truemana

Hey guys,

I thought this subject would have been covered already on many threads, but a a few searches didn't result in anything!

I'm making the move to Australia. After leaving Canada and moving to Germany and setting up a life here, I made the mistake of falling for an awesome Aussie girl so we decided to make this all real. I've got all my ducks in a row right now. I've been assessed by Engineers Australia for my education and experience, got a 417 temporary visa, a plane ticket booked, and a permanent address upon arrival in Brisbane. I will be arriving on a 417, then moving on to a 457, 186 or 189 depending upon my success with employment.

So, a bit of soft skills advice. When and where should I divulge my 417 visa status to employers? It only allows me to be in Australia for 12 months and 6 months with any employer. Should I state the 417 visa on my cover letter? Or mention it in the interview so they get a chance to meet me first, and not eliminate myself from consideration? I'll basically be asking for sponsorship, and I've never had to request support like this from an employer (I've been lucky enough to hold two passports).

Cheers!

pome bstrd

hmm . difficult one this i would just get work to start off with doing anything...explain that your going defacto rather than sponsor .then youll have time to find a company to sponsor you. i feel in construction, is easier toapply whilst your here than apply on the other side of the planet. do you mind working away on a fifo roster ( fly in fly out) at the mines? there's more of a shortage of trades out bush for sure and probably a better chance of sponsorship ,i know two pome surveyors who have done this. bare in mind though that you may be on slightly less money than some others in your field and they can choose to pull the plug on your sponsorship at any time if they don't have the work.have a look at companies dealing with the new lng plant at darwin that way you and your girl can live in town rather than fly up there like me .or the big roy hill job , i think BGC contracting have some of that and the forge group.as a last resort .... and i meen a last resort try liscon he sponsors loads of irish and english backpacker tradesmen .youll be here but on less taters and mash.

Pollyana

Have you and your girlfriend been cohabiting for 12 months or more? If so, have you thought about a Spouse Visa instead? Then you would not need an employer to sponsor you. Or if you get to the 12 months while still on the 417 you could apply for it then

truemana

I'm a bit weary about not being honest with an employer and telling them which visa I'm on. I guess when they ask about my immigration status, I would certainly not lie. To be honest, I think I interview quite well and I'd be better off to wait until they ask about my visa situation and explain my six month limitation with one employer as being a "de facto" probationary period, after which they can decide if they want to keep me on permanently (also for myself, since a 457 would mean that I'm tied to that employer for two years).

So maybe that's it. Not include the details until asked, and when they do, treat it as effectively a mutual try-out period. I can realistically still apply for a 189 visa and receive a bridging visa before the full 12 month residency is up.

Definitely agree with you that it's difficult to get attention on applications until you move to the country. My plan is a couple weeks before I move to put my address and everything as my Australian address.

No, we haven't been cohabiting. Hahaha, it's a great story but quite unusual. We met while traveling in Germany before I moved here. I was on a short holiday and she was around the world for 18 months. We kept in touch and traveled together and visited each other over the past year and in May 2013 decided it was certainly the real deal. She got accepted into med school in Brisbane, she needs to stay there and I'm moving. This specific question was addressed in the spousal FAQs:

We'll be "living together" for the first time, although we do have about 18 months worth of emails, text messages, call records, gifts, plane tickets, etc.

So the 12-month living together clock starts ticking when I land but I can apparently send in the application a month or so beforehand. In this situation, I may have to work with my hands in a rural area for a second 417 or fly to New Zealand and return on a visitor visa before the spousal visa is approved. This is if the sponsorship or permanent independent skilled migration 189 don't pan out.

pome bstrd

If you have a fly in fly out role your address would be the same for cohabitation shared address ect and you'd still get your visa extension as your working bush.