Social Work in Australia
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 57
Social Work in Australia
Hi everyone.
I'll be applying for a 189 visa to hopefully arrive in Australia in early 2019. A long way in the future I know but I'm going to be doing the IELTS for the extra 20 points and will be getting my skills assessment sorted early next year.
I'm just wondering if anyone can give me any sort of information or guidance about adult social work in Australia. I'm a mental health social worker in the UK and would be looking at doing the same in Aus. Am I correct in thinking most of the social work roles in Australia are working for health authorities/hospitals etc? And do social workers in Australia have a role in things like organising care packages and care home placements for elderly people like they do in the UK?
I'm just wondering what my employment prospects would be like and trying to do all homework I can before we make the move. I've looked on the AASW website and also found a recruitment agency that seems to specialise in expat social work employment.
I'd be interested to hear anyone else's experience or knowledge about social work in Aus.
Ta
I'll be applying for a 189 visa to hopefully arrive in Australia in early 2019. A long way in the future I know but I'm going to be doing the IELTS for the extra 20 points and will be getting my skills assessment sorted early next year.
I'm just wondering if anyone can give me any sort of information or guidance about adult social work in Australia. I'm a mental health social worker in the UK and would be looking at doing the same in Aus. Am I correct in thinking most of the social work roles in Australia are working for health authorities/hospitals etc? And do social workers in Australia have a role in things like organising care packages and care home placements for elderly people like they do in the UK?
I'm just wondering what my employment prospects would be like and trying to do all homework I can before we make the move. I've looked on the AASW website and also found a recruitment agency that seems to specialise in expat social work employment.
I'd be interested to hear anyone else's experience or knowledge about social work in Aus.
Ta
#2
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 10
Re: Social Work in Australia
Hi there, I'm a social worker too although my area is child protection. Just at the begining of the research process so it will be interesting to read any responses or any info you may find.
#3
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 12
Re: Social Work in Australia
Hi I hope you don't mind me messaging- it's not related to the original post but I am moving out to Gold Coast in April on a working holiday visa and will be looking for work as a social worker. My experience is 2 years in child protection and 3 years in a school dealing with child protection concerns. Do you know what job prospects are like for SW in GC? And whether schools have similar child protection roles/ how to apply? Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you
#4
Re: Social Work in Australia
Hi I hope you don't mind me messaging- it's not related to the original post but I am moving out to Gold Coast in April on a working holiday visa and will be looking for work as a social worker. My experience is 2 years in child protection and 3 years in a school dealing with child protection concerns. Do you know what job prospects are like for SW in GC? And whether schools have similar child protection roles/ how to apply? Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 12
Re: Social Work in Australia
Hi, sorry I thought this was in the forum. Do you mean I shouldn't reply to specific users with specific questions?
#6
Re: Social Work in Australia
On the forum is fine...I apologise if this is what you meant. I thought you meant exchanging information via our private messaging system.
#10
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,814
Re: Social Work in Australia
Hi I hope you don't mind me messaging- it's not related to the original post but I am moving out to Gold Coast in April on a working holiday visa and will be looking for work as a social worker. My experience is 2 years in child protection and 3 years in a school dealing with child protection concerns. Do you know what job prospects are like for SW in GC? And whether schools have similar child protection roles/ how to apply? Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you
No harm in applying for roles in advance but I thinkyou would be lucky to get one. A WHV is seen as a holiday visa. Its a short term vsa, you can't really 'move here' on it and most employers are only too aware that people on WHVs cannot stay with them long term.
In Queensland you might pick up a temporary role,but most social work/school positions are state government rolesso you can only accept anything offered as temporary/contract. You can't take a permanent role. (this is Qld, other states have differing rules)
Hopefully someone else can help more on the specifics of social work and child protection
#11
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 12
Re: Social Work in Australia
Hi, the trickiest bits will be a) ensuring your qualifications are valid over here and b) limitations on the WHV - such as only working for one employer for 6 months.
No harm in applying for roles in advance but I thinkyou would be lucky to get one. A WHV is seen as a holiday visa. Its a short term vsa, you can't really 'move here' on it and most employers are only too aware that people on WHVs cannot stay with them long term.
In Queensland you might pick up a temporary role,but most social work/school positions are state government rolesso you can only accept anything offered as temporary/contract. You can't take a permanent role. (this is Qld, other states have differing rules)
Hopefully someone else can help more on the specifics of social work and child protection
No harm in applying for roles in advance but I thinkyou would be lucky to get one. A WHV is seen as a holiday visa. Its a short term vsa, you can't really 'move here' on it and most employers are only too aware that people on WHVs cannot stay with them long term.
In Queensland you might pick up a temporary role,but most social work/school positions are state government rolesso you can only accept anything offered as temporary/contract. You can't take a permanent role. (this is Qld, other states have differing rules)
Hopefully someone else can help more on the specifics of social work and child protection
#12
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 57
Re: Social Work in Australia
I've got all my bits sorted for the AASW Skills Assessment ready to send off next week, including the certified documents .
Also got an IELTS test booked for 21st January to hopefully get the extra 20 points.
If all goes according to plan should have positive skills assessment by April and be able to complete an EOI. We're looking at bringing things forward a bit and leaving early 2018.
Also got an IELTS test booked for 21st January to hopefully get the extra 20 points.
If all goes according to plan should have positive skills assessment by April and be able to complete an EOI. We're looking at bringing things forward a bit and leaving early 2018.
#13
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 12
Re: Social Work in Australia
I've got all my bits sorted for the AASW Skills Assessment ready to send off next week, including the certified documents .
Also got an IELTS test booked for 21st January to hopefully get the extra 20 points.
If all goes according to plan should have positive skills assessment by April and be able to complete an EOI. We're looking at bringing things forward a bit and leaving early 2018.
Also got an IELTS test booked for 21st January to hopefully get the extra 20 points.
If all goes according to plan should have positive skills assessment by April and be able to complete an EOI. We're looking at bringing things forward a bit and leaving early 2018.
We're meant to be moving in April 2017 and I havnt applied for anything yet! It was a very last minute decision as my sister has her job sorted.
#14
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Thread Starter
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 57
Re: Social Work in Australia
Hi wow that's brilliant! Is that for skilled migrant visa? What is IELTS? Is the EOI for employers to find you and select you? What part are you planning to move to?
We're meant to be moving in April 2017 and I havnt applied for anything yet! It was a very last minute decision as my sister has her job sorted.
We're meant to be moving in April 2017 and I havnt applied for anything yet! It was a very last minute decision as my sister has her job sorted.
The IELTS is the English test which I need to get good marks for in order to get the extra 20 points for migration (even though I'm a native English speaker). With those points I'll have 65 which gives good chance of getting a visa. Without I won't be able to get a visa.
The Expression Of Interest is what you do to start applying for the visa. My understanding is that you put all your details in and then you may be invited to apply for the visa. You pay the fee then and then you're assigned a case worker who starts going through the process of verifying the info in your EOI. Tells you when to get medical and police checks etc. But you can't do an EOI before you have a positive skills assessment.
We're hoping we'll have the visa granted and enough money to go by April 2018. We're going to go travelling for 4/5 months on the way and end up hopefully in Melbourne, although we have friends in Brisbane who have invited us to stay with them rent free for a while so might do that. Plenty of options but I imagine we'll go where jobs are. It's all pretty exciting!
I would go on the DIBP website and start looking at all the info on it and start writing stuff down to refer to. I've found this forum very helpful so far as well it's sure to take more than 4 months though if this is the visa route you go down.
Last edited by Jacko86; Dec 29th 2016 at 3:22 pm.
#15
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 27
Re: Social Work in Australia
Hi Hope you don't mind me jumping in on this. I'm very much at the beginning stages with this all. I'm looking at completing the AASW assessment of qualifications and wondered if anyone could help? If and when people sent off their forms and documents, how quickly did they get a response? Also if they were successful and were eligible for membership does anyone know how long it is valid for? What I mean is in the UK we have the HCPC registration for two years before we have to renew, is it the same with the AASW?
Any help would be really appreciated!!!
Any help would be really appreciated!!!