misterfranki

Is it still possible to immigrate to Oz as a sparkie? I have just re-started investigating the whole process, all seemed in order until I discovered that electricians aren't on the CSL. Does this close all doors for someone like myself?

I have the required points and qualifications.

Am I mistaken, or have things changed a lot since I first looked into this 6 months ago?

nigel and wendy

i`m not sure on the imigration side of things,but i`ll let ya know how things are on the jobs front pretty soon.
Ive just got my liscence last week and now emailing/ringing for work so i should have a good indicator as to whether there is work out there.

misterfranki

Well done. I hope you get sorted soon.

I am on the very opposite end of the spektrum. We are only just starting the whole process, but I am now not sure whether I even have a hope in hell of getting over there. I have been told that if your occupation isn't on the Critical Skills List, then you are in bad place. I am just hoping this is not true!

Are any other sparkies just starting out the process that can advise me?

steve`o

i`d be asking proffesional help mate

try

http://www.austimmigration.com.au/site/

or

http://www.metaanz.com/




regards steve

rinkerdink

Hi, I am balls deep in the process and will try and outline the current state of play.

It isn't fantastic news but it is far from over for you.

First you need to get your trade recognised for migration purposes, this usually involves a practical assessment by 'Vetassess' once you have qualified that far with a paper based submission. There is another option as a special class sparks but this is more arduous to comply with and doesn't suit the vast majority of cases.

Once you have the positive skill assessment you can start the visa application process, you are correct that the removal of the elctricians from the CSL list was a kick in the goolies, this CSL list was created as far as I remember early in 2009 in order to prioritise the application for those professions most in demand. Something to consider is the likelihood that the CSL list will probably change before too long and sparks may well find themsleves back on it.

There was a way to trump the CSL list that involved state sponsorship the downside of this is the financial conditions you have to meet as well as the obligation to work and live in the sponsoring state for a period of time (usually 2 years), prior to the 23rd of September SS applicaitons (176 visa) were No1 priority, unfortunately we are now down to 5th in line even with state sponsorship with a predicted waiting time on the 23rd of Sept of 2012/2013 for a visa. To give you some indication of the organisation in the DIAC they have very recently stated they will in fact process 3500 category 5 applications. Another way of trumping it all is to get an employer to sponsor you, this gives you No.1 priority again but it will prove difficault for any liceenced proffessions to find employer sponsors without the licence you can only get once you have your visa!

My advice.. decide if you can wait till 2013, if you can then get cracking with your application. If not bin it and keep an eye on the situation as it may change back in our favour (it's changed 4 or 5 times in the last 12 months!)obviously if you have decided to apply with 2013 in mind then you will also benfit from any future changes in our favour and will get a visa sooner.

To further muddy the waters there is talk of a Future Skills List (FSL) that is part of an overhaul of the entire system?? but who nkows when or waht impact this will have at this stage??!!**&$^$"!

It is a long slog and I recommend an agent partly due to the uncertainty and partly to help with the vettassess process.

Good Luck

P.S. I'm told the fun really starts oncve you have avisa and are trying to get a licence but you probably don't even want to look at that right now

Bossfishy1

There is another option for u,if you have a look on the present CS list if I remember rightly they want Tilers,yeh TILERS.
So if you was to do a course on tiling (it shouldnt take more than a week to learn "joke")apply as a tiler and you will be priority 1
I was going to go down this road but you cant change your skill once youve applied so I am up the creek!.
Another option if you got some collateral is go for a business visa and tell them you want to renovate houses or something!!
Alass I learned of all this to late,I`M now stuck in the pipeline 2years 4 months from applying.

misterfranki

So things have changed quite radically in the past 6 months then. Thanks for the feedback. Not great news, but that info has brought me right back up to speed.

The tiling option almost seems laughable. No offence to tilers. Only flaw I can see with Bossfishy1's idea is that they will probably want proof that you have been a professional tiler for X amount of years (as they do with sparkies) and the fact that you have only just finished a short course in tiling recently might poo-poo your application. Funny thing is that I have just picked up a tiling job as a sideline over the x-mas period!!

Any thoughts on the tiling option or others would be greatly appreciated.

Maybe just throwing my C.V out to several hundred companies will bring something in.

minty01

This is pretty much spot on. Aus is just protecting its own interests why the downturn is on and i think we will get a better picture when the new CSL list is produced in March. The bottom line is you either have to get vets out of the way get the state spomsorship in put in your visa and see what the wait is. The other option is to do nothing and wait but then you have 6 months worth of extra admin to go through if sparks get put on the csl list again. At somke stage they will need more trades/sparks fact so we just have to wait and see.

misterfranki

Yeah, I see why they are doing what they are doing. And it makes sense.
I think I'll do the Vetasses and then jump on the waiting list. As you say, even if there is a bit of a wait, at least the Vetasses is done and dusted.

Pollyana

There are quite a few tilers that post in the Australia forums on here, and I'm sure they would find Bossfishy1's comment quite offensive. Its not an easy option, just like an electrician or any other trade you have to prove experience and/or qualifications.

minty01

BIG UPDATE

DIAC are now processing the 3500 backlog of visa applications that are catagry 5 (ie state sponsored but not on CSL list). Looks like the 2012 wait will not happen after all.

rinkerdink

They are processing those who's police checks and medicals had been requested prior to the 23/09/09 changes, a move in the right direction nonetheless

moriarty711

Hi,
I started the process back in Feb of 2008, did all the Vetassess stuff was on the CSL, heard nothing.
Went for state sponsership last March heard nothing until Nov of 2009 got the state sponsership after proving we had $27000 in cash, asked the DIAC what we did now and got an e-mail back saying that the State Sponsership only moved us up the list slightly and we would be lucky to have our application loooked at before 2012.
I wish they had told us that before as we cashed in a saving policy losing us money for nothing as the state sponsership only lasts for 12 months to be honest although i'm not giving up as such it almost feels like i've been scammed by some crook and i'm feeling a little miffed.
If it's going to be a long wait that's fine they have there workforce to look after and we should do the same, but why let me cash in my savings knowing it wouldn't help me?
Sorry to rant and i'm sure you'll make up your own mind but i'm not sure I would apply now.