Need advice please

[Fibonacci]

Hallo everyone

I have recently completed an international qualification as pastry chef and I now want to start the process of applying for immigration to OZ.

However, this qualification is one of the skills on the skills shortage list ... my question now, if I were to visit Australia on a visitors visa, what are my chances of finding a sponsor (employer) who will be willing to employ me without a work visa and then assisting me in applying for a work visa?

Is this too risky? Should I rather wait out the process and have my visa in place before I come over, or are there people who has done it this way before?

Any advice will be much appreciated.

[21yearsoutofrsa]

There are two aspects to consider

It is a criminal offense to hire someone without a valid visa. The fine is $13 200 and 2 years for an individual and $66 000 for a company.

For the illegal workers, their visitor visa will probably be cancelled. In future applications for a visa you are required to disclose the fact that a previous visa was cancelled.

[IamInACT]

I don't think anyone will condone coming here on a tourist visa trying to get a job. If customs/immigration figure out you arehere to do that ... it's tickets home for you. If it is something you are going to do. Make it is a holiday first and a job trip second and what ever you do, DONOT take cv's or any other stuff that might indicate that you are looking for a job.

You could try get a 457 job from SA. If it is in short supply you should be in luck... I suppose it will depend on you experience. There are plenty of job sites that you can go onto, just Google on WWW.Google.com.au. one good one is www.seek.com.au.

Later T

[rozellem]

Hallo everyone

I have recently completed an international qualification as pastry chef and I now want to start the process of applying for immigration to OZ.

However, this qualification is one of the skills on the skills shortage list ... my question now, if I were to visit Australia on a visitors visa, what are my chances of finding a sponsor (employer) who will be willing to employ me without a work visa and then assisting me in applying for a work visa?

Is this too risky? Should I rather wait out the process and have my visa in place before I come over, or are there people who has done it this way before?

Any advice will be much appreciated.

You will find that Australians on the whole are very law abiding people. Getting one to let you work illegally will be almost impossible. If you do get one to to this he/she will undoubtedly be a very shady character that will use you as slave labour/pay you peanuts as you do not exist for all legal purposes. Never mind helping you get your legal status after starting work. Also, as others have said, if immigration (at the airport) gets a whiff that you are going to look for work and they find you with a CV or contact numbers of possible employers while on "holiday" here, you will literally be on the next plane back to RSA, banned for returning for quite some years. Speak to SD_MOA on the forum, he is a highly reputable migration agent, ask him about your options. Also, I am not a expert in the field, but do check out if there is a minimum amount of years you should have worked as a pastry chef for your visa to Aus. I could not figure out how long you have been one, but I doubt you could just do a course and then be recognised as one. I am a hairdresser and I had to have years and years (cant remember how much, but I want to say 5 or 7?) of experience in the field, and I had to have reference of ALL the people I had ever worked for, details of my apprenticeship etc. Perhaps start by getting all your documents in order so long (unabridged birth, marriage, all qualifications, new passports, army discharge.....). Good luck.

[zoot]

Find out exactly what is required in terms of years of experience, references and any specific trade or other tests that you would need to sit to prove your skills. It is not quite as simple as work as A or do a course in A and therefore get a visa. Some visas required a specific level of skill or a course that lasted a certain number of years. It may be worth your while making an appointment with a migration agent to check exactly what you would need.

Then if you find that your skills and experience are sufficient to look for an employer sponsorship start contacting employers whilst you are still in South Africa. They can do a telephonic interview with you.

Unfortunately as I understand there is no specific visa for people who are looking for work, so if you do have to go to Australia to do interviews this can be a bit of a grey area. Any employer who is worth working for will do things the right way and apply for a visa for you before employing you - dont even consider working illegally even if you were to find an employer willing to take you on illegally you would have absolutely no recourse in terms of the law if your employer didnt pay you or provided unsafe working conditions and you would live the whole time worrying about the law catching up with you. An employer sponsored visa can be processed relatively quickly if the employer has all the necessary documentation in place so rather wait and do things the right way.

[HouseInOz]

Apply to positions advertised on the websites of major restaurants and hotel groups. Look at Club Med, holiday groups and more etc. Try to look at websites of businesses that advertise directly or alternatively try SEEK. Try trusty Mr Google. I do think that you should apply for your visa soonest though. The rest of the world want a job in Australia.....

NEVER give up though!!!!!!!

[Fibonacci]

Everyone

Thank you for all the advice. One thing is clear - and that is that I wont come over with a visitors visa and try and land a job. Think it would be best then to start the application process.

Thanks again.

[Winn]

Find out exactly what is required in terms of years of experience, references and any specific trade or other tests that you would need to sit to prove your skills. It is not quite as simple as work as A or do a course in A and therefore get a visa. Some visas required a specific level of skill or a course that lasted a certain number of years. It may be worth your while making an appointment with a migration agent to check exactly what you would need.

Then if you find that your skills and experience are sufficient to look for an employer sponsorship start contacting employers whilst you are still in South Africa. They can do a telephonic interview with you.

Unfortunately as I understand there is no specific visa for people who are looking for work, so if you do have to go to Australia to do interviews this can be a bit of a grey area. Any employer who is worth working for will do things the right way and apply for a visa for you before employing you - dont even consider working illegally even if you were to find an employer willing to take you on illegally you would have absolutely no recourse in terms of the law if your employer didnt pay you or provided unsafe working conditions and you would live the whole time worrying about the law catching up with you. An employer sponsored visa can be processed relatively quickly if the employer has all the necessary documentation in place so rather wait and do things the right way.

Do I understand correctly? My husband applies for a job here and agrees to fly to Australia for an interview but this is against the law?? I am confused!! We had his CV done by an Australian company and they suggested that we mention in the cover letter that we are willing to fly in for an interview. After reading the above, I am scared that we are giving prospective employers the wrong idea ie that we are willing to break the law (if that is the case!)

Any comments or advise would be appreciated.

ta

Win

[rozellem]

Do I understand correctly? My husband applies for a job here and agrees to fly to Australia for an interview but this is against the law?? I am confused!! We had his CV done by an Australian company and they suggested that we mention in the cover letter that we are willing to fly in for an interview. After reading the above, I am scared that we are giving prospective employers the wrong idea ie that we are willing to break the law (if that is the case!)

Any comments or advise would be appreciated.

ta

Win

Again, I am not an expert but, flying to Aus for a job interview when invited by a company, with a letter of invitation for this interview is very different than flying here with the intention of cold calling companies. Dont worry.