Young Designer wanting to immigrate with partner and small child!

Embol · 06-02-2008, 11:43 PM

Hi my name is Emma, 27, i currently live in York, England. I am in my final year of my degree in Graphic Design and my partner, 24, also has a foundation degree in the same subject. We have a baby on the way but are considering moving to Australia as soon as the baby has arrived! We have been told and read on various websites that the Australian government is looking for people skilled in design but we have no idea how to even go about the whole process. We have no savings and are basically looking to start a new life out there in the hope that we can eventually own our own home and live comfortably.I do have family out there too! Obviously being students we have quite a bit of debt which we are very slowly paying off, would we have to pay that off before we could leave to come to oz? Please Can anyone give us any pointers on where to start and if we would even be considered with no savings but a profession? Thankyou.

Emma xx

P.s. Any ideas for locations would be recieved gratefully too, we will initially looking for somewhere cheap to live, good schools, plenty to do and quite lively cos we like to socialise and have lots of fun!!!

thekeans · 10-03-2008, 10:23 AM

Hi,

My husband is a graphic designer with 6 years experience and a BA hons. We have been looking to move to oz for years but there never seemed to be anyway in. If we go through the skilled independant visa we are always 10 points short and the regional sponsored visas do not list graphic design as a skill in demand. However I have just found a back door in!! Basically if you are prepared to move to South Australia and unlike most other regional sponsorship visas you can live in the city ( Adelaide) they will sponsor graphic design as a skill in demand, its on a provisional visa the 475 and it can be made permanent after 2 years of working in Australia. Then when you are a permenant residant you can move to any where you want.
There are certain criteria that you have to meet to get the visa but the points pass mark is only 100 and that is with 10 points from south Australia sponsoring you you need to only get 90 for your skills experience etc.
The info you need is on Untitled Document
The basic requirements are that you are under 45
Have good health
Have a job on the skills in demand for the provisional visa- (see website)
Can meet the 90 points on the DIAC list Department of Immigration and Citizenship

There are some other things you will need but read the info on the website.

Hope this helps and good luck.
As far as student debt goes I will have some when we go and assume I will just give them my new contact info and carry on with payments. Not sure but lots of friends are there and they have student debt and are fine.

Clare x

Trying to save to get skills tested!

scotty · 13-03-2008, 11:15 AM

Just a thought but have either of you considered the Graphics/Pre-press route?
This is what I'm applying under through the TRA which is a 60 point occupation rather that 50 for Graphic Designer.

thekeans · 13-03-2008, 12:25 PM

Can you apply for this if you are a graphic designer??
I thought it was only for print people to set up the machines etc??
Would appreciate some feedback on your skills, qualifications, experience etc.

Thanks

scotty · 13-03-2008, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekeans

Can you apply for this if you are a graphic designer??
I thought it was only for print people to set up the machines etc??
Would appreciate some feedback on your skills, qualifications, experience etc.

Thanks

Pre-press is the bit between designing something and it getting printed. This can cover doing the artwork, laying things up for print, scanning, re-touching in Photoshop, making PDF files. Pretty much everything up to the stage where you pass it to the printers. Nothing at all to do with the printing process or the presses themselves.

Graphic Pre-Press Tradesperson 4911-11 - Australian Skills Recognition Information

I've worked at a few printers doing Graphic Design and getting things ready for press has always been a part of my job but any Graphic Designer who gets a design artworked ready to go to a printer is essentially doing Pre-press.
I think unless your OH is a very top end creative, much of his job will have elements of Graphics/Pre-press. A lot of things come down to how you word things as to how they will be interpreted.

I now work for myself as a designer/illustrator but there is still plenty of Graphics/Pre-press to what I do now.

My qualifications are YTS Certificate and CPVE in art/design and a BTEC National in Art & Design (Graphics).

Since pathway D has been removed I am using an agent for my application.
The thing is now that applicants have to show they have had on the job training. At least until pathway D returns or something takes it's place.

thekeans · 13-03-2008, 07:30 PM

My husband had a degree in graphic design and advertising, also a BTEC in art foundation. He has mainly worked for printers, large format exhibitions and some agency work. Also runs his own company now bit like you.
Do you know if his qualifications would suffice??
Whats pathway D?
He has 2 employers that can give him refs and plenty of clients.

scotty · 13-03-2008, 10:59 PM

I was concerned that my qualifications might count against me as daft as it sounds.
You see, I can't apply as a graphic designer as I don't have a degree but I was afraid that the ones I have may make me look like a under qualified graphic designer if you get my drift.
I've asked about this on another forum but didn't really get an answer.

I'm always a bit reluctant to advise on all this immigration thing as I'm in no way qualified to do so and I'd hate to mislead you through my own ignorance but I'll share what I do know/think.
The TRA assesses certain occupations like Graphic/Pre-press to see if an applicant is qualified and/or experienced enough to do the job in Australia (more based on experience).
Vetassess assesses Graphic Designers (based on qualifications not experience).
There are a few ways to do this, Pathway D meant that after several years (I think six) of doing a job they saw you to be fit to do the same in Aus regardless of education or training but a few months ago this was removed leaving a lot of people high and dry.
Now you have to show that you have qualifications and training.
The general opinion is that something 'like' pathway D will be re instated in early June but no-one is sure in what guise.

Here is a link to thread on another forum dedicated to this. Be warned. It;s a long one.
Pathway D

I was happily going along preparing my own TRA application until the Pathway D thing so I sought the help of an agent.
As you're in a similar boat to myself I'd be more than happy to share anything I know with yourselves and if you like I'll PM you my email address.

These sites may be of some use to your OH:

austrailianinfront.com
This site is for designers in Aus and has a lot of info on the forum. They don't like noobies:(

Freelance Advice and Freelance Jobs - FreelanceSwitch
A site for freelancers. A global community but its it's run by a really nice couple (Collis and Cyan) from Bondi Junction.

Cheers

Scotty

thekeans · 14-03-2008, 09:45 AM

Thanks,

I contacted Alan Collett and he seemed to think that going down the pre press route would be difficult. I am going to leave it to see if Pathway D comes back and if its a no go I will do the original plan get SIR to SA.

Thanks

Alan Collett · 15-03-2008, 04:22 AM

Just a quick correction if I may - you spoke with my colleague, John Sylvester, not me. I understand the advice was along the lines that we would want to carry out a formal appraisal (our stage 1 skills assessment process) before concluding on whether a TRA application was likely to secure a positive outcome.

Best regards.

thekeans · 15-03-2008, 08:11 AM

I was referring to an email you sent my husband.

email
You are not required to work in your nominated occupation if you move to Australia as the holder of a subclass 475 visa.

Given the likely problems obtaining a positive classification from TRA as a Graphic Pre Press Tradesperson I would be looking at a 475 application so long as:

- you can obtain 100 points
- the occupation Graphic Designer is on the Wanted Skills List of a State or Territory Government

We have your fees but to be honest with you feel that the pre press route would be too dodgy and do not have the money to waste. Thank you for your advice we will go down the 475 as its a safer bet.

Clare Kean