Paramedic jobs
 

Does anyone know of any paramedics who have emigrated to Oz and have been successfull in getting a job?

I am a paramedic in the Uk and we are emigrating to Adelaide on a PR visa as my partner Angela is a nurse. She has secured a job for when we get there but I am worried I will have difficulties in getting a job as a paramedic. I know that they won't consider an application untill you are there.

Thanks in advance for any replies,

Ian

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hi Ian,

I'm a British Paramedic currently working in Queensland, drop me a line and I'll give you as much help as I can.

Best Wishes

Keebs.

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hi Ian and Angela,
Hows it going with the move?
My hubby Neil is also a UK paramedic now working in Queensland. We met Bri (Keebs) and Soph through this site, we are great friends now and live close to each other. If any of us can help Pm us and we will try our best to give you as much info as possible. Me and Soph are both nurses!
Good Luck
Marie :)

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hi Marie,

thanks for your reply. Ian is really struggling with work at the moment. The SAAS have told him they are reorganising the structure of the service and are not employing till that has finished. They offered him a position in the bush but it was 8 hours away and we didn't come here to be apart from each other 5 days a week so he turned it down. He has tried getting voluntary work with them to show willing but theyre not interested.
He's spoken to a paramedic he met through a friend who says they have people leave every week and are struggling so he can't understand it when Ian has the qualifications and permaneent residency!!
We are beginning to wonder if we should have moved to Queensland instead!!!
Apart from that things are great. I'm settling in at work (RAH, ED dept) and we both really love Adelaide so fingers crossed something comes up.

Hope things are well with you guys,

Angela & Ian

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hi Angela,
great to hear from you. Shame about Ian and work.
To be honest it's not much better here!! Neil's not very happy at the moment. The work is plenty but they will only let British paramedics work to P1 or P3! Which is really technician status!!
We have 4 other friends from UK that work here as paramedics and non of them are very happy. They have to go back to Uni to get ICP status!! NOT happy as you can imagine.
If he'd have gone to NSW he could have got ICP after 6 weeks intro!! But we don't want to live in Sydney or out West which is where the vacancies are! But one of our Friends Glen worked in SA as a paramedic got fed up and moved here as well, now he's gone on Casual and gone to Similan Islands for 10 weeks to get extra money through an agency!! I don't want Neil to do that, like you say we've not come out here for him to go off somewhere working away!!
Oh well life isn't always what you want!! The life style is fantastic though, so can't grumble too much!
Well hope things improve. Keep in touch, take care
Marie, Neil and Kieran :)

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

hello everybody on this thread!! this is only my first post so bare with me i am a paramedic for gmas/nwas with a couple of years experience, i have seen that Queensland seem to be actively recruiting UK paramedics and find it very tempting. i think i can get into oz with my wife (charted accountant). whats the work like how does it compare with paramedic work and life with the UK (inner city salford) would you recommend the jump ? do i go in as a P1 or P2 and how does the pay compare with post agenda pay (@£30k on a 24 hour rota)? thanks for any help.

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hi mate,
I'm one of about half a dozen paramedics who were previously paramedics in Britain, we're all with QAS.
If you spoke to the British guys here we honestly have the same positives & negatives about working as a paramedic for QAS, spooky really.
The work is pretty much the same, however, you'll find the average paramedics underpinning knowledge here is far deeper than an average British paramedic, it's not knocking the British training, that's simply down to the fact that the training courses here are longer. Some things QAS do better, somethings my old English service do better.
Pay - don't move here for the money! You'll be on pre-Agenda For Change Money, you'll be earning (when converted @ $2.50 per pound) about 1/3 less, however, you'll get by fine...honest, especially with what your wife does :-)
You'll be earning a basic of $1600 pe fortnight + penalties (lates, nights, missed meals, weekend work). With penalties and average overtime the average ACP will earn $55 - $60,000.00 per annum.
I believe you'll come in as an Advanced Care Paramedic (P3 or Bravo level) all the same thing, just typical of QAS to make things more complicated than they need to be, we all previously came in as a basic Paramedic (Technician level) (P1 or Charlies).
Can't compare the weather, it's winter here and 23 degrees most days & sunny, 15mins from the beach, 4 bed, detached home, double garage, study and a pool :-)

Hope this helps, anything else drop us a line.

Keebs

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hi, all just noticed this thread. Just wondered if you could help me out here. I am a paramedic for ten years and technician for seven years before that. We are emigrating to Perth hopefulyy in Jan/Feb, on my husbands occupation. I have decided I will stay at home with the kids for a couple of years and during this time perhaps retrain and do something else other than been a paramedic (sick of 12 hour shifts and feel I need a change) Wondered if there are any other occupations that our skills would easily transfer to. At some hospitals here I have noticed that they have 'medical assistants' who just go around taking bloods, 12 lead ecg's, and a few other bits. Is there anything similar in the hospitals there and if so what qualifications would be needed. Any ideas would be useful, I am just exploring options at the moment.
Thanks Nicky

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

hi im a technician with scottish ambo,s and am currently looking in to getting over there.Have had no luck with agents tryin to take me on all say my ihcd quals r not good enough as they r not equivalant to aus diploma or aqf.Have been searchin this site for a while and had a reply from para in york who gave me a few tips about prior learning that came to a dead end.I would be very gratefull if you could give me any info that may help.Tried Queensland to, seems they only want uk paras keep hitting the wall just now hope you can help cheers Paul.

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hi I'm a UK paramedic but came out on wife's visa but QAS accepted me, but most UK paramedics start off at a lower level than UK technicians! When did you contact QAS? If it was about 6 months ago they weren't interested in anybody! But now they have a big recruitment drive on. Not sure how you will stand as a technician though! But if you can try and get in touch with Keebs he knows a technician here not sure whether she's working yet as a QAS ambo or not she wasn't when we saw her a few months ago! Qas will sponsor you for a visa if they will accept your qualifications. Basically it's a skill match. If all else fails it's worth doing your paramedic.
Hope this helps! Just a thought do QAS understand the term Technician as apposed to Paramedic because here all qualified ambo's are paramedics but 3 different levels! Just check they realise before fobbing you off that they know what skills a UK technician has.
Good Luck
Neil :beer:

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

hi Neil ,thanks for the reply it was very quick,it was about 6 months ago i contacted QAS must admit dont think they understood the difference between UK para,s and Techs,will try again tho,nice to know if they accept my quals they will sponsor me as MAS and NSW wouldn't entertain sponsoring.If all else fails am next in line for para course which would hopefully help just have to bide time for that tho.Will try and pm Keebs see if he can enlighten me any more ,once again thanks for the reply.
Paul :beer:

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hi Paul,

I've PM'd you OK.

Keebs

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hello folks.......dont know if many of you view this page anymore as last post was a couple of months ago....but if you do then Happy New Year.

Im currently a paramedic in cumbria as part of the newly formed NWAS...im hoping to strike it lucky with QAS...ive got their application pack in front of me....its good to see that theres a few brits already adopting to there new surroundings very well(helps to read positivity )

Ive been quite far in my previous job in the army....but my good lady wife hasnt....and with two children in tow its for them im looking to provide a safer place to live....ive been engine searching on schooling over there and not really found much info.....any feedback would be appreciated.

If my application fails then its back to the drawing board....but if thumbs up then i hope to be posting positive replies on this board for the few who follow the dream........keep safe....Mike :)

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hi can anyone help we are needing some advice on emigrating to queensland as a paramedic. I have been reading about the QAS on the net but wondered how hard it is to get employment as a paramedic out there. We are hopefully emigrating on a skills visa as my wife is a RGN and only 43. But i am worried about getting a job as a paramedic as i am 45.

Re: Paramedic jobs
 

Hi
My hubby and 3 of our friends are Uk paramedics here too. It took about 5 months for Neil to start work with QAS, with all the red tape etc. I'd recommend sorting it all out before you come if you can. You shouldn't have a problem getting work at the moment, they have just done a big recruitment drive from UK. Neil had to do 1 week induction and a few training packages at first. You don't go in at same level as UK though!! He is Advanced Care paramedic, some of our friends went in as Bravo (right at the bottom) now they are advanced care but took a while! Only 1 of our friends is actually Intensive Care Para, but He had to work really hard to get that, alot of study, exams and practicals. He did it by proving his paramedic status in Uk as equavalant to theres! But not that easy!
Neil has just enrolled at Uni to Do paramedic Degree, will take 3 years to complete! Done all in own time, all at home via internet!
If we can help we will, just ask.
Good Luck
Marie and Neil :)
By the way I'm a nurse too! Half our Uk friends here are either paramedics or Nurses!!:ohmy: