PR2

Yeah think the rules have definitely changed

SchnookoLoly

TFW = Temporary Foreign Worker. This is all on the wiki, please ensure you read that thoroughly as it clearly describes all the various work permit routes.

dishwashing

Yeah it sounds more like ignorance (as in just not knowing) rather than entitlement, but maybe that's my ears.

bigshark

thats probably one of the best thing you can do in your current situation - contact the ideal companies and ask for an informal visit, or even take the contact out for lunch or coffee, get your name out there, also most importantly suss out if your qualifications are adequate if not what you need to do to upgrade. You never know, you could be one of the lucky ones that get an offer at the back of these meetings and by-pass the 'traditional' process

we werent so lucky in that sense, so we had to go the long way around

good luck

Pizzawheel

I don't recall doing a language test either. The English O-Level I got for a song in Manor park must have done the trick.