New Year, New Me, New People.

[scottyboy2017]

Hi Everyone,

 

Aye aye another Brit heading down for sun kissed barbies.

 

Im 29 from Newcastle, I'm a Marine Engineer heading down to Perth around 19th Jan 2017. I have around 10 years of Engineering experience on large commercial vessels and offshore construction and Dive support vessels.

 

Basically im coming down on a Evisitor visa in the hope that I can try and find some work.... Will I need a WHV or a 457 visa to allow me to work down there?

 

I have been to Perth once before for 1 night and flew up to Karratha the following day to Join a ship to take to Japan. I didnt see much one bar that was it.

 

I will be staying with my cousin up near Helmsley I think its called.

 

Can anyone HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP???? Advice etc...

 

Thanks Have a great NY.

 

Scotty

[ali]

I would apply for a WHV now and travel on that as it will allow you to work for an employer for 6 months. If you do rural work for 3 months it would entitle you to apply for a second years WHV. If you are stopped for any reason by border security and they do not believe that you are a genuine tourist they can refuse you entry. The 457 visa is a temporary visa which the employer has to meet certain criteria for to be eligible.

[verystormy]

H and welcome to the forum.

 

As ali says, the best visa for you would be a whv. This can be applied for on line fairly easily and is normally granted in a day or two.

 

You should though be aware that because of the downturn in oil and gas, there are lots of Australian people looking at the same jobs as you at the moment.

[scottyboy2017]

Thanks Ali and very Stormy for your replies.

 

Does anyone know if this will affect my chances of being accepted for WHV if I already have a Evisitor visa??? As in I already have an evisitor in place.... will I still be able to apply for WHV??

 

Yes the downturn has affected alot of people globally. Im currently working in Africa and as soon as I get off this rust bucket I will be heading to Perth. 19th January. I have a cousin to stay with in Hemlsley (I Think) and I have some friends over in Hyden.

 

Im massively exited and I hope there are great opportunitys for me to find work down there.

 

I have arranged to go into Hays recruitment office and meet some recruiters and sit down with my CV and certs.

 

Is it worth going into speak to Citizens Advice?? To find out about various things... National insurance etc?

 

Thanks alot for your help, hopefully get to meet some of you people.

 

Scott

[ali]

Thanks Ali and very Stormy for your replies.

 

Does anyone know if this will affect my chances of being accepted for WHV if I already have a Evisitor visa??? As in I already have an evisitor in place.... will I still be able to apply for WHV??

 

Yes the downturn has affected alot of people globally. Im currently working in Africa and as soon as I get off this rust bucket I will be heading to Perth. 19th January. I have a cousin to stay with in Hemlsley (I Think) and I have some friends over in Hyden.

 

Im massively exited and I hope there are great opportunitys for me to find work down there.

 

I have arranged to go into Hays recruitment office and meet some recruiters and sit down with my CV and certs.

 

Is it worth going into speak to Citizens Advice?? To find out about various things... National insurance etc?

 

Thanks alot for your help, hopefully get to meet some of you people.

 

Scott

 

You can apply for the WHV - if granted it cancels the visitor visa. There is no national insurance, you would apply for a Tax file number (TFN) - but cannot do this on a visitor visa. There is reciprocal care under Medicare for essential treatment.

[Rossmoyne]

Good advice from Ali and Verystormy above.

 

Be very aware that Immigration at the airport can be very strict and if you are coming in on a visitors visa and they see evidence in your luggage that you are looking for work, they can and will cancel your visa and you are on the next plane out. You qualify for a WHV because of your age and it will give you a year to find an employer to sponsor you for a 457 or even a permanent residency visa if you qualify for that, so please consider taking advantage of this route.

 

There is no National Insurance in Australia. We have Medicare. If you hold a British Passport you automatically qualify for this as there is a reciprocal agreement between the two countries. Just go into a Medicare Office with your passport and visa and they will do what is needed to issue you with a Medicare Card.

 

You will also need to apply for a Tax File Number as you cannot work in Australia without it. You can only do this once you are in Australia and it is easy to apply for on line. https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Tax-file-number/Apply-for-a-TFN/ Is the link to follow for this.

 

Hays Recruitment are a very large national recruitment company and well respected.... good place to start.

 

But also bear in mind that WA is in an economic recession and there are many people unemployed from mining, gas and oil, and associated industries. You need to consider working at anything to start with, as your ideal job might take a while to connect with you.

 

Good Luck..... let us know how you get on and please come back with any further questions you have and we will try to answer them for you.

[scottyboy2017]

Great great advice from you all. Brilliant forum. I check this daily more than my facebook account now. ha ha.

 

I have another question, basically. If I apply for a WHA and this cancels my Evisitor visa. What happens in the 12 months that I have an active WHA and say for example, someone takes ill back home in the UK? Or if I have to take work overseas offshore again. Will I be able to return to Australia?

 

I know a girl from the UK and she told me because she didnt take regional work they wouldn't allow her back, or something along those lines. Im assuming has no trade.

 

I will have more questions for sure regarding the move there!! Accommodation advice will be coming soon.

 

Thanks everyone for your help.

[verystormy]

Yes you can leave Australia and re enter during the 12 months which it is valid. But, the clock doesn't stop for the 12 month validity. So, if you enter on January 1 and leave on January 31 for a month, the visa will still end December 31.

 

Your friend probably meant that she couldn't get a second year because she didn't complete the regional work requirement.

[scottyboy2017]

Thanks again for the info, its really giving me confidence that I can get there and set up shop down under.

 

"it will give you a year to find an employer to sponsor you for a 457 or even a permanent residency visa if you qualify for that, so please consider taking advantage of this route."

 

How does it working regarding getting permanent residency visa? Dual Citizenship? I have a British Passport and have lived in the UK my whole life (29 Years).

 

Thanks again Scott.

 

Hope you all a great New year! & See 2017 in with a bang!

[ali]

Thanks again for the info, its really giving me confidence that I can get there and set up shop down under.

 

"it will give you a year to find an employer to sponsor you for a 457 or even a permanent residency visa if you qualify for that, so please consider taking advantage of this route."

 

How does it working regarding getting permanent residency visa? Dual Citizenship? I have a British Passport and have lived in the UK my whole life (29 Years).

 

Thanks again Scott.

 

Hope you all a great New year! & See 2017 in with a bang!

 

PR - you either apply independently which you can do anytime (you will need a skills assessment), an employer can sponsor you. Citizenship - there are criteria regarding time in the country and how much of that has been on a PR visa, but basically that can be applied for generally after 4 years (if you've entered on a PR visa). You will then have duel citizenship - we have Australian passports but have let our UK passports lapse.

[verystormy]

The first thing for any visa other than a holiday is lots of reading of border.gov.au.

 

Generally, visas are based on occupation. The government publishes two lists known as SOL and CSOL and your occupation has to be on one of the two. If it is only on the CSOL then you would need some form of sponsorship - state or business. State is preferable as than can be a permanent visa while business is usually only a temporary visa.

[elfie]

On a lighter note there has been adverts for marine engineering jobs in the freemantle area in the last 2 months. Its not all doom and gloom

[scottyboy2017]

So since its the last day of the year and I had access to a computer on this ship, during my lunch break I have went online and applied for a WHV. So fingers crossed next year I will have been accepted for it and my Evisitor visa will be no more. A difficult year behind and positive year ahead. Fingers crossed I get it.

 

Im waiting to hear back from Hays recruitment and Programmed Marine international regarding meeting them when I land in Perth. Give myself a week to get feet under the table and then go from there.

 

I will keep you all updated with News and I really appreciate all your help and input. Glad I found this forum site and hopefully meet some of you in the not so distant future.

 

Elfie, where did you see these adverts? I have seen a few on seek.com.au.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

[Warnbro]

Im 29 from Newcastle, I'm a Marine Engineer heading down to Perth around 19th Jan 2017. I have around 10 years of Engineering experience

 

Sorry to piss on your chips mate, but you are not going to get legit work without the correct visa in place before you land. Also, WA is awash with engineers in subsea and dive systems who are looking for a new job since the completion of Gorgon.

 

You are about four years too late to start a jump onto the WA resources bandwagon. That train left years ago and has since ground to a halt.

 

Enjoy your holiday.

[scottyboy2017]

Thanks for pissing on my chips, I was in Australia in Perth 5 years ago and stood outside a hotel overhearing a Dr of Engineering saying that this country need more Engineers. Maybey I am too late. But trust me... I will set up a tent outside the Oil companies offices if I have too when I arrive. Im not one for giving up easily.

[Warnbro]

Thanks for pissing on my chips, I was in Australia in Perth 5 years ago and stood outside a hotel overhearing a Dr of Engineering saying that this country need more Engineers. Maybey I am too late. But trust me... I will set up a tent outside the Oil companies offices if I have too when I arrive. Im not one for giving up easily.

 

It's always worth a go, but unless something big happens, I don't fancy your chances much. Back in 2011, you could pretty much name your own T's & C's if you had qualifications. Companies were poaching from eachother. But back then we were also in the middle of the largest resources infrastructure boom this country has ever seen which has now come to an end. People are leaving WA for the eastern states as the work dries up. Unemployment is at a record high since 2002.

[ali]

We have read on the forums that people have found it difficult to get work, whilst others seem to have found employment with relative ease, if you're willing to give it a go then go for it, nothing ventured nothing gained. Sounds like you're coming with your eyes wide open and know that potentially the employment situation is a tight one. Good luck and I look forward to reading about your journey.

[Warnbro]

We have read on the forums that people have found it difficult to get work, whilst others seem to have found employment with relative ease.

Back in 2007, my employer called a meeting just before the Christmas break and asked all of us to talk with our friends and see if we could get any of them to apply for positions with our company. We were offered a $1000 bonus for anyone we introduced who was subsequently employed. In 2011, I was involved a bidding war between two companies who both required my services. It is very different now. Unemployment in Perth is now 6.9% and would likely be much higher if it were not for the 1000's who are heading back interstate after being retrenched. It may pick up again in the future, but I know of no projects coming on down the line which will make any difference. It is worth bearing in mind that generally, employers will take on a local before a newly arrived migrant simply due to the local experience factor.

[ali]

Back in 2007, my employer called a meeting just before the Christmas break and asked all of us to talk with our friends and see if we could get any of them to apply for positions with our company. We were offered a $1000 bonus for anyone we introduced who was subsequently employed. In 2011, I was involved a bidding war between two companies who both required my services. It is very different now. Unemployment in Perth is now 6.9% and would likely be much higher if it were not for the 1000's who are heading back interstate after being retrenched. It may pick up again in the future, but I know of no projects coming on down the line which will make any difference. It is worth bearing in mind that generally, employers will take on a local before a newly arrived migrant simply due to the local experience factor.

 

I don't discount your facts, but the OP seems to be aware of the potential difficulties and willing to take the chance.

[verystormy]

The last time I looked there was only one occupation with higher unemployment than my own occupation. That was engineering with nearly 50% unemployed.

 

This is an interesting article. http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/08/25/cruel-hoax-as-migrant-engineers-are-told-there-will-be-jobs/

[scottyboy2017]

Thanks again for your comments, I fully understand the current climate regarding the O&G sector. This is not just in WA. This is world wide. The North Sea oil workers have been effected massively, I know personally around 50 guys that have been paid off. However there is still work globally. Im currently in Africa installing a 200 km oil pipeline and the vessels day rate contract has been lowered from $500,000 per day to $43,000 per day. The conditions here are horrendous with no fresh fruit on-board. 1 box of Bananas turned up for 273 people on-board. Suck it up buttercup.

 

If there are no Oil/Mine/Engineering companies in WA, who do not wish to employ a 29 year old holding a Class 2 Engineering Certificate an HND in Marine Engineering (Qualifications reeming out my arse) and having sailed on some the worlds largest vessels and worked for Oil Majors then the world has well and truly went bonkers.

 

They are more than obliged to employ Mike the window cleaner from Freemantle, cause his Dads brother used to drop the mail off at the office. Unfortunately Offshore Incest is the word game. Im willing to take a chance and willing to contribute to Australian Society.

 

If I read correctly that Perth has the highest number of self made millionaires in the world. There is an opportunity for anyone to give it a try. But maybe not being knees deep in 273 peoples Sewage on the January 1st (My year can surely only get better).

 

Thanks again.... if you see any jobs Keep me posted.

[Warnbro]

WA was a magnet for engineers a few years ago but a lot has changed over the last two years mainly due to the completion of a whole load of projects all at around the same time (Gorgon, Wheatstone etc).

 

If I were you I would fire off my CV to companies like APA, KBR, Worley Parsons etc. If they have nothing in WA, you may find they have opportunities elsewhere in Australia.