Hi Judith
Please see this factsheet:
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skill...sa_holders.pdf
On a temporary 457 visa you can work for less than 38 hours a week but you have to be paid the Gazetted salary and that is based on 38 hours a week. A prospective employer is unlikely to want to pay the full statutory minimum amount unless you work for 38 hours a week, I would think.
Australian employers such as hospitals, and thee recruitment agencies they use, tend to prefer the temporary 457 visa to start with because it can be processed very quickly, thereby getting the skilled worker out to Australia fast. It also gives them a chance to assess the worker's performance before deciding whether to make any further commitment to the person concerned.
Espcially if you want to work for less than 38 hours a wek, I suspect that you need to look into the subclass 175 visa instead. That is a skilled independent visa, is new and is fast track once you have the skills assessment, and when you get to Oz you are free to negotiate for any job that suits you.
I suspect that the easiest option for you, by miles, would be to ring round some Registered Migration Agents at this stage. They are usually wiling to give you afree 10 or 15 minutes on the phone and if you ring a couple of them, you would then be much clearer about what your options are and what factors you need to consider.
The three Agents most frequently recommended on here seem to be:
Go Matilda, in Southampton;
Ian Harrop & Associates, near Oxford;
Visa Bureau - I'm not sure where they are but a Google search would reveal all.
I know that Go Matilda help a lot of nurses & midwives. I don't know about the others.
Best wishes
Gill
