Misty33

Hi
My husband and I would love to go to Perth under the SIR visa but the visa restrictions mean you have to live and work outside of the metropolitan area. Well we are happy to live outside the area but would be worried about finding jobs outside of the metropolitan area especially as the possibility of getting permanent residency depends on you working and possibly in a skilled occupation. Does anyone know:

a) What the job market in Perth is like outside the metropolitan area?
b) Any websites which are job for looking for jobs in Perth?
c) Whether WA is still restricting the Perth metropolitan area under the SIR visa?

Thank you!

Simone

Well, what type of job would you be looking for....??? All depends on that.

My husband for example is a graphic designer. He wouldn't have much chance getting a job outside Perth, let alone a good job!
People in the building trade however, should usually be right...

Big towns outside Perth are:
Geraldton (5? hours north of Perth)
Bunbury (2 hours south)
Busselton getting a bit bigger (about 3 hours south)
Manjimup maybe (still small) (about 4 hours south(inland)
Albany (about 5 hours south)
Esperence(not actually sure how big Esperence is...) (further than Albany)

Try looking via www.seek.com.au
or www.jobsearch.gov.au


Does Mandurah count as non-metropolitan too? Could do, but you still couldn't work in Perth of course.

Your last question: don't know, but it would be wierd if it was called regional visa if you were allowed in Perth...


Good luck

Misty33

Hi thanks for your help, it is really appreciated.

I am a management consultant and my husband is an insurance broker - but we are happy to work in any job as long as we are qualified for it and it pays the bills.

In terms of the last point regarding restrictions on the metropolitan area - when the SIR visa first came out there were indications that WA government would consider making the SIR visa valid throughout WA (including the Metro area) like South Australia is doing, over the following year, and I was just wondering whether there had been any movement on that front.

JAJ

Eligibility of areas for the SIR visa is determined by the Federal government initially. Only then is it down to the state if it wants to participate.

The ACT, for example, is excluded from the SIR program by Federal legislation, even if the territory government might have preferred to have been included. As is Perth, or Melbourne for that matter.

That said, there is nothing stopping the WA state government sponsoring for STNI, where holders could live in Perth. STNI holders sponsored by Victoria can live in Melbourne, but SIR holders cannot.

As far as I'm aware WA has still not given any indication of whether it wants to participate in STNI or not.

The ACT does not generally sponsor for STNI as it would normally require job matching (given the small job market), and anyone in this situation could usually apply for PR through the RSMS scheme.

Finding skilled work outside Perth with occupations like management consultant will be a challenge unless you have specific experience in the agriculture or mining/energy sectors.


Jeremy