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 :thumbup:

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.

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

Re: Social Work in Australia
 

We ask that discussions are kept within the forums rather than in private. That way any misinformation can be corrected...also other members may benefit from the discussions. Thank you.

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?

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. :)

Re: Social Work in Australia
 

Oh I see, no I was just messaging on here, I'm new to this site 😁

Re: Social Work in Australia
 

Hi sab - I just posted on your thread on the Welcome Inn. Anyway - welcome again! :lol:

Re: Social Work in Australia
 

I realise this is a large site and it can be a little daunting at times. If you need help with anything site related please let me know.

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

Re: Social Work in Australia
 

Thank you for the advice, I suppose my only other option is to look into a skilled migrant visa or just have a career break and work on a bar with the WHV.

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 :thumbsup:.

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.

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.

Re: Social Work in Australia
 

Yep it's for a Skilled Migrant Visa (189). I started looking into this all seriously and making moves in around September after I got married in August and had time to focus on it. We've always had a plan to do it for around 2 years so have been looking into things since early last year but not actually doing anything about it until recently. It's real now we've started spending money on it!

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 :thumbs_up: it's sure to take more than 4 months though if this is the visa route you go down.

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!!!