# Partner 309 (Partner visa) can't get work



## ISTJ

My partner came back to Australia with me on a 309 partner visa.She has extensive experience in admin/office management from Germany. 

Initially she striked it lucky and got a job in admin here with a small company, but was very underpaid. She took the job anyway in the hope of getting a payrise or another job down the track. Unfortunately her boss started bullying her, and made up a false reason to fire her (redundancy). As it was a small business, she was unable to fight against it (small businesses have more power). 

Since then she has been unemployed for 8 months and has easily applied for over 1000 jobs in her field. She's not even getting any interviews, only rejections. Recruiters have said her CV is perfect, so she's not doing anything wrong there. 

We applied for PR in October last year, but its a long wait and we would be lucky if its granted this year by the way things are going. We can't work out if her lack of success comes down to not having PR, or not having enough local Australian experience, or both. Which one is more likely the case? Has anyone here found it impossible to get work while on a partner visa, but then got it quickly after their PR was granted? 

Anyway, we are seriously considering moving back to Europe, where she could get a job again very quickly. We can't afford to keep living for much longer in Australia without her being employed, and she's also getting depressed about the situation. 

Australia seems to be the only country where "local experience" is required and international experience is considered to be negative. In Europe its the opposite and they often see "international experience" as a plus. So basically we are trying to decide if its worth taking the gamble of waiting longer for PR or just moving back to Europe now? If she's still likely to find it difficult to get a job on PR, then there is no point taking the gamble staying here.


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## sweet_gurl

ISTJ said:


> My partner came back to Australia with me on a 309 partner visa.She has extensive experience in admin/office management from Germany.
> 
> Initially she striked it lucky and got a job in admin here with a small company, but was very underpaid. She took the job anyway in the hope of getting a payrise or another job down the track. Unfortunately her boss started bullying her, and made up a false reason to fire her (redundancy). As it was a small business, she was unable to fight against it (small businesses have more power).
> 
> Since then she has been unemployed for 8 months and has easily applied for over 1000 jobs in her field. She's not even getting any interviews, only rejections. Recruiters have said her CV is perfect, so she's not doing anything wrong there.
> 
> We applied for PR in October last year, but its a long wait and we would be lucky if its granted this year by the way things are going. We can't work out if her lack of success comes down to not having PR, or not having enough local Australian experience, or both. Which one is more likely the case? Has anyone here found it impossible to get work while on a partner visa, but then got it quickly after their PR was granted?
> 
> Anyway, we are seriously considering moving back to Europe, where she could get a job again very quickly. We can't afford to keep living for much longer in Australia without her being employed, and she's also getting depressed about the situation.
> 
> Australia seems to be the only country where "local experience" is required and international experience is considered to be negative. In Europe its the opposite and they often see "international experience" as a plus. So basically we are trying to decide if its worth taking the gamble of waiting longer for PR or just moving back to Europe now? If she's still likely to find it difficult to get a job on PR, then there is no point taking the gamble staying here.


Hi, I'm on a PV309 as well. And I have the same problem too, I tried to apply for some jobs but what I received was rejection and some employers they prefer PR or Citizen. I hate to say this but I feel depressed already, coz I been trying so hard to find a job. If not for my husband I won't be here as I really struggle with finding a job. Yes, they prefer " with local experience" but how can I get a local experience if they won't give me a chance to work


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## Mish

The first job is always the hardest and employers like local experience. I know she has worked in Australia but with the issue she had it is not like she can put in on the resume.

The other thing to remember is that admin work is competitive as there are alot people applying for admin jobs. 

If recruiters have said there is nothing wrong with her resume why are they not giving her any temp assignments? That would be my question.


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## JandE

I was talking to an employment consultant today, and he said they haven't placed anyone at all this month so far, and even previous months seemed quiet.

And that is for locals. Obviously some areas, and some industries are different, but it does give an idea of what the employment market is like.

There are no guarantees of work in Australia, and new arrivals have to be prepared for that, more than ever before..


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## wankel jim

Not only no guarantees of work but also not able to fall back on welfare, something that's very painful for me as a pensioner having to support my now subclass 100 wife for a further 104 weeks on one married rate pension before they treat us again as humans. Just as painful was having her health care card cancelled when the subclass 100 was granted, thus rendering any medicines unaffordable.
A warning to pensioners considering taking up a foreign spouse because you want some happiness in life, that this can be a very painful way to do it.


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## Ramona2504

ISTJ said:


> Since then she has been unemployed for 8 months and has easily applied for over 1000 jobs in her field. She's not even getting any interviews, only rejections. Recruiters have said her CV is perfect, so she's not doing anything wrong there.
> 
> ...
> 
> Anyway, we are seriously considering moving back to Europe, where she could get a job again very quickly. We can't afford to keep living for much longer in Australia without her being employed, and she's also getting depressed about the situation.


Did you have any luck since your post? I'll be in the same situation when we go back to Australia with a partner visa next year. (I'm German with marketing/office experience and my partner is Australian.) I thought it would be easy to get a job if your English is good enough. Would you consider moving to Germany with her? My partner finds the language really hard to learn and it was hard for him to find a job here... I guess you'd be better off waiting for the PR.


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## ISTJ

Nope. We ended up having to move back to Switzerland and she got a job here in only 2 months! Unlike Australia, international experience is actually considered an advantage in Europe. She got rejected so many times in Australia for “not enough australian experience”. 

Oh and sure enough one week after we left Australia her PR was approved! Typical! This was despite being told it would take an additional 18 months! I wonder if leaving the country triggered something because she had to inform them of this. 

So in order to keep her PR we need to visit Australia within a year of it being granted.


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## dboi72

I am a pensioner and know the feeling. My wife will be in Australia soon, and our rent is more than my pension.


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## Ozbound3

Wow this is pretty disheartening. I am waiting for a 309 visa at the moment but I've been worried about just this. In America I am a paralegal with tons of office experience. I have actually worked in Australia a few years ago as a backpacker. It was for 6 months in a country pub. I'm wondering if this will help at all or mean nothing as it is not the same field....


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## cegor

Ozbound3 said:


> Wow this is pretty disheartening. I am waiting for a 309 visa at the moment but I've been worried about just this. In America I am a paralegal with tons of office experience. I have actually worked in Australia a few years ago as a backpacker. It was for 6 months in a country pub. I'm wondering if this will help at all or mean nothing as it is not the same field....


From what I have read in other forums your "local experience" even though not in your field will be better than nothing at all....provided you have references from that job you had in Australia.

I ponder on this once hubby and I move to Australia. Even though he IS Australian by birth...he has never lived in Australia thus no "local experience" ......


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## Ozbound3

cegor said:


> From what I have read in other forums your "local experience" even though not in your field will be better than nothing at all....provided you have references from that job you had in Australia.
> 
> I ponder on this once hubby and I move to Australia. Even though he IS Australian by birth...he has never lived in Australia thus no "local experience" ......


That's good to hear at least... Hopefully it will help. It's just so strange that they want you to have worked in the country even if you speak perfect English and have years of work experience. Honestly though, my husband is Australian born and raised and he has been having a really hard time finding a better job at the moment as well


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## wyyasta

It is not easy to live in Australia and everything here is bloody expensive! 

Normally, most of the companies will put this end of their ad
'Only Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents will be considered'

Besides, only local education and working experience will be considered. Even if you are a manager/professional in your country, it means nothing in Australia. 

It would be easier to get a job working in restaurants/ age care/ child care because local people do not prefer those jobs. However, you still need to get some relevant certificates. 

Also, underpaid is something you may need to consider. This is because the restaurant owners understood that you cannot get a normal job with legal wages by holding your visa, that's why you come to them.


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