11 months in Sydney
May 1st 2007, 11:08 am
#1
now sweet kraut
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 105
11 months in Sydney
Hey all!
Wow, what a difference a year can make!
I remember that last year I'd have given ANYthing for the knowledge that I would get a visa and find a job. *check*
I've come to Australia because it looked easier for me to get a visa here than to get a visa for my australian partner in Europe. I guess it was! I had my first telephone interview with a Social Work recruitment agency in April last year, from London, and my temporary business sponsorship (No 457) was approved at the end of July, and I was happy as Larry!
As my sponsor is a recruitment agency, they actually have to find the employment, which is a great help, if they're doing their job, and a bit of a hinderance, if they aren't.
I straight away got the exact job I wanted, Child Protection work, however, the office is 2 hours away from where we live, which amounts to a neat 4 hour round trip every day. For about 4 months my sponsor ensured me that they were trying to find something closer by, and then suddenly told me that 'getting a new visa' is my only chance of changing my situation (or moving, as they keep telling me). Well, if I was eligible for anything else, I would have chosen a visa with a bit more freedom and choice in the first place, so I started my own job search and found out that hardly any employer wants to sponsor visa candidates, even though there are heaps of vacancies.
So I applied for positions where I could remain with my agency, e.g. with my own employer! It's a government agency which has offices all over, and there are vacancies at an office 30 mins down the road. I found out that I wasn't qualified to work for them, even though that's exactly what they've been doing since August! They moved me to another team without me having a say in it and pulled me off a compulsory training course, which meant that I missed the only opportunity to move to said office.
Also, my sponsor took great enjoyment in threatening me with terminating my contract (which would have meant to have to leave AUS within 28 days), due to an injury last year. After I limped to work on crutches for 3 months every day, got my broken ankle kicked on the train, went to x-rays and doctors visits in my spare time and carried out all tasks the team threw at me. That was rather nice.
Oh yeah, of course, being an agency temp, the Union wouldn't touch me with a barge pole. But I'm getting $24.80 an hour (about 8 pounds 50) for my troubles, so who's complaining?
The lifestyle is great, of course. I got a surf board for Christmas and we live about 6 mins cycling distance from the beach! My partner uses is all the time now and he loves it. I leave the home at 7am and get home after 8pm and I get to hear all the stories about the waves he caught, it's fascinating!
Gee, who would have thought I'd once sound like a whinging pom? Apart from that I love Sydney and have made some great friends. I joined a skating team, learnt to kayak, met all the in-laws and have generally had a great reception. The ferry ride past the Opera every morning, the sea turtles, dolphins, Pelicans and Galahs are keeping me sane. And seeing my partner every day is definitely worth it. He definitely owes me one, though! 
Wow, what a difference a year can make!
I remember that last year I'd have given ANYthing for the knowledge that I would get a visa and find a job. *check* I've come to Australia because it looked easier for me to get a visa here than to get a visa for my australian partner in Europe. I guess it was! I had my first telephone interview with a Social Work recruitment agency in April last year, from London, and my temporary business sponsorship (No 457) was approved at the end of July, and I was happy as Larry!
As my sponsor is a recruitment agency, they actually have to find the employment, which is a great help, if they're doing their job, and a bit of a hinderance, if they aren't.
I straight away got the exact job I wanted, Child Protection work, however, the office is 2 hours away from where we live, which amounts to a neat 4 hour round trip every day. For about 4 months my sponsor ensured me that they were trying to find something closer by, and then suddenly told me that 'getting a new visa' is my only chance of changing my situation (or moving, as they keep telling me). Well, if I was eligible for anything else, I would have chosen a visa with a bit more freedom and choice in the first place, so I started my own job search and found out that hardly any employer wants to sponsor visa candidates, even though there are heaps of vacancies.
So I applied for positions where I could remain with my agency, e.g. with my own employer! It's a government agency which has offices all over, and there are vacancies at an office 30 mins down the road. I found out that I wasn't qualified to work for them, even though that's exactly what they've been doing since August! They moved me to another team without me having a say in it and pulled me off a compulsory training course, which meant that I missed the only opportunity to move to said office.
Also, my sponsor took great enjoyment in threatening me with terminating my contract (which would have meant to have to leave AUS within 28 days), due to an injury last year. After I limped to work on crutches for 3 months every day, got my broken ankle kicked on the train, went to x-rays and doctors visits in my spare time and carried out all tasks the team threw at me. That was rather nice.
Oh yeah, of course, being an agency temp, the Union wouldn't touch me with a barge pole. But I'm getting $24.80 an hour (about 8 pounds 50) for my troubles, so who's complaining?
The lifestyle is great, of course. I got a surf board for Christmas and we live about 6 mins cycling distance from the beach! My partner uses is all the time now and he loves it. I leave the home at 7am and get home after 8pm and I get to hear all the stories about the waves he caught, it's fascinating!
Gee, who would have thought I'd once sound like a whinging pom?
Apart from that I love Sydney and have made some great friends. I joined a skating team, learnt to kayak, met all the in-laws and have generally had a great reception. The ferry ride past the Opera every morning, the sea turtles, dolphins, Pelicans and Galahs are keeping me sane. And seeing my partner every day is definitely worth it. He definitely owes me one, though!
May 2nd 2007, 6:44 pm
#2
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 938
Re: 11 months in Sydney
Hope things get better for you
May 3rd 2007, 3:22 am
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Woop Woop
Posts: 4,808
Re: 11 months in Sydney
Hey all!
Wow, what a difference a year can make! I remember that last year I'd have given ANYthing for the knowledge that I would get a visa and find a job. *check*
I've come to Australia because it looked easier for me to get a visa here than to get a visa for my australian partner in Europe. I guess it was! I had my first telephone interview with a Social Work recruitment agency in April last year, from London, and my temporary business sponsorship (No 457) was approved at the end of July, and I was happy as Larry!
As my sponsor is a recruitment agency, they actually have to find the employment, which is a great help, if they're doing their job, and a bit of a hinderance, if they aren't.
I straight away got the exact job I wanted, Child Protection work, however, the office is 2 hours away from where we live, which amounts to a neat 4 hour round trip every day. For about 4 months my sponsor ensured me that they were trying to find something closer by, and then suddenly told me that 'getting a new visa' is my only chance of changing my situation (or moving, as they keep telling me). Well, if I was eligible for anything else, I would have chosen a visa with a bit more freedom and choice in the first place, so I started my own job search and found out that hardly any employer wants to sponsor visa candidates, even though there are heaps of vacancies.
So I applied for positions where I could remain with my agency, e.g. with my own employer! It's a government agency which has offices all over, and there are vacancies at an office 30 mins down the road. I found out that I wasn't qualified to work for them, even though that's exactly what they've been doing since August! They moved me to another team without me having a say in it and pulled me off a compulsory training course, which meant that I missed the only opportunity to move to said office.
Also, my sponsor took great enjoyment in threatening me with terminating my contract (which would have meant to have to leave AUS within 28 days), due to an injury last year. After I limped to work on crutches for 3 months every day, got my broken ankle kicked on the train, went to x-rays and doctors visits in my spare time and carried out all tasks the team threw at me. That was rather nice.
Oh yeah, of course, being an agency temp, the Union wouldn't touch me with a barge pole. But I'm getting $24.80 an hour (about 8 pounds 50) for my troubles, so who's complaining?
The lifestyle is great, of course. I got a surf board for Christmas and we live about 6 mins cycling distance from the beach! My partner uses is all the time now and he loves it. I leave the home at 7am and get home after 8pm and I get to hear all the stories about the waves he caught, it's fascinating!
Gee, who would have thought I'd once sound like a whinging pom? Apart from that I love Sydney and have made some great friends. I joined a skating team, learnt to kayak, met all the in-laws and have generally had a great reception. The ferry ride past the Opera every morning, the sea turtles, dolphins, Pelicans and Galahs are keeping me sane. And seeing my partner every day is definitely worth it. He definitely owes me one, though!
Wow, what a difference a year can make!
I remember that last year I'd have given ANYthing for the knowledge that I would get a visa and find a job. *check* I've come to Australia because it looked easier for me to get a visa here than to get a visa for my australian partner in Europe. I guess it was! I had my first telephone interview with a Social Work recruitment agency in April last year, from London, and my temporary business sponsorship (No 457) was approved at the end of July, and I was happy as Larry!
As my sponsor is a recruitment agency, they actually have to find the employment, which is a great help, if they're doing their job, and a bit of a hinderance, if they aren't.
I straight away got the exact job I wanted, Child Protection work, however, the office is 2 hours away from where we live, which amounts to a neat 4 hour round trip every day. For about 4 months my sponsor ensured me that they were trying to find something closer by, and then suddenly told me that 'getting a new visa' is my only chance of changing my situation (or moving, as they keep telling me). Well, if I was eligible for anything else, I would have chosen a visa with a bit more freedom and choice in the first place, so I started my own job search and found out that hardly any employer wants to sponsor visa candidates, even though there are heaps of vacancies.
So I applied for positions where I could remain with my agency, e.g. with my own employer! It's a government agency which has offices all over, and there are vacancies at an office 30 mins down the road. I found out that I wasn't qualified to work for them, even though that's exactly what they've been doing since August! They moved me to another team without me having a say in it and pulled me off a compulsory training course, which meant that I missed the only opportunity to move to said office.
Also, my sponsor took great enjoyment in threatening me with terminating my contract (which would have meant to have to leave AUS within 28 days), due to an injury last year. After I limped to work on crutches for 3 months every day, got my broken ankle kicked on the train, went to x-rays and doctors visits in my spare time and carried out all tasks the team threw at me. That was rather nice.
Oh yeah, of course, being an agency temp, the Union wouldn't touch me with a barge pole. But I'm getting $24.80 an hour (about 8 pounds 50) for my troubles, so who's complaining?
The lifestyle is great, of course. I got a surf board for Christmas and we live about 6 mins cycling distance from the beach! My partner uses is all the time now and he loves it. I leave the home at 7am and get home after 8pm and I get to hear all the stories about the waves he caught, it's fascinating!
Gee, who would have thought I'd once sound like a whinging pom?
Apart from that I love Sydney and have made some great friends. I joined a skating team, learnt to kayak, met all the in-laws and have generally had a great reception. The ferry ride past the Opera every morning, the sea turtles, dolphins, Pelicans and Galahs are keeping me sane. And seeing my partner every day is definitely worth it. He definitely owes me one, though! Hiya Sweet Kraut
(you forgot to change it)Well things will look up soon - everything comes to he (she) who waits...no one ever said how long you had to wait though!
