Sheepy

Can anyone help please currently working in the uk driving lgv1 had my licence now for 22 years fed up of the uk big time now recently visited family in Queensland and found out the shortage of class one drivers there not having time to find ore out about the process so does anyone know ware I can start and what I need to do does my uk licence qualify over there ,,my family are all ozzy citizens so hopefully that may help any advice would be really gratefully received thanks

roaringmouse

First thing is to determine if you might be eligible for a visa - www.immi.gov.au

Sheepy

Thanks mate have just been onto that yeah there is a few options for me that I've found could do with finding a nice ozzy girl to marry me though lol thanks again appreciate it

BadgeIsBack

HC is heavy combo. So artic.

I've got a HR license which means I am barely useful with a big eff off prime mover.

achanalt

hi you need to re sit your hr license when you get over here around $3000 only uk car and bike license are convertible!

Bermudashorts

Have you checked the skilled occupation lists? I didn't think drivers was on there, although perhaps that has changed.

pumpkin blossom

No, I don't believe it has. And yes, it is very expensive to get your truck licences out here, probably why people don't want to do it. Money certainly isn't usually worth the initial expense.

justcantwait

Hi
My husband didnt have to redo his hgv test here, he did a quick 10 question theory test and got licence straight away.

classybird

How long ago was that? Rules have changed since at least September 2010. My hubby drives HGV here in UK and has C+E LGV licence with 25 years experience. When he tried to convert in it Victoria he was told he could only swap it for a car licence and was told to write to Bendigo to plead individual case. After 1 year holding an Australian car licence he could then apply for LR, 2 years HR. There are now competency based tests in NSW, heres the link http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/...ce_classes.pdf and http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/heavyvehicles/index.html this of course is for NSW but I do believe all states are the same now.

justcantwait

It was 2008, didnt realised it had changed, we are in Qld, i know some states are different.
Sorry if i gave wrong info

coolibah

My first post

My husband spent several weeks trying to get an answer from Qld transport regarding converting his license and got a different answer each time! As far as Qld transport are concerned you only have a car license. He got the answer from a driver training school (instructor) who spoke to Qld transport head honcho to straighten it all out.

He has a class 1 uk and CDL class A from the USA.

You can convert your license and get the car and motorbike part - but from July 2011 they changed the rules again meaning you have to sit a driving test and ten written questions to get any truck license.

They take your experience into consideration but everything is to make money!

So he took the HR driving test in a synchromesh truck which is the easiest and cheapest test to pass. (Maybe could have gone straight for HC driving test but easier to fail and more money, also a grey area as he only had a 'car license')
Then a few weeks later with his experience he was able to take the MC assessment which is not a test but a course and nothing to do with Qld transport. He can drive anything with that including road trains etc
You also have to get the b restriction removed which is basically doing an assessment in a truck with a road ranger transmission (non synchromesh) which is what a lot of oz trucks have.

Cost:
Qld car license approx $100 for 5yrs
Written test $20
HR test with 2 driving lessons $550
MC asses $700-$1000 depending on how much time you need.

Apparently driving in Qld is a privilege not a right even when you've paid all this money

You can check the transport website for the groups. Others may have different answers depending on what a state they're in but this is what he has done. Pity we didn't arrive before July 11!

Also you can legally drive trucks on you UK class 1 license here for 3months before you have to convert it over. Funny that.

Sheepy

So I can come over and drive a truck with my hgv 1 on a working or sponsored visa for 3 mths after this I would be required to retake my test and questions ,,, 3 mths to see if that's what you wanna keep doing sounds good to me

derab

ahem.. I don't suppose you have any rellies in NZ?
if you were to convert your HGV1 to a NZ category 5 license, that translates straight to an Australian Heavy Combination (same as HGV1, so not road trains)
I came over with a HGV3, sat the level 5 test in NZ which was a 20 foot artic flat bed, it was even only a 4 speed so it was so easy and that gave me an aussie HC license.

classybird

Think it would have to be a sponsored as you may be too old for a working holiday visa as you have to be 30 and under and having 22 years experience I doubt that you are eligible for that one. As for sponsoring does your family know of anyone or you for that matter who could sponsor you? It's definitely not on the immi skills list so don't know how it works really.
Good luck with everything

Sheepy

Thanks I got loads of family there that have there own reputable building companies they are looking into it from there end for me so fingers crossed thanks everyone for your replies really helped thank you