Applying for Job in Aus without a visa

Hi All,

my first post on here. I've just seen a job advertised in Melbourne which I would really like to go for (I'm currently in the UK). It's in quite a specialised field in academic research, but unfortunately does not come with any sponsorship for international applicants. The correspondant for the job has said that anyone is free to apply for the job but must be legally eligible to work in Australia. So, my question is how practical is it to apply anyway, and upon success apply for a visa (given I would have a job lined up) - I think the employer may give some lee-way for this. Or am I living in dreamland here and may as well forget about it? The closing date for applying is 2 weeks or so away and I think they'd be wanting someone to start pretty soon (at a guess, Jan/Feb at the latest). Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Gavy

Sorry to say it but my opinion would be 'living in dreamland'!

Yeah, that's what I thought. Oh well. In any case, maybe I'll start looking into visa applications anyway in preparation for other jobs that may come up in the future. Thanks for your reply!

Gavy

If it is academic research at a University then they are often geared up to getting people visas and have people on their staff able to process them.

Maybe contact them - I noticed that job sites like SEEK often said "must legally be eligible to work..." I think it is the default tick box for that query - it is not always the case esp at Unis.

However competition is also high for many of these jobs and you also have to realise that if there is someone local qualified to do the job they will probably use that person.

If the employer is eligible to sponsor you then a temp work visa does not take too long and possibly could be sorted for Jan/Feb.

If it helps I applied for a load of positions a bit like that and was interviewed for 4 - all of these I had very specialist and rare skills relating to the positions (and did not get them). So unless it is a rare skill it will be tough.

The reason I said that was due to the time taken to obtain a visa, Victoria (Melbourne) appears to have some of the longest processing times. I would guess a minimum of 8-10 months from scratch, obviously dependant on a number of things.

Is the job a one off or are you thinking of migrating anyway? If so I would suggest starting the process asap just incase something else comes up.

Ignore me - sounds like VickyMel is far more knowlegable in your field!!!

Hi Vicky, yes it's a university and hence the reason I thought I'd post my question on here (I've had a few friends who've made the move into Australian academia in the past few years). I may get back to the correspondant again with the visa enquiry but I'm not holding out much hope as he had originally stated that the onus was on the applicant to be eligible to work there. Thanks for your advice - it was very useful.

Gavy

Hi Shane, your answer was still much appreciated! And yes, I'm very much warming to the idea of making the move (getting a bit fed up in the UK). I haven't done much research yet into what is required to make the move but as you say, the sooner I get started the better!

Cheers,

Gavy

The reason I said that was due to the time taken to obtain a visa, Victoria (Melbourne) appears to have some of the longest processing times. I would guess a minimum of 8-10 months from scratch, obviously dependant on a number of things.

 

Is the job a one off or are you thinking of migrating anyway? If so I would suggest starting the process asap just incase something else comes up.

You are right with the PR visas they can take a long while - it was the temp visas I mentioned above - Gavy would then need to look at a PR afterwards.

Hi Vicky, yes it's a university and hence the reason I thought I'd post my question on here (I've had a few friends who've made the move into Australian academia in the past few years). I may get back to the correspondant again with the visa enquiry but I'm not holding out much hope as he had originally stated that the onus was on the applicant to be eligible to work there. Thanks for your advice - it was very useful.

 

Gavy

If you are chatting with the HR then they probably just say that as the default answer. I would try the person that the position would be with, it might also help to show them you are interested if you do go on and apply.

I would say that unless you have a rare skill - or your prior experience is completely in-line with what they are looking for that it will be a tough one.

At the lecturer level + there should be no problem with the Uni getting a visa. PostDoc also but there may be more competition.

Not sure at what level you are but I can also recommend writing to people in your field at various Unis - some positions may not be advertised and people sometimes have funds for the right person.

That's pretty good advice, i.e. writing around to different departments in my field. I've done a few years 'postdoc-ing' now so I'm reasonably specialised in what I do. Thanks Vicky, that's a good starting point.

Cheers

These might be useful - not sure of your field

Links to lists of academics who have just (last week) been awarded funding for projects by the ARC (may be looking for postdocs now)

http://www.arc.gov.au/pdf/LIEF12/LE12_Listing_by_all_State_Organisation.pdf

http://www.arc.gov.au/pdf/DP12/DP12_Listing_by_all_State_Organisation.pdf

457 visas are cheap, the university will already be an approved sponsor, so it really surprises me that this is even an issue. It's generally a given in academic research that the position is open to internationals. It's so specialised, that there might not even be a local with the right skill set.

Definitely apply, and if there's any issues, just talk to the person offering the position, rather than the HR person.

I agree with RockDr and VickyMel. I am not sure what you mean by 'correspondent'-do you mean a recruiter?

Recruiters don't usually want to deal with people who may need sponsorship because it takes longer and therefore it takes longer for them to get their placement fee. But uni's sponsor foreigners all the time. I'd be finding a contact person at the Uni dept where the job is and contacting them directly-go around the recruiter.

Sorry to say it but my opinion would be 'living in dreamland'!

Sorry but that just isn't true, I applied for a job in Melbourne while I had no visa and they got back in touch asking for an interview, if it wasn't for the fact by that time I had been offered another job in Sydney I would have done the interview.

If an employer wants you then they will do alot to make it an incredibly easy and pain free process as possible.

Everything could be classed as a dreamland when in reality it isn't!

Just go for it and apply...What's the worst that can happen?

Sorry but that just isn't true, I applied for a job in Melbourne while I had no visa and they got back in touch asking for an interview, if it wasn't for the fact by that time I had been offered another job in Sydney I would have done the interview.

 

If an employer wants you then they will do alot to make it an incredibly easy and pain free process as possible.

 

Everything could be classed as a dreamland when in reality it isn't!

 

Just go for it and apply...What's the worst that can happen?

Actually Shanethomas was quite correct in most circumstances and it was a fair comment. The OP was asking about a job that specifically stated in the advert "you need to be eligible to work in Oz to apply for this job"... which usually means you usually need a working visa. In which case and in most circumstances I'd agree with Shanethomas, it usually is dreamland and highly likely to be a waste of time especially at such short notice.

I had noticed that the OP had mentioned it was an academic job and I knew that sometimes that box gets ticked even though the job may be open on a wider scale and suggested they check further. Most of the Uni's are eligible to sponsor and are geared up to getting international people in.

I think there is a special visa for doing academic research. Its similar ( or possibly same one) as entertainers need.

No harm in giving it a go. Universities sponsor a lot of visa and if it's your niche area then that's the kind of skills they want to bring in to help the economy.

I think there is a special visa for doing academic research. Its similar ( or possibly same one) as entertainers need.

Yes there is one. If it is the same as the one I am thinking of it is aimed at if you are coming on a temp basis for visiting the country to do research or work experience/exchange type things (I think it is something like 6 months and there are restrictions on what income you can get - I think it is something like pocket money and accommodation paid?).

If you are after a job at a Uni then it is the normal type of visas employer sponsored or skilled.

The OP was asking about a job that specifically stated in the advert "you need to be eligible to work in Oz to apply for this job"... which usually means you usually need a working visa.

Nearly all jobs on websites such as Seek.com will have need to be eligible to work in Australia , but this isn't always the case, if its a recruiter alot will have this by default but doesn't mean that this is what the employer states aswell.

Nothing is certain and i was just saying my experiences that disagreed with what the reply said.

hi Gavy

sorry I haven't had the chance to read all the answers..

I have a friend (canadian) who keeps applying for post-docs and nothing yet..the idea is you can apply if you want, of course, and if they want you really bad they might get you there, getting the specific visa takes only couple of weeks; otherwise the locals (who actually live/have an address there not just a visa/work permit) have priority over you