Complaint about Australian Visa
 

Strange question, but does anyone know where I can lodge a complaint about my visa? Basically I was granted a Skilled Migration visa with state sponsorship, but when I arrived in Australia, nearly everyone I spoke to when looking for a job told me my skills were not recognised in Australia and hence I was deemed to be unskilled. Basically the only work I could find in my profession was at the bottom end which does not normally require any qualifications either in the UK or Australia.

As a result of this I have returned to the UK because I can get a job in my profession at a qualified level (which pays minimum 2x what the unqualified level jobs pay). I am very frustrated as the 8 months I spent in Sydney were a waste of my time and soured the 3 months I spent travelling round the country to the extent that I don't want to go back and now I am annoyed that I paid thousands to get a worthless visa in the first place:banghead:

Rant over. Any help or advice would be very much appreciated

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

You are on a hiding to nothing - the response would be that you should have done your research before applying for your visa. In any case, plenty of people on here who are ACCA qualified have made a success of their careers in Australia, so some people have had a different experience to you.

It may have been that your CV was not up to the job, the recruiters simply didn't understand ACCA or it may be that you just timed it badly and jobs were scarce so the old problem of employers recruiting people with local experience reared its head.

It's a shame that you didn't post here before going back because you may have found some helpful tips. Still, it's too late now - I hope you manage to pick up the pieces back in the UK.

I might find myself in the same position as you (ie jobless!) when I eventually make it - I'm ACA myself.

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

Yes, unfortunately I did my research when I did my Visa and on-line it did seem to indicate that having the ACCA would not be a problem but when I got out to Australia it was a different picture. My reason for leaving was that I was running out of money and could not afford to remain in Australia without a job. I know people may suggest that I should have taken an alternative unskilled job, but I disagree since if I have a skilled visa, then working in an unskilled profession to me is fraudulently abusing the visa system.

Having said that, you should have an easier run of it as ACA's could do a direct 'swap' to become CA's in Australia so things should run smoother, I knew 3 ACA's with less experience than me who managed to get permanent positions in Sydney in weeks of arriving.

Since arriving back in the UK, I have managed to get a job quite easily at a Chartered Firm

In Australia I did get a lot of positive feedback from 2 agencies regarding jobs, but 1 focused only in forensic accounting and the other struggled to pitch me at the right level as I seemed to be over-qualified or under-qualified for the positions they put me forward for. The big agencies though only ever put me forward for the basic entry level jobs which I saw as a waste of time l.

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

Actually I am already an Aussie CA, I even did the tax and law exams before they changed the rules. But I've spent the last 15 years in a very specialist niche area that is specific to the UK so I'm not expecting much. But then I've worked so hard and such long hours for so long, running my own practice (in partnership), the thought of doing something reasonably 9-5 with less responsibility, even at a very reduced salary, appeals greatly right now.....

The plan is a gap year first though as we never had one after university.

Glad to hear you've found something to suit since you got back.

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

I don't know why you struggled to find work, but I am sure it is nothing to do with the visa. Plenty of UK qualified ACCAs working here, probably just unlucky timing for you

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

I know there have been some changes in accountancy regulations recently because I know someone who tried to explain it to me but I didn't really keep up with his explanation! Perhaps this is the reason, but I doubt you have any kind of case. The bottom line is your skills are assessed but you are never guaranteed work, so after the visa is issued you throw the dice.

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

I'm more likely to win the big prize on Lotto than you are to get any positive outcome from complaining about your visa. You were granted a visa, no one said you'd get a job out of it once you were here. The visa is only worthless to you because you deem it to be so. Had you found work of any description to tide you over until you found employment in your particular field it would be a different story. In fact if your visa is still valid you can still move over here. You chose not to, your decision, not DIACs. Sorry.

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

It would only have been "fraudulent abuse" if you held a visa with conditions that restricted what role you could do - such as a 457 which ties you to one job, one employer. Otherwise there is absolutely nothing fraudulent about working in other jobs and you'll find many people have done exactly that. A lot of people then move on to find positions later within their own fields.

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

Many of us have taken a 'lowly' job to get a foot in the door. Once in a job a good employer should be switched on enough to know your true potential and offer a better position if one came available. My missus was a Bank Manager of ten years in Manchester and could only geta job as a sipervisor in a call centre here. Within 2 years she was a Bank Manager again and then went up from there.

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

I agree.

I spent years qualifying as a Company Secretary in England. When I came to Perth not one recruitment agent I spoke to knew what one was. To them I was a Secretary/PA and those were the only jobs they'd put me forward for. You don't need any qualifcations to be a PA and I had a Degree and my Chartered status behind me.

But, I took the job as a PA, because I needed a job and any money was better than no money. After a month or so I was in a better position to know what was going on in the market, make a list of Companies to target and sent off my CV and covering letter. I was in an Assistant Company Secretary position by the end of the following week and haven't looked back since.

You can't just expect people to fall at your feet and give you a similar job to what you were doing in England when you don't have the 'Aussie' experience (they love that out here). You have to work your way back up.

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

"approval to migrate does not guarantee employment in Australia and
that it is entirely my own responsibility to secure employment after
arrival, including investigating my prospects before I arrive in
Australia"

I am pretty sure that you signed on this one aswell when lodging your visa application

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

Well I wouldn't go this far. It is perfectly possible to go straight into a similar role without working your way back up. I did and I have the same qualification as the OP, albeit more years of experience.

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

I came here as an ACCA, but had to take a step back and did the CA along the way. It is one thing to get the visa and another one to have an entitlement to a job. We recently recruited an Irish gal on a WHV as a Financial Analyst for six months - she used to work with PwC/Mining and is CA qualified - so with some good experience, PR and some bit of luck it should be easier.

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

This is ridiculous, there are highly qualified and experienced Australians who can't get jobs in Australia so who are they going to make a complaint to?

Re: Complaint about Australian Visa
 

Cant give you any help but its typical of Federal Government here who oversee the visa and State Government who write the rules they want regarding qualifications and who can do what.