Originally Posted by Jacjos

Morning all, I have had the email today advising I will be going to the next stage. Just wondering if any of you know what this is exactly? Since receiving your first email.

I have read the stages on the “let’s join” web page, it is quite clear but not sure in what way stages are being considered.

thanks

Originally Posted by notbrazil

Does anyone know how the fees for visas work with this type of sponsored PR? Do WAPOL apply for the visa on your behalf or do they issue a recommendation which you can then use to apply? Also interested to know who pays the fees - I assume it's the applicant.

Originally Posted by Zinger124

This how I done it, but be mindful that it was 15yrs ago. Someone else might who done it more recently might be more accurate.

Anyway, I done an application, psychology testing (you’d be surprised how many people fail), interview (they wanted to know if I know what I would be expecting to do, frontline GD’s, was my family on board, etc), acceptance letter pending internals (they’ll wanted me to get my HR to forward it to WA recruitment), fitness test (they sent me a fitness test sheet that either your forces PT team would do with you, or your Supervisor would verify that you had reached the standard.

Once everything was ticked off, they’d supply you with a formal offer of employment and you’d be allocated a designated Immigration Officer who would deal with your visa application (this is where things get fast tracked. As I had everything lined up the visa was approved in 2weeks, which normal applications were taking 6months - 12months to approve). The immigration officer will need all your details and the full medical (the most expensive part and you pay for) which includes - ECG, medical history, full exam - find a Dr who specialises in immigration) report.

Once they have everything and you get approved, you post your passports (make sure you have it up to date and plenty of years on it) to Australia House and they stick the Visa in and post it back.

Then when it’s done, you’ll get a date to start at the academy, hand in you’re notice, book you’re flights, get drunk with your friends who will tell you’re making a mistake and jump on the flight.
Only when you hear the cabin crew telling you to put your seat belt on will it hit you…WTF have I done.
Hope this helps. Like I said, it’s been a long time since I done it and things may have changed. I’m guessing some of you lot will be here around May/June’ish. Expect cold (you’ll be surprised), wet weather! Who knows…!

Originally Posted by Zinger124

This how I done it, but be mindful that it was 15yrs ago. Someone else might who done it more recently might be more accurate.

Anyway, I done an application, psychology testing (you’d be surprised how many people fail), interview (they wanted to know if I know what I would be expecting to do, frontline GD’s, was my family on board, etc), acceptance letter pending internals (they’ll wanted me to get my HR to forward it to WA recruitment), fitness test (they sent me a fitness test sheet that either your forces PT team would do with you, or your Supervisor would verify that you had reached the standard.

Once everything was ticked off, they’d supply you with a formal offer of employment and you’d be allocated a designated Immigration Officer who would deal with your visa application (this is where things get fast tracked. As I had everything lined up the visa was approved in 2weeks, which normal applications were taking 6months - 12months to approve). The immigration officer will need all your details and the full medical (the most expensive part and you pay for) which includes - ECG, medical history, full exam - find a Dr who specialises in immigration) report.

Once they have everything and you get approved, you post your passports (make sure you have it up to date and plenty of years on it) to Australia House and they stick the Visa in and post it back.

Then when it’s done, you’ll get a date to start at the academy, hand in you’re notice, book you’re flights, get drunk with your friends who will tell you’re making a mistake and jump on the flight.
Only when you hear the cabin crew telling you to put your seat belt on will it hit you…WTF have I done.
Hope this helps. Like I said, it’s been a long time since I done it and things may have changed. I’m guessing some of you lot will be here around May/June’ish. Expect cold (you’ll be surprised), wet weather! Who knows…!

Originally Posted by Zinger124

I’ve had a read through this thread and thought I’d throw in my experiences into the hat. This is by no means a post to try and put you off, more make you aware of what you’re signing up to.

I came over to Perth in 2007 to work in WAPOL after doing 15yrs frontline in the Uk (I’m going to be a bit vague with the details as I can guarantee this is being monitored) and I’m still frontline.

I walked into WAPOL blind and just viewed it as an adventure and if it all goes wrong I’ll go back home. That’s fine if you’re single, but if you have a wife and kids it’s not that straightforward.

From my intake of 15 Uk cops, 4 of us are still doing it and I’m the only GD’s cop left (because I love it). The rest quit for various reasons. Quite a few left and went back home, mainly those with a family. The pressures of separating from the UK and relatives, or kids not getting on at school, wife feels lonely, culture shock..the list goes on. A few ‘ping ponged’ as they call it at great expense.

It’s very important to workout why you want to leave the UK and always have that in your head. It’s far to easy to sit in Oz thinking of the good things that you miss in the UK and forgetting why you left in the first place.

My recruitment was fast and took 6months from application to a academy. I can’t remember how long I was at the academy, but I do know it was terrible. They’ve apparently got a lot better and there are quite a few ex-UK cops there now who have been through it and will help.

When I arrived it was pretty much a similar scenario to what’s going on now. Cops were leaving for the mines and they couldn’t recruit locals (an Insp at the academy once told me the locals kept failing the psych test). When we did rock up we were ‘Dirty DEATS’ and not thought of very highly. Probably due to every other coppers claiming they were a sniper, helicopter pilot, or had solved all the murders in the Uk (top tip: Don’t talk about how much better it is in the UK. It really annoys the locals and sound like a twit).

If you are serious about coming out here, be exactly that. Know what you’re walking into.

There is a reason cops are leaving and they can’t fill the spots. We are losing about 10-15cops per week and the academy can’t keep up.
On an average Friday, Sat, Sunday in the outer suburbs each station will be lucky to put out a car (two cops). A lot of those cops are on recalls to make up the numbers (there are currently loads of recalls, so you can make money if you want it). You’ll be with your partner driving around from job to job and good luck getting backup to you quickly (I got sent at 3am to assist a crew fighting at a house party and it took me 30mins flat out to get to them. When we arrived it was 4cops, 40 drunk bogans and a lot of calming everything down). Oh and on Monday morning when District Office has their ‘Morning Prayers’ chat, they’ll be ripping apart how you dealt with each call).

Policing wise expect to probably do what you’re doing now, but with slightly different practices and rules. When you read the Criminal Investigation Act 2006, you’ll be saying “Someone ripped off PACE!”. The best thing over here is that if a suspect wants a lawyer, you hand him a phone book. Good luck buddy, you’re paying for it!

Jobs wise, lots of DV’s, loads of Mental Health jobs, disturbances, stealings ,sudden deaths, etc. Also as GD’a cops you’ll be getting basic investigations. Which means the crap ones, like my neighbours squirted me with his hose.

I don’t want to sound all negative, but make you aware it’s not all beaches and blue skies. I personally can’t wait for UK cops to turn up as they’re good at talking to people and have a sense of humour (Aussies don’t do sarcasm).

You’re definitely needed as we are struggling and moral is low. My advice would be, apply and give it a go and if it doesn’t work out at least you tried.

Definitely try and rent, or stay with friends when you come out. Ask!!!!! the cops at a local station about any suburb or street you’re thinking of renting in, or buying in. Homewest (council houses to you lot) are everywhere but a few select suburbs. Look for sofas on front lawns, burnout marks in the street and random shopping trolleys full of rubbish in the garden. Don’t worry, you’ll get good at spotting them.

Do NOT be tempted to go Regional straight away If you have a family. The culture shock would be to much and you’d hate it. Settle in before tackling that one. There is a reason they pay you big money to work places like Halls Creek.

Anyway, enough ranting. Good luck, go for it and you never know you might love it. I’m still here after 15yrs and about to spend my Sunday morning fishing off Rottnest (excuse the format or errors, I’m waiting for my turn on the boat ramp).

Good luck and remember to bring a cake on your first day.