok good luck with your other guys !!


THREE Minutes after sending that email I get a phone call, the guy says he has wonderful news......

he is telling me that suddenly the employer would pay the visa application for me !!

I ask why the sudden change when he had just told me the employer was not prepared to pay this cost ? silence...

this point my mind was made up and I tell the guy to go forth and multiply with himself.

it's a long ways to go for something with so many red flags. go with your guts. England can't be that bad; not Ireland, I know, but can't have everything.

Its pretty normal for employer to pay for visa application and relocation costs, however its also pretty normal for employee to pay for these upfront and then claim back these costs when starting (with receipts).

I had an amount for relocation and had to keep receipts for medical expenses for visa application which I claimed back upon arrival and starting with employer. Both were however to be paid back if I moved company within 2 years. Been with same emloyer for over 6 years now.

It was a 457 visa for me, and 457 dependants for wife and daugther.

Let me know if you want to know anything.

(Im in Brisbane BTW)

Jamie

other half depends on what passport she holds, they make for example phillipine and south africans take it.

quote:

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Originally posted by WanchaiWarrior
Its pretty normal for employer to pay for visa application and relocation costs, however its also pretty normal for employee to pay for these upfront and then claim back these costs when starting (with receipts).

I had an amount for relocation and had to keep receipts for medical expenses for visa application which I claimed back upon arrival and starting with employer. Both were however to be paid back if I moved company within 2 years. Been with same emloyer for over 6 years now.

It was a 457 visa for me, and 457 dependants for wife and daugther.

Let me know if you want to know anything.

(Im in Brisbane BTW)

Jamie

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Originally posted by bobinspain
Neville Jones is the man to speak to

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Originally posted by WanchaiWarrior

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Originally posted by bobinspain
Neville Jones is the man to speak to

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Who is he ?

I know of Southam Automotive Engineering in Perth, who are importing a range of UK kits, but never heard of Neville Jones before, what does he do ?

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