uktruckie

Hello All,

My first post on this forum.

I'm a UK Truck driver looking for a company to sponser me in Australia.

I have made a few contacts in Australia and in the UK who deal with trucking firms. I have found trucking firms recruiting Polish drivers to work in Ozz, but still a lot of red tape for British Drivers.

What I'm wondering is there any ex-pat truck drivers who are driving for Australian companies on a HC licence.

If so what experiances have you had?

ozzieeagle

I'll be following this thread, as my brother is in the same game as yourself, working nightshift for citylink, out of Milton Keynes.

As far as I know, one has to own a trucking company, or have that Truck business Licence (Owners licence ??? whatever it is called) To be able to come over here in your feild. I've got a freind of my Brother, who has one of these licenses coming for a visit here soon, Testing the waters etc, (he is at a loose end after a marriage breakup, so I guess he will be keen to start somewhere new if it is lucrative enough)

Highest paid "employed" truckies here, are Safeway drivers @ circa Aud 110-120,000 per annum, thats for 24/7 availablity. Or then you can own your own truck here, which is very common. trouble is a rig would set you back at least 200,000 to 300,000 dollars, Plus you would have to break into the freight consignment market, which I would assume would be difficult for untried Migrants.

uktruckie

Hello Ozzieeagle, thanks for the reply.

I'm a night trunker as well, or anything which pays for the morgage.

I've had a company in New Zealand offer me work if I become a subby for them, but don't fancy becoming an owner driver, a lot of competition out there and I don't think they would look to favourable to an ex-pat taking there work.

I'm not giving up yet,

waiting for Tesco.com.au to become live so I can see if they are recruiting drivers.

Have you seen any jobs posted for Safeway?

Please keep me informed about the friend of your Brother to see how he gets on.

ozzieeagle

Yehp no worries, Also are Tescos really coming here LOL ??

Hopefully they are

uktruckie

Hello, I'm sure I have read in a publication Tesco are looking at Australia, if Safeway can then Tesco can.

peppi

My husband is a class 1 licience back in the UK...we have come out here to Perth and the only licience he can swap his straight for only entitles him to drive double axcle up to 16 ton (I think) he aint here a t the moment but Ill double check when he gets back. You have to take further tests to upgrade. Something to do with in the UK the test is done unladened...? Over here they have to be best part loaded. Licience for road train is quite a challenge. I have to say thou they are screaming out for drivers here and owner drivers from the 1 ton ute up to skys the limit. Any specific Questions ask and Ill ask him and help all we can.. In my view truckies should be on the wanted skill list as there just aint enough of them to go round...

uktruckie

Thanks Peppi for the post.

There is a migration company seeking truck drivers to come over to Australia and they are really slow in communication sent my application form etc, just have to wait and see.

Another guy is seeking truck drivers for Australia as well, but a lot of red tape.

Just hope Australia goes like New Zealand where truckies can be sponsered on a working visa.

Please keep in touch, is your husband in the UK now?

P.S don't mind taking the test for road train licence etc, just as long as I can find a good paying job etc

annqldau

See previous thread regarding trucking in Queensland


http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332554

Good luck

peppi

No hes here and has just gone to work for the bus company driving the buses through a big car wash and re fuelling. He has spent the last 2 weeks at length looking into buying a 4 to 5 ton taxi truck...but to cut along story short wed be shelling out $60,000 to earn the same as or poss less than working for someone else...partly I have to say because he was advised for tax reasons to loan two thirds of the money when we actually have it...Its very complicated...also these firms...yes keep you working no prob...but technically you are self employed but they want you to behave as if you are working for them...so to speak...with none of the outlay...no contract...and you sign writing your truck etc with their logo...all seemed a bit bias toward them...He will get put through the upgrade on his licience by the bus company as I think they require an HR(but dont quote me) for the driving buses on the road...but he still wont have road train...but to be honest I dont think he wants to go that far...I think the first part of the upgrade cost about $600.00.You can then drive a higher weight rigid with more axles And I think...it can be done in a couple of days once you have the MR,and because you have had the equivilent of the MR in the UK for ages you can straight away apply to upgrade. I think if you drive and always have done here in WA you have to hold the MR for a year before upgrade Once he has an HR theres loads of work even more so if you have a fork lift licience too. Just to confuse the issue the rules are different in every state from what I understand...All this Im spouting applies to WA and could be completely different say sunshine coast side

uktruckie

I used to work for a removals firm just outside Sydney called Giraffe removals and it’s all sub contract work (I had a one year working visa). They call them taxi trucks or (pans) (but the guy who I worked for would not take passengers because of insurance) and you have the signage on the side of the truck who you sub for, he had a four tonne truck (but others has 7.5 tonne truck and we did a lot of work for Westpac bank moving there furniture and computers. I loved the job. I have worked in removals for 8 years in the UK so I know the business quite well. The guy who did the sub contract work offered me his business so it would get me a good hold in Australia all I needed was to employ an Australian and I could have migrated over to Ozz by now, but things don’t happen like that.

I would go for a road train licence if I could out for months at a time yes please that’s the way to see Ozz. I was told about $800 to up grade my licence for the MC so I was quoted right.

Do you know if there is many polish drivers out there, driving trucks?

I’m interested in migrating to Queensland area, but if another area came up then I would go for it.

Thanks for the info

peppi

Polish drivers....I dont know...what i will say this is one hell of a multi cultural society...Where husband works there is a canadian,a south african someone who looks indian...infact your hard pushed to find a bloomin australian to be honest...! So I have no doubt somewhere ther are polish bods...

uktruckie

Hi, yes when we stopped in Sydney it was very multi cultured, I'ved lived in auburn outsde Sydney and not too many whites here, but who cares nice and welcoming people all the same

TracyAnne

Hi,

We are moving to Melbourne tomorrow morning! We are going on my student visa, hubby is a truck driver and he is in talks with a migration agent regarding a sponsored truck driving job, but like someone else on here said it is a slow process. Hopefully he will get an offer soon. He has a Class 1 licence here but in Victoria he has to do the HC test which he is booked to do in a few weeks time.

Good luck

uktruckie

Good luck to you both, if you don't mind me asking who is the migration company your husband found the job with.

All the best

Roly

mr jingles

Hello UKtruckie

This is Mr Jingles, how's you job hunting for Australia?

Hear from you soon