jproberts

so I’ve heard, more difficult than Canada apparently and am I right in thinking that an immigration agent is recommended with Australia?

the troubadour

Shame you didn't notice the recession in Perth then with closed shops and falling business very evident. Mining is a fickle area to say the least and the last down turn saw quite a hefty price paid, for many that got out of their depth.
WA, does, I admit pretty much keeps the nation afloat, but the boom/bust scenario has long been a factor of this state.
As for work up north, I am aware of certain areas 'picking up' but don't recall it being labeled a return to boom times. Nor should a return to such conditions be at all desired. Shocking for the economy.
It should be also noted that the FIFO gig can come at a high price. Those being marital breakup, mental health issues, drug dependency and so on. My understanding is it is not the lucrative area it was a decade ago.

the troubadour

It wasn't so long ago that the process could be easily done, at minimal cost by the individual. While it can be still undertaken, the process has been complicated and as I noted become a business,
quite probably in many cases easier to engage a migration agent, unless feeling apt to complete the job yourself.

Amazulu

I don't know if it is more difficult than Canada but it can be a trying experience. We used an agent but with hindsight, wouldn't have bothered and saved ourselves a few grand. If your case is straightforward then the process is long but pretty simple in reality - there are no trick questions. If you feel that there may be complications, then get an agent. The whole application is expensive though and an agent just adds to the cost

rabble_rouser

Agree. This idea is a complete famtasy. Also $40 ph is a bit on the high end maybe sydney otherwise take a 3rd off.

Beoz

I am not talking about the last downturn, I am talking about today. Things would appear healthy. My business is certainly experiencing a renewed love affair with WA and it's mining sector.

Amazulu

That's about the going rate for an engineering tradesman in the mining sector (Perth-based)

Salaries tend to be higher in Perth than Sydney - as confirmed by ABS stats

Pulaski

Failing retail business and a broad decline in business on "the high street", and in malls, isn't a problem confined to Perth, it is an endemic problem across the industrialized world.

carcajou

$55k for a nursery assistant? No. Think $25-40k. Someone with overseas qualifications, no local experience, and no recent experience will be closer to the bottom of that range than the top.

Unless you're coming here with a $500k deposit already lined up, a fitter and a nursery assistant are not going to be buying a million-dollar home.

You need to slash your aspirational housing budget by at least half, but realistically, by about two-thirds.

Rockingham, Mandurah and the Peel area are where someone looking to move to Perth, on your budget, should probably focus.

I have no idea what the market for fitters is at the moment, but you probably need to come here for a recce and speak to fitters and companies on the ground to get a true idea of what the job market is like. I wouldn't rely on how many advertisements are up on Seek to give an accurate picture (in Perth or in Calgary). You won't get very far with that, however, until you already have the visa . . . and you may raise suspicions at airport immigration if you arrive to scope out the job market on a tourist visa. You should also be aware that it is very difficult to secure a position while overseas, visa or not. You are likely going to have to move to Canada or Australia without a job already lined up, and then work the ground when you arrive.

I also concur with Beoz that if you are already down the Canada track, you should probably see that through, and then switch gears if it isn't to your liking. That is, barring something dramatic, or if you are finding that getting a Canadian visa is going to be a long shot. It is very hard to get enough points to qualify for Australia. The Golden Age of Migration is long over and it's really difficult to achieve a points total high enough to get a visa now, without substantial pre-existing ties here.

Frankly it seems a bit odd to me, the sudden lurch in direction from Canada to Australia, especially having already committed to the Canadian process. Can you elaborate more on what is driving this change?

the troubadour

I'm talking about the present as well. Regardless of there being an upturn in the mining sector, the state is in difficult times.

the troubadour

Falling house pieces and poor performing economy have been evident for a time in WA though, being especially noticeable after a considerable period termed 'boom'. Besides NT, more evident than other states.

Pulaski

Longer than the 10-12 years in the UK and USA?

the troubadour

As its The Australia Forum, it means exactly what is written. Perth has in local terms (Australian) has been for a considerable time impacted. More felt due to over the top boom times.

Pulaski

Go on, gizza clue, what is "a considerable time" as it relates to retail shops in Perth, and is that longer or shorter than "a time"?

Amazulu

WA is not in recession - as confirmed by today's stats. There is only one definition of recession (for a reason - everything else is opinion) and WA is not in one

Hope this helps