Crookiem

Hello - Looking for info on Australia
Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and just want to say hi, my name is Matt, I'm trying to get some more info on weather I would get a visa to Australia as I would like to emigrate with my family to your wonderful country.
I'm a carpenter but have no written qualification, I started working for my brother who owned his own joinery firm here in England, I continued to work for him and worked through a old school apprenticeship, working alongside a number of different members of staff and gain a whole array of knowledge in the 7 years I worked there, I have worked in all the areas of the carpentry trade and finally settled into my final role as head kitchen fitter, unfortunately the company went bust and I have no qualifications or references other than a letter I could get my brother to write. I went alone and become a self employed carpenter, kitchen fitter, running my own property renovation and refurbishment company for the last 9 years, it has been a successful company and I have sailed through the rough and the smooth, I have a good client base and good portfolio of work.
My concerns are weather I would be granted a visa and be able to work in Australia?
Where would be best to gain a job in a company doing similar work as I do right now, I'm thinking Perth?
Sorry to go on a bit, hope someone out there maybe able to help.
Thanks, Matt

Dorothy

Have you looked at whether you qualify for a visa? www.immi.gov.au is where to start.

Crookiem

Yes I have applied online and awaiting a response, just looking for some local knowledge feed back or even by luck if there is anyone out there that may have been in same or similar position as me, thanks for the link to that immigration site I will try that one if no response from the other I have done already, good quick response to my thread on here, thank you.

Pollyana

Bit confused - www.immi.gov.au is the ONLY site where you can actually apply for a visa online. Are you sure you have actually applied for a visa and not just for an assessment of your chances of getting one? What site did you use?

Bermudashorts

My advice is to not worry about where to live or getting a job just yet and see if you can get the visa. I believe carpenter is eligible for skilled migration. Have a read about the 175/6 visas on the website provided by Dorothy.

First things to check are can you pass the points test and can you get a positive skills assessment. In due course you will need to be able to prove your past work experience and that you have been working in the occupation for at least 12 of the last 24 months. How far back you need to prove work experience varies by individual and can be dependent upon how many points you need to make up this way.

Crookiem

Hi there, I have inquired about my immigration options with global visas, I'm awaiting contact from them as one of the advisers to discuss my options, then I will need to act on that information by using the link to the website above, which I have recently viewed, thanks.

Crookiem

Hi there, this is great advise from you all and I am looking at the websites, thanks again.
Is there anyone who is or has working in my industry in the Perth area that my be able to add a insight into the working environment and type of work there is, or from other areas of WA as a carpenter?
There is so much to find out, thanks so much for your advise so far.
Matt

HelenTD

There's a BE member called deb68 - her husband sometimes posts using her name - I think he's a carpenter and they moved to Perth earlier this year. Perhaps you could sent him a pm, but think you need 3 posts before you can access that function.

Lots of people do the visa application themselves, to save thousands. As far as I can gather, the home building industry is fairly quiet at the moment, but deb68's husband could give you a better idea. You can't always tell from looking at the job websites, as finding work tends to be a matter of 'who you know' and 'word of mouth'.

Crookiem

Hi there, thanks for the feed back, I have been looking on the job websites and your right jobs are a few and far between in my field, thanks for passing on the details of that other member I will give that a go. Just reading through other posts on here and now unsure if Perth is best for me and my family! TV and websites paint a very different picture of Perth, I always had the impression Perth was the place for tradesmen to get work, need more feed back on quality of life!
Thanks

HelenTD

There are a lot of opportunities in WA, but lots of variation from one occupation to another. Those of us who live in Perth do complain about the cost of living here, but the main issue is how much work there is for you and how much it pays. I've posted a couple of items from today's West Australian in other threads - there are some tradesmen earning huge amounts of money. Like elsewhere in Australia, it can be hard getting a foot in the door, so you need to have a bit of money behind you to set up here, and to survive until you can get your first job. A lot of tradesmen set up their own businesses or as contractors to builders. I don't think that there would be many actually working as employees, but you have experience of operating your own business that will stand you in good stead.

We've had various tradesmen in and out of our house for weeks (actually, I think it is months, rather than weeks). The last time I spoke to the supervisor, a carpenter, he said that things are pretty quiet at the moment. Mind you, quiet in Perth might be a lot busier than elsewhere in Australia. Hopefully deb68's husband can help you - drop him a pm.

Crookiem

Thanks for your response, I have pm deb68 so await a reply, it's good to get an iSight into perth and hope that more of you out there can add to this, thanks to you all for your info.
Matt

Dorothy

No sense looking at work until you know whether you qualify for a visa.

If it were me I would not rely soley on an agency. I would research my eligibilty by reading the official gov't of Australia immigration website and assess for myself whether I qualify. It's free and much less likely to try to sell you on a visa.

You're also going to need to look at whether you can pass a skills assessment. Not sure if carpenters are TRA or Vetassess now.

paulie77

yeah dont bother looking for work youre ages off being there, if youre a good chippy then you will find work or at least there will be more work there than here for the forseeable future...lots of wood, lots of flood damage..lots of work in neighboring quake hit new zealand pulling resources and your OCCUPATION is on the IN DEMAND LIST quality of life is a zillion times better than uk, but first things first.......you have no certificates or other proof of your skills so you need to get on to the biggest part of the application.. getting your trade recognized to ozi standards......oh and unless you like spending lots of cash ditch that online agency the internet is free do your own research all the info is there!

dorothy, carpenters are now under TRA but effectivley its no different as it was before june as you still need the vettasses test pass to give to them (if youre in uk) the test takes the form of a portfolio, possibly requiring a practical skills&technical test (ie if youre portfolio is not strong enough alone)