32 year old wanting to work in Australia
 

Hi all, i'm 32 and currently self employed and have been for 8 years I started my apprenticeship when i was 16 so obviously have a fair bit of experience, I've also passed my 2394/5. I've basically just got completely fed up with life in the UK and after travelling to Thailand for a month at the start of the year i'm planning on giving travelling a proper go for 6 months before hopefully working in Australia. I've heard talk of the working visa age going up to 35 but as of yet i don't think it has??? If this doesn't happen and the age is kept at 30 then what options do i have for working for 6 months to see if its something i want to spend the rest of my life doing in Australia? Obviously i'd prefer not to plough a lot of money into it if its only going to be something i do for 6 months.

Any help would be appreciated.

EDIT: Although i have 16 years experience most of it is in domestic, would this be a problem when it came to doing any exams etc.?

Re: 32 year old wanting to work in Australia
 

Hi there. You wouldn't be classed as having 16 years experience, since pre-qualification does not count but that is by-the-by.

Unless you are prepared to go through the expense of applying for a skills assessment, which does include a range of skills included motor control, some dc theory, etc., then there is not really any option. Even temporary employer sponsored for electricians requires the assessment I believe.

Re: 32 year old wanting to work in Australia
 

Thanks for the reply. So there's no way of basically working as a mate or even a labourer to begin with? The whole idea of this is very much in the beginning stage and so i'm just trying to assess my options. Do you know if its the same process in New Zealand?

Re: 32 year old wanting to work in Australia
 

There would be every possibility of working as a mate, or a labourer, if you had a visa allowing you to work in Australia. But as you are too old for the working holiday visa, the only other options would be skilled visas.

You can of course come for a visit of up to 3 months on a visitor visa, but you would not be able to work. I'm sorry, I don't know much about NZ visas. You could try asking in the NZ section of the forum.

Re: 32 year old wanting to work in Australia
 

Suppose i'll just have to hope they up the working visa age to 35. Does anyone know anymore about this, I've read a few things on the internet but nothing seems to be concrete.

Also if anyone knows of the requirements for becoming an electrician in New Zealand or about the working visa age limit then please let me know. I have also asked this in the New Zealand section of the forum.

Re: 32 year old wanting to work in Australia
 

Is been mentioned in a couple of political speeches, months ago there is no concrete evidence that it will ever happen.

Re: 32 year old wanting to work in Australia
 

I know it is hypothetical as the age limit hasn't been raised, but is this now not even a possibility because of the new visa regulations?

Re: 32 year old wanting to work in Australia
 

You don't qualify for a working holiday visa. The only way you are going to be working in Australia is either you get sponsored for a temporary visa (not sure if your skill is on the list for 457) or if you apply for and are granted a skilled visa. As Polly said, the talk of raising the age was just a comment made in a speech a while ago and nothing has been done about it. Nobody here works for DIBP and unfortunately my crystal ball is in the shop, so nobody can tell you what might happen in the future.

If you are serious that you want to work in Australia then you can look at Australian Government Department of Immigration and Border Protection and see what you need to do to obtain a skilled visa.