Advice on options for Oz

Axwell

Hi folks,

Not sure if im posting in the right place so forgive me if not and move as needed. Someone said to me there was something on the radio yesterday about Oz and basically how the visas were being given out to people with degrees etc while they were trying to reduce the amount of people going in on short term visas.

How hard is it to get a visa to work in Oz in a proper full time job as oppose to the backpacking visa or is there a difference, is it a case of getting the visa for 6 months and hoping to pick up a decent job?

I have a degree in computer engineering but when i left college i ended up getting a job in elearning and since then have went out on my own doing web/graphic design so no experience as such in computer engineering. I left college 5 years ago and have been self emplyed the last 3years now. Would the fact I have the degree stand to me or is it experience that they would want, also in terms of sponsorship and visas what are my options if I was to look into going there??

Thanks in advance

lav1

hey,
if you go to this site and use the find a visa optionhttp://www.immi.gov.au/ you,ll know where you stand regarding what visa to go for.

Its generally easier to get a "proper" job if you,ve got a permenent visa over say a working holiday visa because you can only work for 6months with the same employer on a whv!

hope this helps.

myhorse

I'll try.
What you want is a residency visa.

Off shore sponsorship would be, I reckon, next to impossible.
A skilled independent permanent residency is what you would be after.
I am not sure if your skills are on the csl but you would need to check that out. Otherwise you will just have a longer wait (guessing 12-18 months min).

If your degree is in IT you will have your skills assesed by the Australian computer society. Having a degree should help in this part of the visa application. Otherwise ,cant remember the correct term, you would be doing a recognision type thingy which is like a phD (I jest but it can seem like it).

Once you have your skills recognised you start the process proper. Having being self employed you will have to provide a lot of paper work and references etc. I would seriously suggest spending a €100 or so and talking to an agent for an initial bit of advice.

In short the degree will help shorten the process a little and save you an aweful lot of paperwork initially.
Degrees in themselves will not get you in to Aus and nor are DIAC looking for degree holders. They only help in sofar as I have said above.

Also remember some Irish degrees are not australian degrees. For some professions an Irish 3 yr degree is only recognised as a diploma here. So dont assume that an irish degree equates to an Australian degree. if the criteria is different then you may be assesed as having a diploma.

As I say spend a few bucks for an initial assesment. An I would recommend using an Australian based MIA member agency. they will respond within 24 hours and shouldnt build your hopes up needlessly. I never used an agent myself but I hear only good things about George Lombard and Alan Collett (not sure we are allowed name agents but google those names with australian migration for their details). I am not associated with either.