cookiestar

We're in the process of trying to get a sponsored job to get over the QLD at the moment. Does anyone have any advice that they would be able to share - what worked, what didn't work?

We're going through recruitment consultants just now (Hays Engineering, Anders Elite), but not sure if this is the best way. Can recruiters even place someone who doesn't have a visa - ie. get you a job with a company willing to give sponsorship?

Just for background my husband is an engineering manager with a BEng and 12 years experience.

Dorothy

You are unlikely to get a job offer through a recruitment agent without having a visa in hand and able to start work immediately. If your husband is an engineer, why don't you apply for a skilled visa? It only takes about 6-9 months and he will not be tied to an employer.

comet555

Been there done that!

There's always a chance you could get lucky, but to be brutally honest the odds are very slim. My husband is a mining engineer and they are desperately needed here. Before we moved over we emailed his resume to all kinds of recruitment companies and no one would even answer him. I'm certain they didn't bother reading it once they spotted his overseas address and lack of visa.

Most of the emails we sent were while we were waiting to be granted a permanent visa, and they still weren't interested. However once we arrived in the country with a visa in hand they were all over him.

So.... my advice is just to bite the bullet and apply yourselves. 6-9 months is not that long to wait. Plus you'll be able to pick and choose jobs once you arrive and have all the security of PR.

If you do manage to find someone to sponsor you in all likelyhood it will be in a location or with a company that none of the Aussies will go too. Probably not the way you want to start in Oz. If we wanted to live in the worst remote mining town in oz we probably could have got sponsorship, but frankly we were aiming a lot higher than that!

cookiestar

Thanks for the replies. It's interesting to know that the visa (I presume you mean a 175 skilled independent?) only takes 6-9 months. In my head I had it that it took 18 months for some reason.

The other route that's possible is not recruitment agencies, but direct to major companies. Has anyone tried that?

comet555

It could talk as long as two years if you're from a high risk country like India. But from a low risk country like the UK I would say about 6-9 months if you're on the ball and don't delay getting things to them (medicals, police checks, other requested info).

We did try direct with companies as well and pretty much got nowhere. My husband did have one quick interview but that was it. He wasn't an attractive candidate while overseas even with a visa in process. I would imagine a big part of that is they don't know when you'll be ready (could have house to sell, etc) and they assume it will cost a fortune to relocate you.

If you qualify for the 175 then that's the route you should take. I would only recommend sponsorship if you can't get the visa on your own.

If you were to be sponsored (on a 457 temp) then you are restricted to work for that company, and if you're fired you have 28 days to leave the country or find a new sponsor. This is not to mention that you are not eligible for Medicare and may have to pay for schooling in some states (NSW). If you haven't looked at the 457 conditions then you really should if you are considering going that route.