Rugby invitation to Canberra

[HeinrichG]

I introduced myself to the forum just yesterday (under Foyer). We live in Canada, but are originally from South Africa. We arrived here as Permanent Residents in the beginning of 2004.

Our 18 year old son, Paul, is a keen rugby player. He has been playing mainly as a flanker here in Manitoba, and - together with two other players - was identified by an Australian coach in Canberra to go and play there in 2007, roughly from about February to August. He has been privileged to have played for the Canadian national team against English sides twice. He has been told to apply for a Tourist Visa (class 676) to be able to go. The High Commission in Ottawa advises that he get a Short Stay Business Visa, but the advice from the coach in Canada is for a Tourist Visa. (Is there something vitally different between the two?)

He has a South African passport and could therefore not apply for the Working Holiday Maker's Visa which applies for a number of countries among which Canada is one. For this to apply to him, he would have had to have a Canadian passport. This means that he won't be able to work there officially.

Is there anyone out there in Oz that is on this same wavelength who would like to share some tips on the whole endeavour of going to down under? The coach is extremely helpful, but I just thought there would be some South Africans that might be interested in connecting with us.

[Bob]

Heinrich!

I've never had a Sth African passport so can't advise on matters to do with visas, I'm afraid.

I'd have thought that the Australian High Commission in Ottawa would have been the best source of which entry visa is the most appropriate, your son's coach may however have some other experience which you'd have to ask about.

I am curious which team he would be playing for:

There is the A.C.T. "Brumbies" which is Union, of course and you've obviously heard of in Sth Africa in the Super 12 (now Super 14), but the other rugby team, which is Rugby League, being the Canberra "Raiders".

Both codes of rugby poach good players from each other.

We have a number of British players in Australia that have played sport or referreed here for a season, and I believe there is such a thing as a "sports" visa allowing a team to sponsor a player from o'seas.

The Basketball teams in Australia seem perdominantly made up of American players that way, and Ice Hockey, although only in its infancy here, is predomnantly made up of Canadians.

The Canadians I can understand would have the option of "working" for 12 months on a Young Person's Working Visa if they are under 26, which has been around, together with the option for young British people under 26, since visas were introduced for British Commonwealth citizens (Sth Africa included) on Jan 1st 1975. Before then, Commonwealth people could settle in Australia without visas at all.

The tourist visa option is pretty strict. If they discover him getting rewarded in any way, the visa could be cancelled and him deported, blowing any chance at all of him getting any other sort of visa, such as a "sports" visa later on if he showed promise. I'd be reading the fine print that goes with that particular visa and sticking strictly to the letter. The Australian gov't gets very snakey about o'seas people working and taking jobs from the people here without a work visa.

Sorry I can't shed any more light on the subject.

I'd imagine that if he shows improvement, the rugby team in Canberra would be able to tap someone in the Federal gov't on the shoulder to "fast track" a visa option for him. Canberra is where the Federal politicians all stay while parliament is sitting.

[HeinrichG]

Hello Bob

Thanks for your response and for the handy advice.

Paul plays Union, but has to show how well he can play before getting on the team. The option for a Sports Visa is not possible.

When I spoke to the Australian High Commission this morning, the person told me that if we apply for a Tourist Visa, we would have to add a letter, stating the advice to this extent from the coach, to the application. However, we still have to get a new passport for South Africa, as his current one expires in May 2007, which is during his time of stay in Australia.

Your words of caution as to work without the right paperwork simply confirm what my gut feeling tells me. I will certainly have to study the fineprint on the various options.

[HeinrichG]

The actual problem with a Business (Short Stay) Visa is that it can only be valid for 3 months and then it cannot be extended at all. Our son has been invited to go for longer than 3 months.

Then it seems that a Tourist Visa (class 676) remains to be the only viable option. Or are there any other options?