sooz&abby

I am am Mac Operator / Graphic Designer & just wondered whether if my visa is for a Mac Operator whether i have to stick to this occupation or whether i can do other jobs till the right one comes along?

Gravyman

Hi

If you have applied for your visa as a mac operator then once you get to OZ you can do whatever you like.

Have you got your visa yet or are you still applying?

Gravyman
Fellow Mac/Pre Press/Graphic Designer

scutterUK

graham, you're getting as much work done today as i am.

sooz&abby, i'm another pre press applicant and what Gravyman says is correct. i'm intending to work as a web developer on arrival, or window cleaner if that doesn't work out.

if you have any questions ask away, i'm sure between me and Gravyman we can help, or will try our hardest.

Gravyman

Hi Leigh

It's the advantage of having my own studio (converted cupboard) and being the only designer. No one really knows what you're doing

Graham

scutterUK

lol nice! with me nobody knows what i do even when they are looking so everyone avoids my little corner. it's always quiet in my part of studioland.



leigh

tiredwithtwins

hehe.....he even lets me sit under his desk and tickle his legs when the boss is around!!!!

(oops! sorry.....let me explain.....scutter and I have never ACTUALLY met...we just chat evry now and then.....and if the boss is around i have to be quiet.....so i hide under the desk and tickle his legs........IS THIS HOLE IM DIGGING DEEP ENOUGH YET!?!?!??)


SUE


ps sorry to hijack the thread!

sooz&abby

Hi,

We are still in the process of applying. I sent my forms to the TRA in April under a Pre- Press operator as it gives you 10 more points than a graphic designer.

What about yourself - are you in the midst of applying?

I heard that the process has come down from 2 years to 8-10 months but after seeing the timeline it looks like its only certain cases it happens this fast. Well fingers crossed we get in.....

Gravyman

Hi
I sent my forms off to TRA at the end of april. I fast tracked mine and hoping to get a reply soon.

How many years experience do you have and are you aware of the deeming date?

Graham

sooz&abby

I have 6 years exp. - how many years have you been in the industry?

No i havent heard of that - Whats the deeming date?

Gravyman

Hi

I've been in the trade since 1995.

The deeming date is when TRA deem you qualified. In Oz Graphic Pre Press is an apprenticeship, wheras in the UK is is mostly on the job training. They take your work experience as qualifications.

Unfortuntely they generally insist on 4-6 years experience as training and work out when you became qualified.

If they deem your 6 years as training they may deem you qualified but you won't get the extra points for work experience.

This is one of our worries. I will be 40 next year so time is running out for us and our hope is to get an early deeming date.

Sorry if this is bad news for you. Have you gone through an agent as they should have explained this to you.

Graham

scutterUK

.... i'll get you a ladder.

Gravyman

No wonder you don't get any work done

sooz&abby

Nah we decided not to bother with an immigration agency. I am 26yrs old, so i dont have as much exp. as yourself but i hope the deeming date wont affect me as much.

Do you work for an agency then?

Do you have a family going over with you? Its just me and my husband but since he turned 30 this year we lost 5 points! :-) arghh..

We are going to sell our house and use some of the money to go into a government bond...

Gravyman

Hi

I work for emap as a commercial designer in the angling division. My background is repro and do alot of my own repro work here.

How about you?

We had hope to apply under skilled independant but lost out when the points went up, even with the bond.

There's only me and my wife and are hoping to go on the new SIR visa if details ever come out.

One good thing is that if you don't get a favourable deeming date you still have a few years until you lose more points.

Did you fast track your TRA?

sooz&abby

No we didnt fast track or anything like that. We're not in a mega hurry plus we'd like to move not blowing every penny we've saved. Hopefully we'll hear by July sometime whether its a yes or not to then go on and apply for the visa....

I am just wondering what do you think the conditions will be in Oz in the printing trade? I used to work for a few printers and it was sweatshop conditions. I don't particularly want to go back to that again... i want a better quality of life outdoors!! :-)

Im working in-house for a large financial software company but the down side is the work i do is very monotonous and boring so im ready for a change to get a better portfolio for Oz!