Stephen Jones

Hi, We are planning on making the move to Oz.

I have been in touch with my Agent who tells me that my current employer would find out round about 4 mths in of my application being processed. If this is the case it would be an absolute disaster for me.

Is this right? What is everyone else's experience?

I'd love to hear from you all.


Steve Jones

Bhoywonder

Hi Steve

I didn't use an agent so it was a little easier for me. However I did make it known I was going through the process. It did make it a little easier when the visa arrived. They have had plenty of time to replace/reorg.

I guess it all depends on the workplace. Mine is quite relaxed and my relationship with my bosses was/is pretty good.

Best of luck and I hope the agent is wrong

karenjc

I'm really lucky that i told my boss straight away and he was brill about it, has said that its the right thing to do and if i ever come back there will always be a job for me which is good to know. My boss has never had any contact with any department of oz emigration or a old employer that i still see every now and then.

samnrob2

We got here on a skilled visa, so based on this as part of our application we had to submit letters, etc signed by current employer - so if you are going for a skilled visa (might be the same for the other types as well) then you're going to have to spill the beans sooner rather than later I'm afraid!

R

JackTheLad

Yes you do for most types of visa. Theres no way round it. AND you've got to get references from all your previous employers too, so there goes the dream of sending them a suprise email from Oz telling them they're all w**kers.

I had a great boss in the UK, who'd constantly sent me on work to Oz anyway, so when I told him I was moving here, he worked like mad to make it work. But that was lucky for me. Also, all previous bosses sent really good references. It is a lesson in not burning your bridges.

I don't think there is any way round it, there is no way to do the dramatic 'I'm leaving for Oz, so stuff your job' resignation. Your employers (current and previous) have to help!

JTL

samnrob2

There's not much your employer can do - they can't sack you. I just kept my employer up to speed without telling them exactly when I was leaving - more kind of..."yeah, I'm probably going in a couple of months, but I'm not going to tell you when exactly in case you get rid of me!!"

R

JackTheLad

True, but they can (and do) sideline you into boring support jobs, and keep new developments away from your eyes.

I did almost 1 year of hell desk support before I left. Again that wasn't my boss' fault, higher minds than his decided it was pointless for me to design new systems for them when I wasn't going to be there on their completion.

And I agree with their logic!

And Hell desk wasn't soo bad, brain only melted a wee bit.

JTL

paulf

Someone posted awhile back that he got around this by telling them he wanted to see if he would be accepted by immigation and was testing the water with a speclative application so he had options for a move later on.
But as JTL says sooner or later they will know the score,

JayDeee

Yeah just tell them that you are applying now as you will loose pionts due to age iin a year or so. Tell them you have up to 6 years to move over (which will be the truth if your visa takes a year to get granted and you are planning on goin in about 5 years or somehting like that.

I had it lucky and didn't have to inform my work at all (spouse visa) I told them I was emmigrating the day they offered me redundancy which they kindly did the day before I had to hand my notice in

Kala

walaj

that is a nice bit of timing

walaj

The other half worked for a large company with its own HR dept - managed to get references on the understanding it was confidential and would not get back to line managers, even though they normally only did references when leaving. He now works for a different employer and they have no idea - they will know when it comes to handing in the notice, at which time we will enquire if they have any suitable position in their Australian offices.

Ninijon

Hi Everyone,

I told my boss today unofficially, and we have had our visa since February, and are leaving in 3 months time. I have to give 2 months notice so the extra month was a goodwill gesture on my part. I got around the references issue by asking previous managers for a general reference for my records. I also work for a large company (50k+ employees) and as I understand it, the reference the HR department gives literally states when you started working for the company and how long you've been there for. I also submitted my annual performance reviews as evidence.

Hope this helps

Regards

Jon (& Janine)

tracey.d

I told my employers straight away as soon as I realised that I would need references. They were fine about it. I then changed jobs when my application had already been submitted. I told my manager not long after I started and assured him that it would be at least 18 months until I left. He too was also very understanding.

The only thing was that I didn't get put on a training course that I should have been going on, but I would have turned it down to give somebody else a chance anyway. Would feel a bit cheeky using resources when I wasn't going to be giving anything back. Besides, I can do the course when I get to Aus.

I felt much better for telling them. Felt a bit sneaky keeping it all a secret.

Tracey

jond

Hi
We have just got our Visas (skilled sponsored) and I never informed my employer, in fact I have been busting a gut all week to tell them that we are off but due to the school holidays nobody senior was at work. So it can wait until Monday.

John

wmoore

I told mine right at the start (which seems like bloody ages ago now ) and he has been great, writing good references, etc. Or at least, signing the ones I wrote

I told them that when I was nearing the end of the process I would tell them so that they could recruit my replacement and I could spend some time showing him the ropes. They offered the job to my replacment 2 days ago so I guess that means I'm somewhere near the end of the application. Hope so anyway.