Options after Student Visa - Graduate Skilled Visa??

[Guest wwwazzz]

Hi,

 

Having returned from 7 amazing months living in Sydney last year - we are desperate to return and exploring all options.

 

As it stands we do not qualify under the skilled visa route so are trying to find an employer willing to sponsor me on a 457. This is not proving too easy as even though I have a lot of experience in my field (life and pensions/superannuation), recruitment agencies just don't tend to reply!!! I am guessing that without a visa - my CV is often placed in the too difficult pile (

 

So....as I said, we are looking at all other options and seriously considering my wife getting us a temp visa via the student route for a trade qualification, even if this is just to get us on-shore to help us explore other opportunities such as finding an employer willing to sponsor me.

 

I know this is risky and that several trades may be the target of the immigration minister for removal from the SOL, but this would provide my wife with a good career change option from her current role as a retail manager. She is looking forward to the prospect of retraining....so worst case scenario...new skills through the student route may not be a wasted two years....particularly if the work experience side could open doors to sponsorship by an employer in the industry.

 

Does anyone have any knowledge about the graduate skilled visa that seems to enable you to get 18 months work experience on completion of the course. Is this subject to the SOL changes? If so, if my wife signed up to a course to start this August that finished before the end of 2012 - could she qualify for the grad skills visa regardless of whether the occupation is removed from the SOL?

 

Any guidance, advice, contacts would be really appreciated.

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Guest cham11]

Hi there Waz,

 

Please check out this info sheet:

 

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/faq-gsmchanges.pdf

 

The graduate skilled visa (485) requires a nominated skilled occupation from the SOL.

 

I believe you need to have a pending application or already be on the sc 485 to be exempt from the new SOL due to be out end of April 2010.

 

Hope that helps.