Advice for a young couple heading for Austraila

dandruff_ie wrote: »

where should they go in Aus ?

That's a hard one to answer as really depends on what they want. If after beach life then east coast or Perth maybe, if like more European style city, Melbourne or Adelaide, if want more rural then basically anywhere outside the main 5-6 cities.

what kind of work should they look for ?

If they have no qualifications then unskilled work similar to what they'd do in Ireland I suppose, you can still make a reasonably good living working in hospitality, factories, labouring etc, if you can get right job and work hard at it.

what is the reality out there ?

The reality is you'll get nothing handed to you here, contrary to reports I.e hearsay, at home jobs are not handed out on arrival here but if you come with the energy, right attitude and willing to work hard in any job you should do well here. It's up to individual to go make it happen though. Getting the first job is hard but once you have some local experience it'll get easier.

is 4k each enough ?

4k each would be good start but would need to take it easy on spending until get jobs sorted. If they are not willing to stay in hostel dorms private rooms will be expensive. Rental property is expensive and hard to come by, especially with no rental history/references, and bond and first months rent would eat a fair whack of their savings. My advice would be to take a double room in share house at first and bring as much money as you can!

They may need to change their ideals alot. Australia can be a tough place for "mammy's boys and girls". 4k with no skills or qualifications isn't going to last long. As mentioned first months rent and bond will eat into that very quickly. Unless they are incredibly lucky they won't get an apartment straight away which will mean they will have to suck it up and slum it in a hostel with everyone else on a whv that arrives. Rent isn't cheap here. They will be looking at around 250 to 300 for a place on their own. Months rent and bond for that = 2000 to 2400 upfront. Alot of people struggle to get work here with no qualifications. Its ok to say you're a good worker but how does a prospective employer know that for sure? The jobs they will be going for will more than likely be low paid. If they are willing to make the effort and put themselves out there then things will probably work out for them but they may need to lower their standards a little.

If they're not willing to share rooms with others that 8k is going to go very fast. For most private double rooms in hostels in Perth you're looking at about $60/70 each, whereas you can get a bed in an 8 bed dorm for as low as $25. From what I've seen Sydney is dearer again.

They also sound like the type that won't want to cook for themselves in a big crowded hostel kitchen tbh so if they're eating out every night that money goes even quicker.

Then as other have said add bond and anything from 2-4 weeks rent up front and that money is all gone nearly.

And without experience and qualifications they will struggle to get jobs. Myself and my girlfriend both have degrees and years of work experience and we struggled to get work in Perth at first, took her about 3 weeks and me about 5 and a half, and neither of us were working in the field of our degrees.

If they're planing to come out to Oz with only 4k each they should either be prepared to be on a plane home after a month or change their attitudes and accept that they are backpackers and hostels are a part of that tbh.

dandruff_ie wrote: »

here is why - they don't do backpacking they don't do any packing lol now they are 19 and 20 very able and willing to work for a living but as far as living in a room with others its not going to happen

In that case they're fecked to put it bluntly

I actually think they're crazy to waste their WHV aged 19-20. Nobody's going to sponsor them, they won't land with their bums in the butter, they'll waste 12 months having an extended holiday, have a laugh and then they'll never be able to come back unless they go to university and get a skill on the desirable skills list and apply and get sponsorship for a skilled migrant visa...

I also think there's a good chance it may be so hard, they'll get here, last three months and go home. That's them out - the WHV is available to you up to your early 30s and it can be a gateway to opportunity (if you're very lucky and you work very hard) - aged 19-20 it's just not going to happen.

I'd suggest they come down on an e-visa for a holiday if that's what they want to do, because that'd let them stay three months .

They'd be far better off in Europe getting some work experience, perhaps even learning a language, the work may be easier to come by, and a flight home is a damn sight cheaper.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but honestly if they want to travel and sightsee I think they should, but the ages they are, the work situation here and the competition for temporary jobs, and employers' attitudes to WHV employees - I think it won't end well.

markymark21 wrote: »

Without experience or a qualification I reckon the trip would be a massive waste of time and money. They would find it next to impossible to find a job I reckon.

I disagree, I'm sure they will have a great holiday as that is what a WHV is all about. It's not as if they are emigrating or anything.

LOL the irony... (I was the one stating precisely that a few years ago on the main thread on here that says your WHV is a holiday visa and not a back door to sponsorship).

But yes, I know, I just got a feeling they might have been hoping for a move/brighter future/etc. and wanted to make it clear that won't happen, but especially not at 19/20.

The Sweeper wrote: »

LOL the irony... (I was the one stating precisely that a few years ago on the main thread on here that says your WHV is a holiday visa and not a back door to sponsorship).

But yes, I know, I just got a feeling they might have been hoping for a move/brighter future/etc. and wanted to make it clear that won't happen, but especially not at 19/20.

Yeah its f**king hilarious, to every other country in the world a holiday is a holiday except in Ireland its emigration.



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mandrake if it's only a holiday, why not get a holiday visa and come and go in three months?

The GFC is over and Australia was one of the lightest-hit countries in it. Two years ago I had posted that using a WHV as a back door to sponsorship was a pipe dream, because there were no skilled jobs for people who could only work for three months (I think it changed to six months a couple of years ago). Now, however, there seems to be more folks managing to wrangle sponsorship out of skilled jobs (but still, never unskilled work).

Australian companies, unless they're recruiting overseas, won't entertain a job application from abroad (especially not if you don't put your CV in an Australian format and answer all of the key criteria in the job). Subsequently the WHV gives you an opportunity to come for a year, work six months in one place and try to wow them with your fabulousness so they sponsor you. Not as common as it once was, maybe, but it's still an opportunity and appears to be seeing a revamp since the end of the GFC. Business in construction and resources in Australia is good because of the unfortunate run of natural disasters and because of the mining boom. Getting a job in the mines is nearly impossible, but they ARE taking up workers from other sectors who are leaving their old positions open to skilled workers.

Basically the upshot is:

If you want a holiday, get a holiday visa.

If you want to work and backpack and make some cash and drink some beer and see some sights, and potentially pave the way to a brighter future if you're lucky and you work hard, get a WHV. (If you REALLY want to maximise your chance, work for three months in an eligible role in an eligible postcode and extend your WHV to a second year.)

The Sweeper wrote: »

mandrake if it's only a holiday, why not get a holiday visa and come and go in three months?

The GFC is over and Australia was one of the lightest-hit countries in it. Two years ago I had posted that using a WHV as a back door to sponsorship was a pipe dream, because there were no skilled jobs for people who could only work for three months (I think it changed to six months a couple of years ago). Now, however, there seems to be more folks managing to wrangle sponsorship out of skilled jobs (but still, never unskilled work).

Australian companies, unless they're recruiting overseas, won't entertain a job application from abroad (especially not if you don't put your CV in an Australian format and answer all of the key criteria in the job). Subsequently the WHV gives you an opportunity to come for a year, work six months in one place and try to wow them with your fabulousness so they sponsor you. Not as common as it once was, maybe, but it's still an opportunity and appears to be seeing a revamp since the end of the GFC. Business in construction and resources in Australia is good because of the unfortunate run of natural disasters and because of the mining boom. Getting a job in the mines is nearly impossible, but they ARE taking up workers from other sectors who are leaving their old positions open to skilled workers.

Basically the upshot is:

If you want a holiday, get a holiday visa.

If you want to work and backpack and make some cash and drink some beer and see some sights, and potentially pave the way to a brighter future if you're lucky and you work hard, get a WHV. (If you REALLY want to maximise your chance, work for three months in an eligible role in an eligible postcode and extend your WHV to a second year.)

You can't work on a tourist visa, but you can supplement your extended holiday with a bit of short term work on a WHV ....says so here.



I'm not saying you can't get sponsored from WHV, I got sponsored myself but before I got sponsored I still considered it a holiday. The day I got sponsored it stopped being a holiday and I considered myself an overseas worker, the day I became a permanent resident is the day I considered myself emigrated.

WHV= Holiday
457= Overseas worker
PR= Emigrated

You have to treat each visa for what it is.

markymark21 wrote: »

I don't really care what the title of my visa says to be honest. I work 40+ hours a week in a good job, I'm making and saving a good bit of money so I see my time in Oz as a bit more serious then just a 'holiday'.

Well what do put down for your Resident status on your CV?

a 'Serious time in Oz' Visa?

CrackisWhack wrote: »

C'mon, where are you living? the top of the eureka tower?

I came here with $5000, got a bus to the countryside, got a menial job within two days making fairly decent money and living comfortably. My rent is $90 a week and im living much more comfortably working in my menial job in oz than i was working in my "skilled" degree needed job in Ireland.

Whats with all the scare mongering on here? If your proactive and willing to work hard here, you'll do alright.

It's not scaremongering, it's trying to give a realistic picture of the reality here, not just enforcement of the perception at home that you can land here with no skills and make $150k p/a working in the mines. It's better that people come here expecting it to be tough (which it is for many people) and prepare for that, rather than come here expecting everything to be handed to them and then having to leave because they couldn't find work before their savings ran out. I think most regular posters on here have seen mates have to leave and they just want people to avoid making the same mistakes.

markymark21 wrote: »

Nope. One of the girls in work her family owns a farm. Her folks are hippies and are very understanding of our situation

Well if you don't do the 3 months work and try to scam the system I hope you get caught.

CrackisWhack wrote: »

Yeah, well its not The Ritz, by any means, but it's a good starting point, It's a two bed apartment for $180 a week. We picked up lots of cheap furniture etc. from the likes of vinnies, salvos, garage sales

Where did you find a two bedroom apartment for $180 a week??

CiaranC wrote: »

Where can you rent a 2 bed apartment for $180 a week?

Xavi6 wrote: »

CiaranC wrote: »

Where can you rent a 2 bed apartment for $180 a week?

Estate agent listing:
A bijou, detached dwelling in the most tranquil of woodland settings. Original period features and well ventilated, open plan living space.