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So, I'm graduating college in the next year or so and I'm currently studying Web Design along with Graphic Design and I'm thinking of doing this program Australia. Which entails being able to work in Australia for up to a year on a Holiday Work Visa. But, then I noticed on the CSOL list that that my occupation Web Designer and Multimedia Specialist is on that list. I do know that I can apply for a specific worker visa based on my occupation. Which I know the only way to immigrate to Australia is you have to qualify for immigration. Which means my occupation has to be on the SOL list, which it isn't. It's on the CSOL list instead.
My question is what are the chances of and or process of somebody nominating my application by the state and or territory? and would it better to just obtain an Holiday Work Visa and apply for a web design job that way and hope some company sponsors me for up to 4 years. Or would it be wise to apply for the Skilled Worker Visa instead? Now granted, either way, I would like to work and live in Australia for at least a year.
Get the Working Holiday visa and look for longer-term work once you are there. That lets you legally be there while you job search. If you've never been to Australia, you may find you don't want to live there long-term.
Also, as with US companies, unless you have a very hard-to-find skill, you will find it virtually impossible to get someone to hire and/or sponsor you without them having first personally met you. That's especially the case if you will be a new graduate with no work experience. However, with the working holiday visa, you can very likely find a temp job in your field that will give you some local experience and could easily turn into something longer term.
Thanks Cloudwalker! I appreciate all the helpful information. I wanted to note that I do currently have 2 years of experience in the Web Design/Multimedia field, so far and it's ongoing. So, hopefully that will work to my advantage. I was also planning on visiting Australia, this coming December.
Just took another look at your first post and saw you were looking at the Bunac program. Is this an exchange that you get credit for as part of your degree or is it something that happens post-graduation? Does your institution have some other type of exchange program with equivalent institutions in Australia? There's nothing wrong with the company, but I don't think that you need to spend all that money to achieve what you want.
You have a bit of time until you graduate. Start doing some research online, work any contacts you have who have contacts in Australia, identify companies you are interested in and contact them independently to let them know that you are planning to spend time in Australia on the Working Holiday visa, send them samples of your work, etc. Australians do a lot of working holiday travel themselves, so they won't be fazed by people approaching them in that way and looking for work under a WH visa. Save yourself the $5000 by starting the legwork now.
Hey Cloud, sorry for the delay in responding back. The Bunac program is not an exchange program that I get credit for as part of my degree. I know I can do a study abroad program that does count towards my degree. But, that option is about 24k for the year. As for finding something that's temporary that could turn into something long term. How common is it for people, coming from overseas to obtain something that's longer term? And to be specific, finding a job in a Web Design/Computer Programming field.
I also wanted to mention that I don't have any connections in Australia, except for a distant cousin who is much older than me. But, sadly my family hasn't seen or heard from her in many years. With that being said, I'm currently putting together my portfolio that I'll be sending out. So, hopefully my skills in the Web Design/Computer Progamming field will suffice. I do know HTML5,CSS3, JavaScript/JQUERY, and PYTHON currently.
I also wanted to ask if 15k would be enough for me to get started on the holiday work visa. When I say that I mean applying for the holiday visa, and being able to manage living out there for a few weeks if I can't get a job right away. That was one of the main reasons for me going through the BUNAC program. They told me they can help me get a job out there. But, if you're saying that it's much more affordable and doable to do all of that on my own. Then I won't go through them for that whole process.
One of the things you should be aware of is that if you come here on a WHV you are only allowed to work for up to 6months for any one employer so it may put some employers off. There is a way around this which would allow you to work up to 12 months for any one employer and that is by doing 3 months of qualifying regional work (such as agricultural, farm, fruit picking etc) - if you do that you then can apply for a second 12 month WHV. If you do this 3 month stint within the first half of the first WHV then in theory you can get a job for the remaining 6 months of year 1 and stay with them for the first 6 months of WHV 2 - therefore 12 months with same employer - this might be an option which is more attractive to a potential employer and also gives you more time to get a sponsored 457 visa etc.
So, what you're saying is if I do some regional work for 3 months on my first WHV. This allows me to work for an employer for a full year on my 2nd go around, correct? So, does that mean I'm technically staying in the country for 2 years, since I would be applying for two WHV in two years? and how would I go about obtaining regional work?
So, what you're saying is if I do some regional work for 3 months on my first WHV. This allows me to work for an employer for a full year on my 2nd go around, correct? So, does that mean I'm technically staying in the country for 2 years, since I would be applying for two WHV in two years? and how would I go about obtaining regional work?
So do the 88 days of qualifying regional work some time within the first 6 months of your first WHV. That allows you to apply for the second year WHV. However the rule still applies that in any one year you can only work a maximum of 6 months for any single employer. So in order to do the maximum of 12 months with one employer you would have to do the last 6 months of year 1 and the first 6 months of year 2 to be within the rules. Hope that explains it better?
It's also good idea to get out of Sydney and Melbourne as COL is cheaper and less competition for jobs.
Re BUNAC, there's nothing wrong with the company, they are good at what they do, I just think that you seem like you have enough smarts and organization to do it yourself. Spend the $5000 on something different.
And $15,000 is plenty to get you set up, as long as you are careful in how you spend your money. Stay in hostels to start off with - they're cheap, a great way to meet other travelers, and a good place to hear about jobs.
Where do you live currently? Quite a few cities have Australian-American Associations. Join, and start going to some of their functions. Some of the corporate members may have head or branch offices in Australia, so you might be able to figure out local contacts in advance.
It's also good idea to get out of Sydney and Melbourne as COL is cheaper and less competition for jobs.
Re BUNAC, there's nothing wrong with the company, they are good at what they do, I just think that you seem like you have enough smarts and organization to do it yourself. Spend the $5000 on something different.
And $15,000 is plenty to get you set up, as long as you are careful in how you spend your money. Stay in hostels to start off with - they're cheap, a great way to meet other travelers, and a good place to hear about jobs.
Where do you live currently? Quite a few cities have Australian-American Associations. Join, and start going to some of their functions. Some of the corporate members may have head or branch offices in Australia, so you might be able to figure out local contacts in advance.
Cloud,
I completely agree that I could spend the $5,000 on something different. Also, I appreciate the compliment! As for where I'm located, I'm currently in Phoenix Arizona.
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