Guest New Beginnings Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 HI All,NEw beginnings as they sayThanks for a great and informative site - good to know that there is really help out there.My Wife and myself have been working in SA for the last 5 years after spending a couple of years working in various places on the african continent. My wife is orginally South African. I was orginally Zimbo but have had SA citizenship for the last 18years. I also lucky in the sense that I was born with British citizenship and have maintained it all this time.We have reached a crossroads in our lives where we either go into our own business (mine - my wife has one already)or we try something new. With the current economic/political climate in SA it as one would put it "Pretty Resky" at this point in time to start such a venture. We both love Africa heart and soul but I have been through one country that has been wrecked by a dictator and am reluctant to go through the same thing. So we are left with a few options - one is to find work in africa where you can earn forex or the other alternative is to try a 1st world country (of which Aus seems the best option).I'm game for change and the wifey is somewhat reluctant - especially in a 1st world country - she loves developing countries.In terms of work she is a Ecologist speacializing in Alein Species control and management and has all the degrees and qualifications and experince - we seem to think that it might be relativly easy to find work in AUS as they have a problem with invasive alien species from South Africa.I on the other hand have no formal qualifications but have been managing projects for the last 12years - and fully skilled in everything from carpentry to electrical - currently I manage a brick plant in Pretoria with 60 workers and they're driving me up the wall as I spend my life in disciplinary hearings as none of them wants to work.... Saying that there are some good ones but they are few and far between.Anyways where to start.I have read through some of the forum threads but have really no idea where to start.We were thinking that maybe we can get a working visa for 2/3years and then reconsider our options whilist in AUS - is this possible?IS it easier to go through a "visa agency" - seems there are many things that is required.IS it better to try and enter on my British Passport (My beautiful wife does not have one).What is the best way to go about finding work?Sorry for the 20 questions but I guess I need start somewhere and there is soooo much on the forum to read through it all will take ages.I hasten to add that we are not in a massive hurry and are looking to making a move towards the end of this year. Best regardsRyan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele R Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 We were thinking that maybe we can get a working visa for 2/3years and then reconsider our options whilist in AUS - is this possible?IS it easier to go through a "visa agency" - seems there are many things that is required.IS it better to try and enter on my British Passport (My beautiful wife does not have one).What is the best way to go about finding work?Sorry for the 20 questions but I guess I need start somewhere and there is soooo much on the forum to read through it all will take ages.I hasten to add that we are not in a massive hurry and are looking to making a move towards the end of this year. Best regardsRyanHi Ryan and welcome to the forum!I'll try and answer some of your questions, but I'm sure some of the other Forumites will have better answers than me.You can go across on a sponsored visa, this allows you to work in Aus for a bit and you can always then apply for PR, many people on the forum go this route. We're hoping to go across on a PR so I'm not sure what the details are of a sponsored visa. Am sure someone else will be able to advise you more here. You can have a look on the immigration website here for more information. I don't think it's necessarily easier to go through a visa agency. You have to get and fill in all the paperwork yourself and they submit it for you. The paperwork is pretty much straight forward and if you get stuck you can always ask someone here. They tend to be a bit pricey, which is why we decided to rather save the money...but many others swear by their migration agents, so I guess it's a case of personal preference and who you get. Make sure you read up on the different agents on the forum, as some Forumites have had some bad experiences in the past. I'm not sure about your British visa, sorry!You can check out www.seek.com.au for jobs, they list quite a lot. Also, maybe you should try the Australian Expo that's coming to Jo'burg and Cape Town in a bit...you might get some idea of what they're looking for. You can check here for the discussion on this year's expo.Hope this helps a bit! Good luck with your journey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AfrikaSon Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Happy reading...it's not that bad and not so much as the looks of it can be intimidating.You'll get there - Enjoy the ride.Good luck!(patience with home affairs and the british council...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoot Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 HI All,IS it better to try and enter on my British Passport (My beautiful wife does not have one).What is the best way to go about finding work?Best regardsRyanWelcome to you and your wife - you will find loads of excellent info on the forum.There are numerous websites which list jobs available in Oz, eg Seek, Careerone just for starters. Am not sure if you already know where you want to settle in Australia if so then do a general websearch for your and your wife's occupations you should find links to companies in the area and start by contacting them and also finding out who are the big companies who may be able to offer you employment or sponsorship.The advantage of your British passport is that you wont have to write the IELTS test (unless you need the extra points).Check out some of the pinned topics, there is one which gives a breakdown of all you will need to do from the applying to when you finally leave. That is a good place to start getting your head around all the different documents etc you will need. Then just ask or search existing posts to get additional help.Unless you are being sponsored by an employer, there is no danger that this is a rushed process, it is very much a hurry up and wait business, collecting info for forms, sending in forms, collecting up relevant documents etc etc and waiting waiting waiting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobold Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 (edited) Hi Ryan, Firstly, welcome to the forum! It is not uncommon for people to go over on a work visa and then apply for permanent residence from within Australia, but there are people here doing that currently, and those who have already done it, so I'll leave further discussion on that matter for those with the experience. One advantage of applying on your British passport is that you would be exempt from taking the IELTS English test, which saves you some money, time and hassle. There may be other benefits to applying with a British passport, I have heard, but I don't know for sure and wouldn't want to speculate. Hopefully, someone here will have more detail for you. Unfortunately, Ryan, the process (depending on the option you choose) can take so long that, even though you are not in a hurry, you still need to start now to make your deadline. We are going for a permanent residence (175) visa, and although we have already started the process, we are unlikely to get the visa before some time in 2009, at the earliest. So, if you want to leave around the end of this year, the permanent residence visa might already take too long for you. I have to wait around 12 weeks for Home Affairs (unabridged birth certificates and marriage certificate), wait around the same time for the Australian Computer Society to assess my skills, and take the IELTS English test at the British Council in April, before we can apply for the visa. We are likely to submit the visa application in May this year, if all goes well and there are no snags and/or delays. From then, because I have a skill in demand, it could apparently be as quick as 6 to 9 months to get the visa, but I don't think that's realistic. We would love to have the visa in time to go over in February (2009), when there are typically slightly cheaper flights available (has been that way for some years now), but that is probably hoping for too much. If you have less documentation to collect, or already have it all, and can skip the IELTS test as mentioned, then you will be able to submit your application sooner than most. Of course, if you go for the work visa, the time frame should be somewhat shorter.All the best with whatever you decide to do, Mark Edited February 5, 2008 by Tobold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest New Beginnings Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Thanks for the positve feedback.Just another thing maybe this is posed to Forum members already living in OZ.This is based purely on "hearsay" One concern that has come up is that Austrailians are very friendly and welcoming but that is just about where it stops.Unlike South Africans that are very outgoing and welcome you into a group with relative ease - not so much a concern for me but with the lady it may be different. I also realise that a forum like this brings SOuth Africans (or people with common interest together) so this is of great assistance.I guess in any societey be 1st world all 4th world you will get it.As South Africans now living in Oz was the adjustment that easy? I'm not talking in respect of crime politics etc but in terms of settling down and becoming established within a community?Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest New Beginnings Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 A quick one.Which document to start with?Okay so we have decided to go over to work.Assuming we go with the intent to work and in time attain PR and let us say at this point we will go the non sponsored route.......Do we contact the embassy/internet site/AUS Goverment site.Humble thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest New Beginnings Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Michelle - thanks sorry missed your link to the AUS Imm site just spotted it now.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele R Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 No worries! Hope it helps! They have lists of the documents you need to produce etc.Good luck with your journey and hope you have lots of patience for your trip to home affairs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stepchook Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Unfortunately, Ryan, the process (depending on the option you choose) can take so long that, even though you are not in a hurry, you still need to start now to make your deadline.Ryan, just to put that in perspective. Compared to an application for Canadian PR, the Australian one is an absolute pleasure. The difference is that the Canadian PR applications are all processed locally in Pretoria. Add the fact that they do most of the other African countries too, and it's no surprise that the average processing time for a Canadian PR application is about THREE YEARS!If you ever get despondant about how long you have to wait for your Australian applications to go through, just hop over to www.sacanada.org and check out some of the timelines there! EISH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordy Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Pygmalion I just did that. Man that is depressing................................They list the forumites by years. Those who lodged in 2004 have not yet been granted visas. Although the upside is the 2004 bunch have been asked to submit medicals........... Yislike that must require patience. http://www.sacanada.org/index.php?showtopic=5148 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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