glenweir1

Thankyou so much, that would very much apprecIated. Would be great to have heads up for what to expect You are making the right move, lifestyle is the way forward and no better place to do it. Oh you really are lucky. I am only new to site so will do a few more quotes so can pm you, have to do 3 and this only no 2 lol.

JenJP

Hello

Well done for getting through, i'm just away to send away my application form to QAS! Would you mind sending me a pm with the stuff aswell? Did they mention any other alternative to interviewing in Australia? That's an expensive interview!

Thanks Jennie

mrsbrennan

Just sent you a pm Jennie. They're not offering UK interviews or assessments anymore I'm afraid. I think WAS St. Johns's offer Skype interviews and UK assessments but we wanted to be nearer to everything and all the other cities.

JenJP

Thank you thats really helpful. Let me know how it goes for you, hopefully I'll get through too

JenJP

Hi Glen

I'm just away to send my application to QAS. Let me know how you get on, good luck

circling the drain

QAS were absolutely spot on with their timescales. When they say 6-8 weeks they mean it and they are always quick to respond. I'm not trying to sell QAS by any stretch but I do start my induction on the 15th of August after a pretty quick and painless application process. Compare this to NSW where i had an interview middle of last month and I'm still waiting for results. Good luck to those applying anyway.

SPHYGOFTHEDUMP

Hello All,

I am yet another guy looking for advice. I live in Ireland (although I am British)and there is a different setup to UK with regards training to Paramedic level.
UK guys are better trained than us but we have a wider scope of practice than a UK Tech. We are somewhere in the middle!
I am looking to move out to Aus as Ireland is slowly going down the toilet and any advice would be much appreciated. Me and the family really dont mind which state , whichever has the easiest application process!!

Did you guys apply for your visa first or apply for the job first? I know that sounds like a silly question but was just wondering. When qualified here (one year to go) I will have a diploma as opposed to a degree. I take it there is no point applying for anything untill qualified?

Does anyone know of any Paramedics in Aus who were trained in Republic of Ireland? Anyone at all? Are the Irish Paramedics recognised?

Thanks in advance

crellins

Hi there,

Just decided to start looking into moving to QAS from UK with family, can anybody tell me what paramedic recruitment is currently like, expected salary, cost of living etc.

I know there was a big recruitment drive but am aware things have slowed down a lot recently.

Sean

Jamie78

Hi All,
I am a Qualified Paramedic who has just moved to the Gold Coast with my Aussie wife on a spouse visa.
I am at the interview stage of the application process and will be attending a non clinical interview on october the 12th.
Can anyone give me some advise on what to expect from the clinical exams and the non clinical interveiw ie- questions asked, format of exams, study tips ect.
Any advise would be greatly appriciated.

thanks
Jamie

crellins

Hi Jamie 78

I can only advise you to read this entire thread, it is full of useful info about the whole process.

I have not sent in my application as yet (not ready!) but have been in email contact with QAS recruitment, they are telling me not to even bother applying to work Gold coast up to sunshine coast as its at capacity and that they will only consider your top three choices elsewhere in QLD. So I would be interested in the latest info on that if you know.

Did you get RPL'd at ACP level ?

Good luck with your interview and please let us know how you get on, I am hoping to submit my application around Feb/March 12.

UKQAS

Don't you believe it judging by how many shifts can't be covered. Q6 and Brisbane are understaffed, we have had rucks of people leaving since the new style of management came in.

Car 115

Hi,

I’ve only just found this forum and first off just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has posted. It’s really good to read that heaps of people seem to have the same issues/concerns/questions. I’m at the very early stage of just considering the move to QAS in 2012 and I guess I’ve got it a lot easier as I’m only looking to move about 1000km up the road from Sydney. So unfortunately I’m not a Pom but I was absolutely gutted the frogs beat you guys in the RWC. Hope that counts for something!

I just have a few questions for anyone who has been working for QAS for a while. Did it live up to expectations? Did they keep their word doing what they said they would do? For example, postings and the opportunity to “challenge” to ICP. What is the workload like? Are you happy to have made the move?

The other thing I’d like to do is provide a little information on working in NSW. I’m an ICP/ECP having worked in Sydney for 13 years. Actually, this is one of my concerns about working in Queensland - I go from a senior clinician here to a “No. 2” guy in QAS. How has anyone gone with that?

I read in an earlier post that it is easier to RPL to ICP (Level 5) in NSW and that does seem to be the case. I’ve found the ICPs from the UK to be on par with ICPs in NSW. I actually had a RPL candidate to assess from the UK about five years ago. Unfortunately, she decided not to continue with the process and she was struggling. Only because I don’t think she made a big enough effort to learn the protocols and pharmacologies. That said, she also didn’t like the way the Service is run too. I have to agree. But to be honest, it’s probably no different from your own Service. I’ve found that exercising initiative is largely a fruitless exercise.

But I’m at the point where all I would like to do now is just avoid management and provide the best clinical service I’m capable of. Sydney is also a very expensive place to live, but has a staff of about 1000 ambos. So presumably a position in Sydney should come up sooner or later.

Well, thanks for reading. I’ll keep an eye on this post and try to answer any questions anyone may have. (Please excuse if I’m a bit slow…uni assignment due soon).

Have a safe shift if you’re working and rest assured that ambos on the other side of the world are also groaning at the thought of picking up another pissed idiot tonight. (Unless it’s a workmate, in which case, it’s bloody funny).

Cheers.

MissBetty

Hi

I'm new on here but I have been employed by the QAS for a few years now after relocating from the UK. The worst thing I have struggled with is being downgraded from ICP to ACP. They are supposed to let you 'challenge' within a year but, trust me, they can be very selective shall we say!!! I really tried but they kept saying things like "Oh no, we don't have any spare ICP's as we have loads of students etc etc" and that was the same for a lot of Brits. The SA's on the other hand were all given the opportunity to challenge, a few Poms made it through but they really had to study like mad and push for it. I hated working in Brisbane,the ICP's spoke to us like crap and the nurses at the main hospitals were so rude it was breath taking - never have I experienced such complete and utter unprofessionalism!
I'm now in a remote location and it is fine but I'm really over it and am handing in my notice shortly as I'm going back to the UK,looking forward to getting my skills back and basically not being so p****d off every day. if I had know then what I know now I 'dhave gone to NSW as all my friends who went there were treated far better and they all seem pretty happy with how things have gone. Hope this helps, sorry if it sounds negative but I am just telling you my experiences. They promise you the world but don't deliver so please just get EVERYTHING in writing! good luck tho, hope it works out for you

hollykimalan

Just before you give up...on Oz...
Have you thought of working in the resources sector (mines etc).

I have been offered a job as a mines Nurse/Medic. 6 days on 6 off.
+$110,000 per year. Easy work too!
I am only an RN and the big companies like BMA actually prefer Paramedics.
They pay seriously stupid money...
HKA

MissBetty

Hi Holly

Thanks so much for your kind reply, much appreciated! I guess I am just really missing my family atm as I came here on my own. I love Australia but homesickness is a horrible feeling. I am actually going to be working as an offshore medic in the UK funny enough - like you say, good money and easy too! I might return to Oz in the future tho, who knows? Good luck with your new job