Hannon1878

Hi all,

I am looking to move to Australia in March 2014, I have wrote to the embassy and downloaded the working holiday visa form, I kind of understand the process; Get visa, book flights, save and go! Is this correct?

Also what will I be needing to take with me, will the expected £3000 be enough?

Also I am 24, where is the best place to go? I am after a good lifestyle, but I want to settle down and get a good job and begin a new life hopefully.

Any hints, tips or advice would be great!

Thanks in advance

Chris

Bermudashorts

Err well no. If you want to "move" to Australia, settle down, get job and make a good life, then the working holiday visa certainly isn't going to do the trick.

The working holiday visa will let you have a long holiday in Australia, not a new life. At the end of the year (or two if you extend) on the WHV you will need to return to the UK and resume the life you currently have.

If you want to move permanently you will need to look into other options, like skilled migration. What is your occupation?

verystormy

There is a clue in the name of what a working HOLIDAY visa is. Have a guess.

Hannon1878

I want to go there first do the first year, see what happens, possibly do the second year and try for residency, maybe the post was misleading sorry.

Bermudashorts

Not misleading at all no. The trouble is you maybe are under estimating what is involved in moving to Australia on a permanent basis.

There is no such concept as "applying for residency". "Residency" cannot be applied for.

The Australian system is built around applying for *visas*. All visas provide residency, but in some cases it is temporary and in others it is permanent. At the end of your WHV, you would need to find another visa that you meet the criteria for an apply for that visa.

So as I said, to stay permanently you would need look into visa options, like skilled migration. What is your occupation?

Hannon1878

I am a qualified plumber, but haven't been on site for a couple of years, I spoke to an agency who advised that a working holiday visa would be the best way to go and to get a second years visa or a residency then get a sponsor when I am out there.

old.sparkles

Plumbing would be an occupation that could be sponsored, but I don't know how likely it is. For skilled migration you would need to pass the skills assessment amongst other things. If you have previously spoken to an agent, was there a reason that they did not suggest the skilled route?

Hannon1878

they did suggest it, but I haven't done it for a couple of years, so I am not that experienced. I want to go down the working holiday visa route because I would like to experiance the lifestyle and go to a few different places, then settle down and get a job and try and get sponsorship.

If it doesn't happen then I would be made up just to have a year or two in Australia as it is a dream of mine and I am at a kind of crossroads in my life and it makes sense at the minute.

old.sparkles

No worries - remember you can't work for one employer for longer than 6 months, and if you do decide to stay, you might still be able to go the skilled route without a sponsor.

As for money, it will depend on where you go, how you get there and how successful you are at finding work - more is always good, or at least access to more

Hannon1878

Great, thanks for the advice, I was thinking the Gold Coast, Brisbane or Sunshine Coast, around that area of the country, do you have any experiance of these places? Or do you think I would be better going to Perth?

old.sparkles

Depends what you want to do. Perth is generally more expensive I think, but I don't have any experience of either area sorry.

Pollyana

Have a browse through our main Aussie forum, lots of cost of living stuff in there
http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=54

Bermudashorts

If you are a qualified plumber then this is not great advice. To get a sponsor you would have to get all the right tickets in Australia and then find someone to sponsor an inexperienced plumber? It will be like pushing an elephant up hill, an experienced plumber would struggle to get sponsorship as trades don't like to sponsor. They certainly don't like to sponsor for permanent visas.

Recent work experience is not a requirement for skilled migration, if you can get a skilled migrant visa you have PR from the start and don't even have to work as a plumber if you don't want to.

If you are happy to go to Australia for a year or two, then the WHV is perfect, but that is not what you said you were aiming for in your first post, hence m y earlier comments.

Bermudashorts

It is a holiday, why not spend your time in numerous places? Really see the country.

Hannon1878

Thanks for all the advice guys, I am going for the WHV route and will hopefully have two years and see what happens