LUIS 9

Hello everyone:

I'm an international student currently enrolled in a Certificate III/Diploma of Manufacturing course at Holmesglen TAFE in Melbourne, which is 2 years long.

I started my course in February and, as I was recommended, I'm trying to start working in the field as soon as possible in order to start accumulating the infamous 900 hours of related work experience.
The course is not difficult at all for me because I have a Bachelor degree in Physics and I have also taken some Engineering subjects during my career.

The problem I have is that it is VERY HARD to find a part-time job in this field. I actually used the Holmesglen's Workplacement service to find out that it is completely unefficient.

The first thing they told me in the agency AFTER I HAD ALREADY PAID THE $275 FEE was the they were specialized in finding full-time jobs, not part-time, which is completely ridiculous as it is well known to everyone that International Students cannot work in a full-time basis during the course.

They sent me to a company that wanted someone to work on the CAD Draftings, but the employer told me that they were looking for someone who could work in a full-time basis.

The next day I called the Agency and their answer was literally "IT IS VERY HARD LUIS".

Right now I'm very worried and anguished because it is really hard to find a part-time job in the field. That TRA requirement only makes life difficult for International Students.
Maybe they should provide a special VISA in which we would be able to work sometime before applyling for PR.

A migration agent told me that the new 18 months VISA is only granted after you are assesed (you need the 900 hours for that) and that if you take the 1 year long trainee VISA you wouldn't be able to get PR after that (because your studies would have finished after 1 year and you wouldn't have payed work experience).

If someone could give me any help that would be really appreciated. I'm having a horrible stressing time because of that. My family is making a huge investment of money for my future and the country which I come from is messed up.

Irish Gal

Sorry, can't help you on this one but hold tight. I'm sure someone over the next couple of hours will log in and be able to help.
Best of luck

mike08

If you dont get the work experience in the duration of your 2 yr study, you can apply for a graduate visa which lasts 18 months and you must get 12 months work experience in this time. Otherwise I can only think of unpaid work experience. I am on a student visa too, but I have luckily found a job easily so started gaining my hours.
Good Luck

pumpkin blossom

The 900 hours does not have to be paid work. You can work full time during the holidays so that could bump it up a little. I don't know about you but my course finishes before xmas but the visa doesn't run out until the next March, so you can work full time then.
I also read that you can apply for the graduate visa before your TRA assessment was back, and that TRA give you 6 month from applying to them to get the work experiance done.
I would maybe check this out with the TRA and try another agent, there seem to be many who don't know much about student visas.
Good luck

LUIS 9

Hi guys, thanks for your replys, but checking the IMMI site I found this:

What requirements do I need to meet to be eligible for the Skilled – Graduate (Temporary) visa (subclass 485)?
To be eligible for a Skilled – Graduate visa, applicants must:
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hold an eligible student visa or have held an eligible student visa in the last six months;
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have met the two-year study requirement in the past six months;
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nominate a 50 or 60 point occupation from the Skilled Occupation List;
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have applied to have their skills assessed for their nominated skilled occupation; and
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have competent English, or vocational English in the case of an applicant who has applied to have their skills assessed in a trade qualification.

George Lombard

Hi Luis,

There is no "Diploma of Manufacturing" registered at Holmesglen. For the Certificate III course it's also uncertain from your post what the course is but I assume it's this one: http://cricos.dest.gov.au/Course/Cou...CourseID=60838

I think that anyone planning to obtain a skills assessment from TRA in respect of a trades course should first assess for themselves whether there is employment available to meet the 900 hours in that field. At the stage you have reached this may be very difficult. All I can suggest is that you cold canvass local employers and hope that one of them takes pity on you.

PB is correct that you can apply for the graduate visa before the TRA assessment has been received. Not sure about her statement that TRA gives you six months grace to complete the work experience requirement.

Cheers,

George Lombard

Ozzidoc

I don't think that the agency can legally charge you. You may want to look into this - the citizen's advice bureau will know, as will the relevant government dept whose name I've forgotten.

Why don't you just ask the company for your money back, as you made it clear that you were looking for PT work. If they start getting arsey, advise them that you'll be taking it to the small claims tribunal, complaining to their industry organisation and also to your uni. Tell them that you also suspect that if they are not following these laws, then they are unlikely to be following other laws such as those pertaining to taxation and you therefore feel that it would be in the public's best interest to notify the tax office. (The ATO is legally obliged to undertake a full taxation review of the past six years worth or taxation records if they receive a written complaint. It might not help your cause, but it might make you feel better!)

Good luck.

LUIS 9

Hello George:

Yes, my course is the one that you listed.

What happened is that I read that the qualification could give you recognition as a FITTER, ocupation which is listed on the MODL.

My education agent in my country (Peru) didn't give me any comment about the 900 hours. Actually they just say wonderful things about Australia in order to convince students to use their service so they can get their money.

I'm actually thinking about changing my course.

PaulandNic

Good luck with the part time work, I know how hard it is to find it doing anything here let alone 'specific' work experience ...

I went for a course that covered the 900 hours for this simple reason.

Best of luck to you!

PaulandNic

But you can't apply to the TRA until you have the 900 hours or it will be rejected surely! ...

I can't see the TRA giving you 6 months either to find the work experience when onshore applications can be processed in 10 days!

As I say, I went for a course that covered the 900 hours as it's a very grey area.

LUIS 9

Thanks everyone for your posts.

This TRA 900 hours policy makes international students' life very difficult if the TAFE doesn't include them in their program.

I think that I'm going to change my course. There is no point on studying for 2 years here a manufacturing course and going back to a country in which there is no even manufacturing industry.

PaulandNic

I hate to say it but I wanted to do a Cert III in Motor Mechanics, but after questioning the chance of 'relevant' work exp here, most people reckoned it wasn't gonna happen.

I'd set myself up to do a hairdressing course and my school was liaising with the TRA as to whether their course was gonna satisfy them for the 900 hours, and it wasn't till I got the nod did I apply!

As I said on another thread earlier, and have said many a time, it's bloody risky to try study to PR and you HAVE to have the most calculated route or it's simply not gonna happen. EVEN with this, there is always EVERY chance the assessing body or DIAC can make a change that you simply can't meet, and you have 28 days after your student visa runs out to leave the country!

Study in Oz for PR is NOT automatic, it ISN'T a guarantee, it is a possibility, and you HAVE to be ready to leave if it don't work.

I (and others on here) cannot stress this enough!

LUIS 9

Yes I know, there are always risks.

But there have been many successful cases of international students getting PR onshore, actually, from what I have read, the majority of migrants are international students.

I hope I find an Australia girlfriend and get married.

PaulandNic

Oh for sure! ... I once read some stats that indicated this, but haven't been able to find them since.

???

8 out of my class of 10 were doing it for PR ...