tuttifruitti

Hi, have just signed up to this site, and looking for all info available.
Hubby, me and 4 kids looking to start tra process, but not really sure
how much info is needed for the application :scared: and also reading your thread about qualifications. He is a time served plumber with c&gs, corgi & oftec
registered with 20 yrs experience. Would he "really" need to retrain???
Looking to move to s.a. All advise welcomed

Dez007

Hello,
We have been through sooo much since we arrived in Sydney, and some thing they do not make clear is the fact that when you do your TRA, that is basically for your visa application and means nothing when you arrive!!!!
My huband is basically a gas engineer and passed TRA as that, but although he has been doing plumbing for 20 years, he has got to do a conversion course, which would be acceptable, but in Sydney that would be 3 hours a week for 1 year, then he would have to do his certificate 4, which is another year before he can get a license as a plumber, to do gas he was told that would take 3 years, to get his license. We spent 5-6 weeks wondering what the hell we had got into.
BUT this is different for all States. We went to QLD and contacted Depatment of Natural Resources and Mines and with the qualifications he had, got a full gas license in 10 days.
We have contacted Qld plumbers and drainers Board, and the plumbers license seems quite straight forward and they deffinatley were more helpfull.
I would deffinatley do your home work, before you come , especially as you have children, it has cost us a lot, schools, glasses broke, daughter had to have sight test, although she had had one less than 6 months ago in UK, WHICH SHE PASSED, now she needs glasses for reading.
Also consider whether you are on temp or perm visa, if your temp, then you have more costs to get into schools, but you get living away from home bennafit. We thought we knew what we were doing, I have got family out here, but it is a bit of a shock, when you realise you can not earn a living.
We are glad we did it and love it, we are moving to QLD, this weekend and expect things to be a bit more laid back and easy going. I know all the paper work to get your visa is a nightmare and I did all ours on my own, but you can never have too much information and I would be happy to give you any information I can but like I said it is sooo different from one State to another.
For your TRA, you need to get EVERYTHING YOU CAN, Is your hubby self employed? makes a bit difference to the information you will need to get. I sent all my husbands certificates and contacted the colleges to get letters that he attended that college for the courses. My husband did his apprentaship 20 years ago and the company has been sold twice since and the original manager was deceased, so we did self decleration stating all the information and current contact details so they could verify it.
Sorry for babbling, I hope some of this info helps, I wish you luck and no matter what, do not give up, it is deffinatley worth it, you can ask my kids!
Dez and Lyn

tuttifruitti

Hi Lyn,
many thanks for getting back to us. Is there anyway we can contact the individual goverments asking for info on "becoming a plumber".
So how long have you been over there now? And what part of q.l are you going to? That state is our 2nd choice.
Would also love any help on offer with TRA forms, hubby is employed and been plumbing for 20yrs.How in depth do you have to go? Do you really have to describe what you do, how you do and with what you do on everything!?!?
Sorry my turn to babble. Your welcome to pm me if wanted.
Again thank you
sam n nigel

gas man

Wow!! I'm very glad i stumbled across this thread. I'm currently a gas service engineer in the UK for Worcester Bosch boilers and am in the thinking stages of moving to oz in the next 2-3 years permanently. I was under the impression that moving to oz would be easy and there is company's crying out for plumber/ gas fitter tradesmen. I'm going to be going out in september for a month to see as much of Australia as possible with my partner. Is there any particular state that is in demand for gas fitters and the registration process is any way easier. what is the average wage for a gas fitter. thanks all and good luck to you all.

Dez007

Hi GASMAN,
serprise , serprise, buT gasfitter is on the list of demand jobs, which is how we got the sponsor to Sydney. (IF YOU HAVE FANILY IN SYDNEY THEY CAN NOT SPONSOR YOU UNLESS YOU ARE ON THE DEMANDSLIST).
plumbers actually cover gas over here, which is where the imisunderstanding came into my hubby getting his license, he has got do do college to get his plumbers license. He flew to Qld and got his gas license in 10 days, they loved the Lpg, as not many Brits have it. Now he can get his NSW license by changing his Qld. Qld have got a lot better understanding of Uk gas, they know about Corgi ect. NSW, is very difficult to get any one to know what the hell you are on about (thats been our experience).
There are not many gasfitter jobs advertised, as a lot of them advertise for plumbers, who cover gas (not very well, I have heard).
We are going to Qld where we have had a few leads to jobs, and hubby has got interview with a company who said he has been looking for over 2 years for gasfitter who knows what he is on about.
Not sure on wages yet.
Does not matter what you apply to tra as, as long it is what your qualified to do, to pass Tra, It does not affect you in any way when you get here, as it counts for nothing, it is just for visa application.
Cheers Lyn

tuttifruitti

Hi Again lyn,
You said hubby got his licence in 10 days in q.l. Wondered what this entailed and did this cover plumbing and gas or just gas.
Dont suppose anyone knows anything about how the plumbing qualifications are dealt with in s.a
cheers
sam

Dez007

Hi Sam,
That is just to work with gas, like gas services, plumb up the appliance ect.
Not allowed to fit bathrooms et.
Lyn

bramptonbrian

Hi
I've been in Qld for 3 months and although my trade licencing is just about sorted (gas and plumbing) the business licence is a bit tricky.To trade in business as a plumber a drainers licence is needed which, I understand, does not relate to any UK qualifications. The gas licence is quite straight forward though not much demand for gas fitters.

cranni

My hubby is gas fitter/plumber,
he went to freemantle, 1 day course for plumber ,but has to work unde his supervisers license.
3 weeks for gas, he was british gas for 16 years and he knew more than the tutor.

sassenach

cant help you im afraid ,but i do work in construction and i know it is notoriously dificult for electricians and plumbers here in australia regarding licence.To be honest i thought you could work along side a registered plumber for a year ,you know like passing the spanners shite then youd get your licence but it seems its changed .

bramptonbrian

Getting the licence might seem hard but the trouble really starts when looking for a job. Usual comments are "oh yeah, we have had lots of poms apply". I went to a trade association meeting and wisely kept my trap shut, the natives apparently aren't to keen on uk tradesmen by the comments made. Bit like the tv coverage of the games, irrelevant whos the best.

bramptonbrian

I went on a first aid course this morning and there was another plumber who was doing the course due to his new venture ~ iridology. I recon its a bit like drain cleaning (nothing in my oxford dictionary so could be wrong). He says he has bookings for everyday, I'm thinking I've wasted my money on plumbing licences with no work in return, wish I'd have thought of iridology first, probably only need a bit of hose and some soapy water.

WEBBS

Hi gasman,

I live in Tas and all the plumbers/gasfitters I speak to are 'flat out'. They are that busy that most of them charge potential customers for providing a quote. Natural gas has just arrived in Tas and it seems to have really kicked things off. The wages are a bit less than in other states but I've seen job adverts quoting $60,000 for a gas plumber.I've also seen ads for plumbers at $34000, a big difference! Companies are crying out for trademen but there is an issue with employing a British tradesman. You have probably noticed this after reading some of the other posts and then some states are harder then others in having your skills recognised. If you are coming to Tassie on your vist then let me know and I'll try and get some local plumbers to meet you.It's not that bad in Tassie....honest!!

Cheers, Peter

gas man

Hi peter

Thanks for the reply, just wondering what is the issue that Aussies have with employing British tradesmen.

Thanks again Jay

bramptonbrian

Currently trying to get to the bottom of that myself. There appears to be quite a lot of rivalry generally (good natured ofcourse) with Britain, which I figured would be more aimed at New Zealand. British TV shows showing dodgy tradesmen haven't helped either and probably CORGI issueing registration to ACOP 1~5 semi skilled guys who then emmigrate claiming to be the beesknees. But I really don't know.
Cheers Brian