she'llberight

Oh where to start. We've been thinking of migrating to Oz for quite some time. Been to an agent, got all the info but then husband started dragging his feet a bit. Anyhow, over the past few weeks we've got ourselves back on track (over this past year I've still kept the faith in that we'd eventually take the plunge, I've religiously kept an eye on what's going on in the forum, I've got UBD directories on Sydney, Perth and Melbourne, looked into areas of Melbourne in particular, schools, property, primed our boys (10 & 11) on what we're trying to do etc etc etc). So with renewed vigour we started the ball rolling by getting in contact again with our agent. We needed to get their advice on what to do if husband can't come up with a college or uni qualification (brief background: husband did an HNC - well 2/3 of it - back in the early 80's. He thinks he at least got his ONC but he's not sure (to this day I still can't quite grasp why you can't remember if you finished an HNC or not - but I digress). We have a slip of paper with results of one of the exams he took whilst doing his HNC so we have proof that he at least did some of it. So, to cut a very tortuous story short, we find out that not only did the company that we was with at the time not register him with BTEC (now EDEXEL) but, now this is the killer, the college he attended burnt down with all records somewhere is the mid 80's. Now you have to laugh at the irony of it all....

In a nutshell, were stuffed.

It seems silly to have to produce a certificate on something husband did over 20 years ago which bears no resemblence to what he does now and would do over in OZ. He has worked his way through the ranks and has designed and helped install a dealing room system in New York, he's working at the moment for the global section of a major telecommunications company (don't ask me what he does because it's way beyond me). He has a phenomenal amount of expertise and knowledge in his field, but hey ho, seems that it means nothing.

So, earlier this morning he managed to talk to a very nice lady at the college he attended (rebuilt of course!) and we've got to photocopy the exam slip we have, send it to her and she will see if anyone recognises any of the signatures, course number etc. I feel utterly sick. We've primed husbands uncles ages ago (one in Perth, the other Ocean Grove, VIC) on what we're doing and both of them have said they'd sponser us (although uncle Bob in VIC is our best bet as he lives in a designated postcode area). They've agreed to go along with whatever it takes for us to get a visa. We've primed out boys (10 & 11) on what we want to do, told hustand's mum (not my parents though - another long story!) on plans but to what end.

Well, sorry I've rambled on a bit and may seem in places incomprehensible, but I need to get it off my chest to people who will understand how important this is to us.

Thanks for listening, cheques in the post......... (It'll be a miracle if I don't need therapy after all this).

philj6969

Your best bet is to get your partners skills recognised by TRA (Trade Recognition Australia), it'll cost a few bob but you get a "virtual diploma" that gets you all you need to put in a skilled application, and even better a 139 (skilled sponsored designated area).

This is the route I took. Talk to Alan Collet at www.gomatilda.com
You get what you pay for, if your application is not straightforward (its not) a good agent is the only way to go forwards.

Phil.

jasper pentop

I am giving you a virtual box of chocolates and a bottle of wine!
GAWWWWWWDEN BENNETT!!!

At least the woman at the college is being of some help.... and up side! Most people dont give a stuff if the problem is too complicated I've noticed....

Hope it all works out!!!!

katherineiv

Hi there,
My hubby was getting stessed as 2 of his past employers are not there any more......

One is no longer there, now houses there and other has changed owners.
Managed to get one in the end and dates too, amazing !!! lots of calls though, the other had to send £5 for them to look for them and the boss is prob dead now as this was 80's too and he was retiring then.

Mind you his colleage is still there, just intime as old teacher retiring soon.

hope all goes ok

Billabong

What does hubby do for a living?

she'llberight

Many thanks Phil, I'll tell hubby. It's worth a try!

she'llberight

He's under the umbrella of a 'Technical Consultant' in telecommunications. It's very teccie (& I'm not!) - he's also been known to write the odd working manual or two (for said teccie stuff).