So, you want to stay in Melbourne longer than that first, glorious year? Or you are still at home and contemplating getting work on the other side of the world. Well, if you can get an employer sponsored visa (457 visa) then its the best way to go.
Its much easier to get a 457 visa as the Aussie government are quite happy to take in someone when a)they have a guaranteed job and b) a company willing to vouch for them.
Lets look at two aspects of this process:
1. Getting an employer to sponsor you
This is the hard part!
-It's important to stress how easy the process is
- Let them know that it will only cost a few hundred dollors (nothing in business terms)
-Explain that, as an Irish citizen, you already have reciprocal health benefits (i.e. the Aussie government will pay for hospital cover if you are sick)
2. Dealing with the sponsorship application
- This is the easy part!
- Your employer goes to the immigration website and downloads some forms.
- If your employer has not sponsored before, they will need to fill out a an application to become a sponsor
-Either way, they will also need to fill out an application to nominate you
-When they submit these forms (they can be submitted together) they will get back a transaction reference number, you supply this with your application
-Collect documentation such as:
passport
University degree
Proof of any futher education or training
CV
references from previous employers
and attach them online to the application
-Get x rays taken at a specified centre
-If you have a defacto spouse (i.e. someone you've been living with for more than 6 months)
they can also get sponsored on your visa by supplying additional documents such as:
Lease from your shared accomodation
letters from local groups such as the library
letters from services such as electricity or gas
photos of you together
documentation of previous plane journeys booked together
The time taken to approve sponsorship varies from a few days to 2 months. Generally, when they get all the documentation they need, it will be approved in a few days!
Good luck!
Laura
Monday, December 14, 2009
Topic 1: Visa Options - part 1: working holiday visa
Hi there,
Here is some information on visas for Irish people emigrating to Melbourne. I've applied for four visas so far in my time here (1 working holiday visa and 3 sponsored visa through different employers). This is the advice I'd give you straight of the bat...
-> I wouldn't recommend going through an agent. Cut out the middle man! I applied for one visa through an agent and it took 4 months! It costs my company 2500 dollars. The agency were rude to me and quite unwilling to help when I was running out of time. It costs about 500 dollars for you and your employer to apply for a sponsored visa online and its much quicker!!
-> If you are running out of time on your working holiday visa 6 month work limitation and you have already applied for your sponsored visa, apply quickly for an extension from the immigration department.
-> Get your x rays done as soon as possible as this slows down the process. Remember that you cannot just get x rays done in an average hospital, they have to be done at the migration center.
-> If you are sponsored in a job you hate, then don't feel trapped. Look around and find other employers willing to sponsor you. I was made redundant from my first job, I got sponsored again in a few days. I hated my next job and I felt very trapped there when the recession hit, but after a few job interviews I found an employer who was willing to sponsor me!
-> Don't be afraid to look for sponsorship from a prospective employer, be pushy about it, explain that it costs less than 500 dollars, explain that Irish people have reciprocal health benefits in Australia, so they will not be responsible for potential hospital charges, remind them that it is an easy, straight forward process.
1. Working holiday visa
This is the easiest visa to get, by far. You can get a working holiday visa online with the minimum of documentation (see below). It takes about 24 hours for this visa to be approved.
Visa Basics:
You must apply for this visa from outside the country.
This visa lasts for 1 year.
People aged 18 to 30 are eligible for this visa.
You can only work for the same employer for up to 6 months (unless you are later sponsored by that employer).
You can also study for up to 4 months on this visa.
With this visa, you can leave and re-enter the country.
You can only get a second working holiday visa if you spend 3 months working in agriculture such as fruit picking.
When should I get this visa?
You can get this visa anytime up to one year before you plan to arrive in Australia. I recommend getting this before you book your flights, maybe a few months before you plan to arrive in Oz.
How much does it cost?
It costs 230 Aussie dollors (which is currently about 150 euros).
How do I get this visa?
You can apply directly online. This is the Australian immigration department's webpage on the working holiday visa.
http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/working-holiday.htm
Here is some information on visas for Irish people emigrating to Melbourne. I've applied for four visas so far in my time here (1 working holiday visa and 3 sponsored visa through different employers). This is the advice I'd give you straight of the bat...
-> I wouldn't recommend going through an agent. Cut out the middle man! I applied for one visa through an agent and it took 4 months! It costs my company 2500 dollars. The agency were rude to me and quite unwilling to help when I was running out of time. It costs about 500 dollars for you and your employer to apply for a sponsored visa online and its much quicker!!
-> If you are running out of time on your working holiday visa 6 month work limitation and you have already applied for your sponsored visa, apply quickly for an extension from the immigration department.
-> Get your x rays done as soon as possible as this slows down the process. Remember that you cannot just get x rays done in an average hospital, they have to be done at the migration center.
-> If you are sponsored in a job you hate, then don't feel trapped. Look around and find other employers willing to sponsor you. I was made redundant from my first job, I got sponsored again in a few days. I hated my next job and I felt very trapped there when the recession hit, but after a few job interviews I found an employer who was willing to sponsor me!
-> Don't be afraid to look for sponsorship from a prospective employer, be pushy about it, explain that it costs less than 500 dollars, explain that Irish people have reciprocal health benefits in Australia, so they will not be responsible for potential hospital charges, remind them that it is an easy, straight forward process.
1. Working holiday visa
This is the easiest visa to get, by far. You can get a working holiday visa online with the minimum of documentation (see below). It takes about 24 hours for this visa to be approved.
Visa Basics:
You must apply for this visa from outside the country.
This visa lasts for 1 year.
People aged 18 to 30 are eligible for this visa.
You can only work for the same employer for up to 6 months (unless you are later sponsored by that employer).
You can also study for up to 4 months on this visa.
With this visa, you can leave and re-enter the country.
You can only get a second working holiday visa if you spend 3 months working in agriculture such as fruit picking.
When should I get this visa?
You can get this visa anytime up to one year before you plan to arrive in Australia. I recommend getting this before you book your flights, maybe a few months before you plan to arrive in Oz.
How much does it cost?
It costs 230 Aussie dollors (which is currently about 150 euros).
How do I get this visa?
You can apply directly online. This is the Australian immigration department's webpage on the working holiday visa.
http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/working-holiday.htm
Emigrating to Melbourne
hi there,
Welcome to my blog about moving to Melbourne, Australia. I'm originally from Donegal, Ireland. I moved to Melbourne with my fiance 3 years ago. This blog will be full of the pearls of wisdom gleamed from three years on this side of the world.
For the next 10 blog entries I'm going to cover the following essentials:
1. Visa options
2. Saving and planning - how much does it cost here? How much do you need?
3. Flights - best way to fly, where to stop over, good deals, etc.
4. Where to live in Melbourne - what are the housing options? Furnished or not? 5. 5. Finding work in Melbourne
6. What's fun in Melbourne
7. Eating and Drinking in Melbourne
8. The best road trips around Victoria
9. Annoyances
10.Trivia nights
Hope you enjoy reading my blog!
Laura
Welcome to my blog about moving to Melbourne, Australia. I'm originally from Donegal, Ireland. I moved to Melbourne with my fiance 3 years ago. This blog will be full of the pearls of wisdom gleamed from three years on this side of the world.
For the next 10 blog entries I'm going to cover the following essentials:
1. Visa options
2. Saving and planning - how much does it cost here? How much do you need?
3. Flights - best way to fly, where to stop over, good deals, etc.
4. Where to live in Melbourne - what are the housing options? Furnished or not? 5. 5. Finding work in Melbourne
6. What's fun in Melbourne
7. Eating and Drinking in Melbourne
8. The best road trips around Victoria
9. Annoyances
10.Trivia nights
Hope you enjoy reading my blog!
Laura
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