# Over 30 so can't get working holiday visa...ADVICE



## Laul (Sep 23, 2009)

Hi all

My boyfriend and I are heading out to Oz in February 2010 and we need a little advice/guidance on the best visa for him to get.

The situation is that he is 32 years old so does not qualify for the working holiday visa. He is a qualified electrician so has a trade but the skilled trades visa is for those looking to migrate and is quite costly we have recently found out.

His sister lives in Queensland and we intend to stay with her for a little while, before travelling around the rest of Oz and we hope to maybe get work, if we decide to stop somewhere for a period of time. I am a secondary English teacher and am hopeful that I'll be able to pick up some supply tecahing work out there on my working holiday visa but my boyfriend will have a different visa. 

He has been advised by some to go out there on a holiday visa and then possibly find 'casual' work or seek spoinsorship form an employer. Is this the best route to take? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.


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## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

Yes, about the best bet for being able to work is for him to get a 457 visa and if his sister knows of any people in larger Electrical Contracting Companies or can just seek out a few it could be possible that a 457 could be arranged prior to arrival.

There's the *+* for that and also a *-* however.

On the *+* side, he'll not be quizzed coming in on a 467 whereas with a tourist visa, especially if you come through together as if you are a couple and as soon as they see you have a WHV, and as well intentioned as he may be they will be all over him like a rash with suspicions that he could be looking for work without an appropriate visa.

And that would be especially so if he has his certificate and anything at all that might raise/support the idea of him seeking work - to work as an electrician he will need to be registered in whatever states he was to work and so if he does come in on a tourist visa it is probably best that he mails to his sister anything that he would use to get registration - if you/he has a look at the skilled section for visas and a couple of clicks and at the top of a page you'll see http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf . P11 is electricians and assessing authority is TRA - website and contact details at rear and so he can see ahead of time what is involved in being approved for Australia and then each state registration is just a case of turning up at the state office and presenting the accreditation certificate or will be something like that.

It is also possible that it may not be possible to easily get work as a lot of building projects have been affected by the GFC and then..........

*There is btw a huge negative *to him seeking a 457 however and that is a 457 visa currency is reliant on him staying employed either with the initial employer who has sponsored him or an alternative who would need to get approved as a sponsor and also the position to which he was to be employed into - kind of ties you down, so something to think about.

And you also have a bit of thinking to do on the teaching front for likewise if you have a look at the occupations list for teachers and you'll see that it'll be VETASSESS that will look at whether you can be accredited and then as with an electrician you'll need to be registered with the state education authority of whichever state you want to seek work in, there possibly being a special category for temporary relief positions but there'll still be some requirement, and some states will also want a police clearance which is mandatory these days in some states for people working with children, and so a few things for you too to do in advance if you wish.

If you do that and can pick up some relief work, maybe your Bf could do some WWOOF Australia or Help Exchange work for accommodation and food in Australia New Zealand Canada Europe not wwoof in the area and so you were earning some $$$ and he was doing enough work for someone to cover accommodation/food for you both - give you more flexibility.

In coming in on a 12 month visa to match the WHV term, he'll need to show that he has finances to support himself and he can use his sister being here to minimise $$$$ expected, and he ought to have a well thought out plan of using his sisters as a base and going off wwoofing for a couple of months at a time and getting some cheap transport via Rental Relocations Australia New Zealand United States Canada - Hire Now at StandByCars [good for you both] , Regional Express :: Home [flying backpackers pass under products] and keeping an eye out for travel bargains in general with the likes of Welcome To Tiger Airways .

So the idea for him would be to have a well thought out plan that his finances are OK for.
If he gets asked about what line of work he is in, he can say he is an electrician but he knows he could get qualifications approved and pick up a 457 visa but did not want to be tied down and is here to have a good break from work.

And all that needs to be done well away from you with your WHV for that wouldn't fit in with the plan so well, probably separate planes would be good but if on same flight, try not to make out that you know oneanother and make sure there is no contact whatsoever from the time the plane lands - just do your own thing and if you have somewhere lined up in your mind where you'll be heading to that would be good.

If you want to trim your costs, and flights aren't yet booked and you're coming from the UK
Welcome to AirAsia.com, The World's Best Low-Cost Airline have good deals ex Stansted via KL into the Gold Coast and you have options of leaving from Perth or Melbourne.
[register with them to check out specials advertised in next few months]
Australia/UK have reciprocal basic medical care so you can get away without travel insurance at minimal risk.


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