Construction? Jangan harap.

Without an apprenticeship, a few years in the trade and recognition by a body like the master builders association. Probably not.

VETASSESS is the body that reviews your experience and without paper qualifications and proven knowledge of AS/AZS, they won't give you the skill assessment you need.

Plus construction is one of those businesses that are heavily unionized and extremely anti immigrant (Already had that whole korean workers fiasco down in Gold Coast a few months back)

There's always that issue of passing immigration in the first place of course. They're cutting out most trades in the SOL.

20k = Mega ripoff. Considering I certify and fill out all the docs for my friends for free and walk them through the process as well.

It's not hard really, just save your dosh and DIY.

I went to the DIAC + EngAus workshop in Brisbane a few weeks back. Not really because I need migration advice but because there's free food and I want teman kawan. Mang I'm cheap!

Either way Skills Select works like this,

You make an application and submit all your documents and you're given calculated points on the spot. The system is based off meritocracy, meaning if you have 60 points and old mate has 100, he'll go first through the processing line. So if your points aren't high you can wait for a very long time. Remember that skills select has no minimum service period and is capped by quota, so you'll want as many points as possible.

You can jump the line if employers view your profile and wish to sponsor you, so having extra skills that relate to industry is quite important. Protip : A first aid cert is pretty much mandatory for people wanting an OnG or mining job.

There's no need for a 100 page work thesis. A simple letter from your employer, relating to
- Your time at the workplace
- Your position
- Your general responsibilities
- Your skills and examples of work

Which comes up to about 2 pages is more than enough. Most importantly the manager must be contactable by the DIAC.

Remember that eg; There are 100 places for a year, and there are 100 people with higher points than you, you will NOT get through.

This post has been edited by empire23: Aug 27 2012, 04:27 PM

No. They cannot.

All SkillSelect applicants have no name, gender, country of origin or age attached to their EOIs for employer perusal.

You won't get a job if you don't have a PR. Too much paperwork. But some employers will turn a blind eye as long as there is an internal recommendation. Tons of my friends on student visas and bridging visas land permanent jobs because others knew people in HR.

It's the same as Malaysia. The interviews are a farce, 99 percent of the time the guy that knows the HR dude will get the job.

The fees breakdown should be as per the below;

Wisma Putra = 20 ringgit
DIAC = 3000 AUD = 9000
ACS/EngAus = 600
Medical = 500 (PR with Hep A+C and HIV test / XRAY)

8k for just a few hours of work is quite a lot of dosh. That's why I never hired a migration agent.

Except for WA, we're the highest paid workers around. Freshies easily get 100k. Even for my cushy office job I'm paid around the same.

IT is a dying industry so if you're into computers, this isn't the place for it.

But if you have engineering, hands on technical skills, geological skills among others, its easy money. Most of us get 200 dollars a day bonus for call out. Free phone and internet. Free makan.

If you're on a FIFO rotation, even better better. You'll easily do 30 to 50 percent more than most people. If you're into the next big thing, which is unconventional resources and are qualified, just pit companies against one another, they'll pay.

Oil/Gas, Mining services and the related whatnot.

I was paid 80 as a freshie.

Now add 100 bucks a day (200 once you're done with grad program) for field bonus and say you're given a 15/15 roster. That's 98k easy. Not inclusive of other allowances.

If 80k including allowances and super, you're generally looking at 4 or less cash in hand (realistically 3.8).

As you're given a company car remember you can't claim for tax deduction.

Your ability to save will depend on how much you spend on rent. Inner city parking is so insane these day I usually just ride my motocycle. My advice is to find out where you will be based out of and check the rent and gauge your cost of transport. I easily spend up to 400~500 dollars per month on just fuel. That's just regular travel.

Also like some others have mentioned, you will need medical insurance. This is a condition of your visa. For a decent level of cover you're looking at 1200 dollars. If you want the best level of cover (trust me a hospital visit here is 780 dollars easy), that's 3000 a year.

I'm sure many here have relatives and friends that have migrated here to great land of Boganistan. Question is, does anyone know anyone who migrated back?

I just need to know how hard it is to get back to work in a Malaysian working environment. I've spent my working life here and am somehow apprehensive about going back, but I'm looking at making the move back to KL or to Singapore.

Aside from the hit in income, how different is working culture anyways? I've always heard great news about Singapore, but having done 7am to 6:30pm + Sat and Sun with ungodly call ups when some stupid gas well casing or compressor station kicks the bucket, it is something I rather not do.

Also do people give hiring preference to people with OnG experience? Was thinking of something cruisy for a while just to put food on the table I reckon.

Been to Aus, hit a few animals on the highway, shot a few as well, got my citizenship and now I feel like going home so I can sit my favourite mamak in Ampang Jaya or warong melayu in Dato Keramat just chill my nights away again. Just weighing my options I guess.

Yeah, the money is good. 6 digits a year, the climate is ok I guess being Brisbane, I spend most of my time at work so no chix.

I guess home is home, can't change that fact, I want to kick back and relax a bit. Get a simple job like tuition teacher, freelance engie or something like that. Something a bit cruisy but just wondering about how hard it is to get back into the work culture.

It's not such a bad thing either way, I can always come back here if I want to.

My experience with IELTS is that above all, get used to the system for minimum downtime and surprises.

There is no genuine way to study for the test in my opinion. You either master the English language or get a low score. It is really as simple as that. Thus if you don't practice the use of English in daily life, well then, I've got bad news for you.

The only thing I find retarded is the 2 year validity period. Can't use for Canadian PR, have to resit.

It isn't creativity that's the key, but contextual accuracy. Using the right words and correct grammar for the situation you're in.

To get this right, the best way to broaden your references. Newspaper editorials are excellent sources to reference if you want to get an opinion piece right.

Either way as long as you're well read you'll be fine most of the time. Scoring an 8 isn't really that hard.

Whatever the case is with IELTS is my advice is to not take it here in Australia. You'll never goddamn pass lol.

I seriously should just consider quitting mah job, sitting for CELTA and teaching IELTS classes either way.

Also it would be wise to note that this year's EOI quota seems smaller, reflecting the trend whereby Labor tries to appease the unions as it is an election year. My advice would be to aim for a band 8 IELTS score if you want to be selected by the automated system as it has a higher weightage.

People should also note the job cap quota. Meaning that although there are say 3000 spaces, for your particular job there might only be 1000 places depending on need. My advice is that if the pool is thinning, apply under another ASCO code.

Either way for you it is a bit hard. As you're waiting for an EOI to apply.

Your invitation might not come back in time for you to apply for a bridging visa as your TR visa is running out. Weight your options well and save up for the the application fees.

It is just harder I guess. I never took my IELTS in Australia. Did it all in KL. Easy as.

If your car isn't under warranty anymore, just DIY with a service manual. Very easy and save hundreds.

IT? Deswai. No demand at all. My friend here 8 months no job.

It is going to be an expensive experience. My suggestion is to go get a night shift job at your local 7-11 first. Use your daylight hours to look for a professional job.

Questions you have to ask yourself.

1) Interactive media isn't under the SOL list so you may not apply for skilled migration. You must have either sponsorship or a spouse with SOL list qualification to do so. Are you eligible?

2) Are you willing to move around in the case you get a job offer somewhere else? For example in Sydney? As media industry is usually stretched between both these cities, mobility is a must.

3) Our media industry is shithouse. And like most others, you'll need a PR to put your toe in and you'll need Australian experience to really land a job. How long can you last without a media job? Is it the only job you can do? I mean I washed toilets for a year before I went on to engineering and I had a PR.

Job market is in the shitter now with the mining industry backing off, the manufacturing industry being a dead horse, the tourism industry raped by the high dollar and so on lol

Australia will give you 1.5 year graduate visa upon graduation. The question is "What kind of job do you want?"

Suggest attending Engineers Australia's oversea qualified networking events, they hold them quite regularly and they also have seminars on getting hired. Email: rashidizadeh.hossein(at)gmail.com and ask for the next event list.

But long story short, if you want to get a job here it is about who you know rather than what you know. If you don't know anyone, tough luck.

As a civil engineer you should have the basic competencies for construction site work, maybe that's holding you down? Do you have a white card induction? Senior First Aid?

CSQ (Construction Skills Queensland) also offers upskilling for eligible persons. Try that as well.

Also you can try the ADF. They look bloody good on a resume and they're always hiring professionals.

This post has been edited by empire23: Jul 22 2013, 05:14 AM

A few tips to getting a job;
1) A cover letter for each application. It shows you are addressing their requirements.
2) Follow up, Follow up, Follow up. If you're annoying enough they'll hire you.
3) Lose the asian name. Call yourself Timothy in your resume instead of publishing a f***about of unpronounceable names.
4) Get a professional resume writer and post samples to your Uni career services for checking and appraisal.
5) No point in going for the big dogs unless your resume is pure gold. Try the smaller firms that never get advertised. Quick tip, buy an industry related magazine and look at the adverts for inspiration.

Generally Perth based positions are headhunted most of the time if you don't live in WA.

Go to the overseas networking thing I just mentioned, grab people's cards, chat them up, add them on facebook and post funny cat pics on their walls.

Yes, CSQ does upskilling, not for engineers but for everyone. That's our taxpayer money at work. Use it, get a Cert II. I'm an engineer but doing a Cert III tradie apprenticeship in Electrotechnology. QLD gahmen paid.


They will take in PR IF they cannot find a suitable citizen to do the job and I don't think there are many civils lining up to join the forces.

My usual thing would be to recommend that students use their vacation time to round themselves out with professional and industry centric courses. That way you access jobs higher up the chain than just graduate positions. Getting a driving license, BOP cert and so forth can.

Plus the thing I don't like about larger companies is their rigid grad program and very small area of focus. You'll get to do nearly everything in a small company, from NDT X-ray inspection to field workovers as small companies tend to use whatever man power they have. Plus they'll usually send you out on real solo fieldwork after 3 months.

I work at a smaller firm, but 100 percent of our Engineering workforce is foreign born.