Alan Collett

To put this in some context, TRA is (I believe) concerned about the adverse publicity they will get if they are seen to be endorsing "unscrupulous employers" who are "exploiting" students who are working unpaid, undermining working Australians and undercutting wages.

Remember TRA sits as a division within a Government department (DEEWR), and the politics of migration undermining Australian working families ...

Best regards.

Jumpy

I understand what youare saying Alan,but sometimes the only way to gain experience is to work unpaid.

stumpysean

So after all this discussion i'm even more confused!

Is this looking like the way to go or not?

From where i'm sitting NO!

I get more and more confused as the days go by.........this was looking like our only way in, is it looking like a viable option in your opinion or not?

This 900hrs work experience and TRA seems to be so complicated that i can see it putting an awful lot of prople off.

sambo76

I don't think it's complicated, you do your two year+ course and then you do 900+ hours paid employment in that profession. It does mean that getting PR this way just became tougher, and will certainly put off many proples

pumpkin blossom

Right, as I understand it from the e-mail I had from TRA at the end of last year the work experiance can be during the course (it was very clear in the e-mail).
If you work even 15 hours a week (about two days work) then you only need to do it for 60 weeks to get your 900 hours. And that is assuming you are not working full time in the half terms (we have had 4 weeks worth so far since I started my course in Feb) and summer holidays.
And then after you finish your course they give you a bit of time before your visa runs out. I think mine has about 3 months on top of the finish time.


I am personally glad they are clamping down on the unpaid thing. On our course people contact TAFE to say they have work (not arranged by TAFE) and it is supprising how much of it is unpaid, and people end up having to do it as they want to get their 900 hours.
I'm sure if they didn't get any volunteers, as really, why if it doesn't count for anything, they might start actually paying people.

stumpysean

The bit i'm confused about is whether you can actually acrue the 900hrs during or does it have to be AFTER you've completed the course?

I'm getting mixed messages! then i read about the graduate visa and only being able to go onto this if you have achieved the 900hrs and i can't make head nor tail of it!!!!

sorry for being dumb!!!!!

my heads spinnig with the whole thing......................

sambo76

HI Alan

Can you please clarify for me that if you can't apply for a graduate visa after 2 years study then which visa will I need to apply for once I finish my studies as a hairdresser? I will not have enough time left on my student visa to accrue the 900 hours once I finish

Thanks in advance

Esther

Rossi7

Becky ,

we're in a similar postion to you , we have put our house on the market and I have applied to a college for the course I'm doing . As far as I am aware you can do the 900 hours for tra within the two years of your course . We are still going for it ( if we can sell the house ) I still think it is worth it , it just means you have to find a paid part-time job relevant to the course you are studying whilst you are studying . I'll be 39 at the end of the 2 years so I'll still have to do a years work after that to get the points upto 120 .
Ste

PaulandNic

See this is the thing.

Applying for PR after studies in Australia is almost a bonus. It's NOT part of the deal, so to put it. It's not a proper route into the country, but a back door entry (rich I know, but just how it is).

This is why it's such a gamble! ... this is why the rules can change without DIAC or the TRA worrying about anyone on their course.

This is why I had 'crossing fingers' or 'on a mission' under my username for so long!

Good luck everyone.

stumpysean

So why then do the private colleges 'sell' their courses as being a 'fast track' way to PR? It gives you a very false sense if hope.

i saw the course advertised as including the 900hrs and being able to be fast tracked in 72 weeks/16 mths approx so it all looks very inviting albeit bl**dy expensive!

but in reality it's not the way it works atall is it? The TRA and DIAC add rules and regs as they go along!

I'm prepared to study for the 2 yrs, then work if necessary to gain the required 900hrs paid employment but will that be enough. Who knows?

Its such a gamble, i think if you get to this stage you are prepared to whatever is required of you at the end of the day!

mandyp

Hi,

Been keeping a wee eye on the thread. We're, I suppose fairly fortunate in that hubbie has been working in the same field as he's studying and getting paid since he started the course, however, this was something that we considered when choosing the course. Hubbie had worked in similar field for a number of years back across the pond, so has found work without any problems as we had hoped.

As has been stated, when choosing a course this must be something to consider surely as it IS a back door entry with no guarantee whatsoever regardless of what anyone says/thinks. Surley considering this, you have to look at stacking whatever chances you can in your favour? It is afterall, a last resort it's not going to be easy! Everyone must have been aware that the goal posts can/will change at any time, it's a horrible situation, that's way it's a last resort!!

Good luck!
Mandy

Jumpy

You have to do the 900hrs for TRA before you can apply for the 18 month Graduate visa.The Graduate Visa is for you to gain work experience,which will give you extra points,when you apply for PR.

sambo76

Yes but my course finishes in December, what visa will I have to go on to gain these 900 hours as my student visa will no longer be valid? I can't apply for a graduate visa now - as I need to be skilled assessed before I can. I can't be skilled assessed as I need the 900 hours. There seems to be nothing in place for these changes

Jumpy

If you have completed your 2yr course,recieve your Cert 111 in Hairdressing,and completed your 900 hrs for TRA,you can apply for the 18 month Graduate visa.Your Student visa lasts for a few months longer than your course,so this should give you time to do this.If the process takes longer you probably go unto a bridging while you are waiting.

PaulandNic

The schools DO advertise as including the 900 hours as this used to be ok. From Sept 1 it appears it's no longer the case. I don't even think the 72 weeks is an option anymore as I remember reading in my local immigration building something about needing 92 weeks now, but I dunno.

The TRA and DIAC have always been able to change rules, there's nothing new there. This is why it's always been a gamble. A gamble I was told by many too big a risk to take.

Excellent post! ... and yes, I chose a hairdressing course over heaps of other fields because 1) it included the 900 hours, 2) it could be fast tracked in 72 weeks, and 3) it simply was my best chance of success!

If I was doing it all again, and with the changes about to come in I wouldn't touch the course with a barge poll! TAFE and a job in the field is the way to go, but as always, who knows what changes are down the line!!


Correct.

Unfortunately you're a classic case of how things can go wrong with any changes coming into effect and not being able to satisfy criteria in time.

I'm crossing fingers for your other possibility ...

A bridging visa is only to keep you legal in the country while your PR application is decided. A student visa will last a few months over your course time so you can go have a holiday, arrange your return to your country or whatever.

Remember, people come to Australia to study for a change, experience, etc ... NOT to gain PR! ...