Hornster

Hi,

I have just discovered this forum which is great as my wife and I are currently researching the likelihood of applying for a 457 visa. my occupation is on the ENSOL list and I therefore have an ASCO code for my qualification. I am a Chartered Occupational Safety and Health Practitioner specialising in major construction projects.

I don't meet the requirements for the 175 visa as the points awarded on ASCO for my occupation are only 50 rather than 60 points. This means that I am reliant on having an Australian employer being willing to sponsor me a 457 visa.

I don't know if there is anyone on this forum in my profession who could offer any advice and guidance as to how I can go about this i.e specialist recruitment agencies, contacts or perhaps you even know of a few large construction companies specialising in major civil construction projects currently looking for and willing to sponsor foreign nationals (UK citizens)?

Any help will be very much appreciated.

Ozwanderer

Hi Hornster,

There're a number of larger construction companies about,
John Holland to mention one for roads/bridges/dams though name may be different or a mixture as I think they may have developed connections with Thiess Bros., a company with big operations in Queensland.
Then there's Grollo [Bros?] initially based in Melbourne on high rise buildings but have expanded a fair bit a few decades ago.
A lot of that work went very quiet with the GFC and not a huge pick-up just yet though resources sector in WA is again making news re projects, particularly in respect to Gas projects in the north of WA and also a couple of mines down to SE of Perth.
http://www.chevronaustralia.com/ourb...es/gorgon.aspx
http://www.woodside.com.au/Our+Business/Projects/Pluto/
http://www.monadelphous.com.au/OurPr....aspx?View=map
Some of them have policies re employing only people already with visas which could be something of a blocker but they also employ many contractors too.

In addition to looking at a 457 ES, have you had a look to see if your occupation is on any State Nomination lists as that way with just 100 points necessary and 10 of those for the SN makes getting points easier.
Under current priority arrangements it could however be quite a wait.
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/gener...processing.pdf

JAJ

There are also permanent employer sponsored migration visas ... no points test.

katietops01

Leighton, Abi Group and most of the medium to large sized contractors will sponsor. Look on their websited for vacancies and apply direct to them. I know that Abi's were recruiting heavily in the UK three years ago, but not sure how things are now.

Hornster

Thanks for the replies everyone. To answer a few of your comments:

1) My occupation is on the WA list and they have said that they will be willing to sponsor me a State/Regional Sponsored (provisional) visa 475. However that will only allow me to work and live in very rural areas which won't work for me and my wife and my wife needs to live within commuting distance to a city with an established financial sector as that is where her profession is.

2) It would be great if I could get an employer to sponsor me a permanent migration visa but the trick is trying to network that one and hopefully get lucky. I will certainly keep sending my CV off to as many suitable construction companies that I can find.

Thanks again everyone.