Joshwantsalife

Hi Everyone,

Recommended this forum by a friend who has lived in Australia. Right so here goes......

My partner is going to Australia on a Holiday Visa in Dec 2014. She will be living with her sister who is living in Australia with her husband. I have decided I want to go with my partner and meet her out there a few months later depending on how long the visa would take to process.

Now I don't know whether I am eligible to work in Australia on a skilled Migration Visa.

-I have a 4 year multi-skilled maintenance level 3 apprenticeship under my belt (if that means anything or worth anything?)

-I have a National Diploma in Electronic and Electrical Engineering

-I have a Higher National Diploma in Mechatronic Engineering

-As of September 2014 I would of had 2 Years experience as a multi-skilled maintenance technician, specializing in the Aerospace Industry

-I'm a home owner if that means anything (probably not)

The reason I am asking this is because I am panicking a bit because I thought I had 3 years of experience in this line of work but only have 2 years.

I looked at the way they work out the points scheme for the visa and worried whether or not I will have enough points or whether only 2 years of experience is good enough? Does the apprenticeship class as experience?

It would break my heart not being able to see my partner even for a short time and just have a dream of a better life in Australia. She has said that if I don't go out there with her she will come back for me. I don't want her to have to do that though and would rather throw caution to the wind and take a calculated risk.

Can anyone help me. Please.

Josh

verystormy

First question, are you able to qualify for a working holiday visa yourself? That would be the easiest thing.

If not, then even if you can qualify for a skilled visa, it isn't going to be by end of the year or even close to! "if" your occupation is on the skills list and "if" you are able to pass the skills assessment then by the time you got everything together for that, applied for the assessment and got a result, it would probably be january due to the Christmas period. You could then sublet an eoi. Then wait maybe a month or two to get a invitation to apply. Then submit. Then there are medicals and and things. You would be well into 2015 before you got a visa.

The issue, as you may already have guessed is your experience. Different occupations have differing requirements and this is what you need to look at.

It may be worth speaking to a good agent such as Go Matilda to get an initial assessment of your options. But even if you are eligible for a skilled visa, it isn't a quick option.

Have you considered tourist visas and just coming out for a couple of extended holidays?

Joshwantsalife

Hi,

Thank you for your reply. I have looked at Holiday Visa's briefly, but wanted to make things a bit more permanent and maybe even try a slight detour and take my skills from the aerospace industry to the power industry. I am hoping it could all be sorted by March/April time and fully aware it wouldn't be a quick process and depending on whether the experience thing is a problem.

I will look for a good agent to get an initial assessment and look at what 'sublet an eoi' means lol because not sure what that means.

To be honest, I have looked at tourist visas and extended holiday, but I'm just looking for a big change in my life. Hoping Australia can be my Mexico and also my partner wants to live in Australia with her sister is not on the skills list. I was hoping I could get us there permanently instead

Thank you for giving me this advice, it has given me some sort of direction

Josh

Bermudashorts

You need to look at the skilled occupation lists, identify a specific occupation that you think you would apply under and then look up the skills assessment for that specific occupation. Nobody can comment on whether you have enough to pass based on what you have written as we done know what your occupation is.

You do need to look for your occupation, not just something you have studied because paper qualifications are generally not enough, work experience is required for the majority of occupations.

I am not sure about you putting your partner on your application. Are you living together, because you don't sound like a married couple to me and that is essentially what you are supposed to be, defacto means married to all intents and purposes. I would not dream of going on holiday without my husband, especially not a long holiday. The idea that I would go off and say fingers crossed you can join me but no worries I will come back for you is laughable. We plan our lives together and we go together or we don't go at all.

verystormy

Have you discussed a potentially permanent move with your partner? If she is planning on coming back to the UK at the end of her holiday then would you also return? If so, then a skilled visa is not the way forward. It is a long stressful process that costs thousands.

As mentioned, you need to see what is required for the skills assessment. It will detail a minimum amount of post qualification experience. Not the words post qualified.

I also agree with Bermudashorts. I am not sure your partner is a partner. I can't imagine my wife just shooting off to the other side of the world for a year or so. I suspect that what you think the relationship is may be very different to what she thinks it is.

Biddy17

How old are you josh? If you get a working holiday visa you can get up to 2 years, are able to travel pretty much straight away so no waiting - and you might even find sponsorship once in Australia to be able to eventually stay permanently.