My OH had same problem when he came out after being with the Army in UK....did not have skills that crossed into "real" life....went months trying to get any kind of work then my daughter who was interstate suggested he get a fork lift licence which he did ..we also moved interstate on daughters advice and registered with agencies,,,he then got casual work and was willing to do anything and everything...he worked in steel works..did lead smelter shut downs and even worked night shifts in a bakery...OH the fresh bread every morning was heaven ...doing so many jobs helped give his confidence a boost which was flagging...Since returning to Qld after the kids moved back to UK again signed on at agency did a few differant jobs again before finally getting permanant work after working casual with a company for nearly 2 years......hopefully you will find work soon as everyone says aussie qualifications and be willing to try just about anything you can.....Good luck.

Hi Anastacia,

Just wondered if you hadtried any of these websites

www.applynow.com.au
www.boystown.com.au
www.nfpjobs.com.au
www.qcoss.com.au

I was a residential social worker (children & young people) for Glasgow City Council for 8 years before we came over. I have a social science diploma though it's not recognised over here. Not sure if your sector is similar in that the jobs are through a number of different organisations over here rather than directly through social services/government. I used the above, along with the usual, for searches.

Good luck, stay positive your skills will be needed and appreciated somewhere!!

Cheers
Mandy

What a lot of immigrants dont realise is that in Australia its all about connections. Social networking is huge here, we dont value University education or private colleges that much here. Its pretty much about who you know.

You make friends through sporting clubs, especially if you live near the beach. The local surf lifesaver club has a lot of professional people volunteering for weekends. Many are lawyers, firefighters, corporate professionals ect.

ON AVERAGE, how long does it take a migrant to find a job in Australia???

You can't really average it. I started working full time just 4 days after we landed. My husband, who's skills we came on, took 9 months and an interstate move. We have very close friends who have the exact same qualifications, are the same age as us and have the same work experience. Both of them found full time permanent great positions within the first month.

Hi Anastacia,

Sorry to hear that you haven't had any luck as yet on the job front but I'm sure there is something out there for you.

I'm a Learning Disability Nurse (still in the UK) but we're hoping to come over to Melbourne in the next 12 months or so and I'm getting a little worried that my nursing quals won't get recognised once I'm over there.

I hope that all goes well and you find a job soon.

Leah x

we was on the Gold Coast last year is was very hard to find work all the jobs we applied for the worse thing was we never got any replies back, they only like to employ causal workers so they don,t have to pay sick pay or holiday pay. My wife is a teacher it was really hopeless for her to find any teaching work at all. I am a chef i did some causal work but i was never happy in the work place. So we came back to the uk if i did go back i will train to do something else. We want to go back to the same place hopefully things will be better for us .

It depends on what you are happy doing.

I landed on the Tuesday and was working by the following week. I went and joined a couple of recruitment agency's who called me every day offering me work ranging from a delivery driver, order picking and even some landscape gardening. The pay was not great at around $20 an hour but I met people and showed some of the company's how good a worker I could be and very soon was getting asked for personally at the agency's. I then found a permanent casual job through the agency paying $35 an hour 4 day's on and 4 off and while there heard of a full time job in a refinery requiring no skills. I applied and with references from the agency company's I worked for secured a job. I have been working there since February and will hopefully be on a six figure salary by the end of next year.

So it can be done with no skills, you just have to take what you can get for the short term.

I was told by one of the company's I worked for that they do not like employing people without an Australian track record due to not being able to get rid of them easy if they turn out to be muppets.

So good luck

Bobby

Yeah, I would agree with the 'who you know' in getting a start and also the prove your worth kinda stuff too.

We're over on a student visa, restricted to how much we can work. Hubbie got a number of a guy who was a friend of a friend of a . . . . anyway he offered his labour free for a coupla days n got offered a job after the first day. This was within the first week.

I think it can be pretty slow going through the aplication process though. I'd applied n got the first job i went for, was confident that I'd got the job after the interview, but they didn't contact me for bout 3 weeks! It also took a coupla months for the blue card to come through too.

Hubbie gets offered full-time work all the time through meeting people tho because of the student visa, can't take any offers up!! Fingers crossed that the same happens when he can take up the offers!

Cheers n good luck everyone!
Mandy

when we were in brisbane we found it difficult, now in Perth and its jobs galore, and people are more trusting in interviews and genuine.

Hi there, if you look at the link below they may be able to help you. They are a state wide based company with branches just about everywhere.

http://www.mssa.com.au/page/contact

Please do not hesitate to contact me again if you need any further info.

It seems to be better for general job oportunities in Perth, is that the case? we were in Adelaide and you need a bloody letter from God to get a job!

bluekipper

same in Queensland too


Bobby $35 an hour! I'm a nurse with 7 years experience and only get $30

My first job in Australia was through a contact but that was in 2002 when the IT market was flat as a pancake.

Public service is a different ball game. Been there and I am not going back.

Thanks mandy, i also have a social sciences diploma, didnt realise that they didnt recognise it.