bwatt99

Pipe fitter I am worked in oil and gas industry over 23yrs and a lot of that was offshore North sea.

Just wondering how many on here came to oz and ended up back in uk if so how long did it last? i always wanted to make the move here since my backpacking days over 10 yrs ago and the many times on holidays. Came on or with got her or while here. Its coming up to 2yrs on June 2015 and as much as I wanted to get here I left it till about 3 months before my pr visa was due to expire. Or should I say before I would be too late in getting in. working here in my trade 10 yrs ago while backpacking and seeing the jobs advertised here I thought I cant go wrong more so on the projects that was going on previous to coming and while being here. But to be honest it maybe time for me to call it a day see to the end of my lease or head off sooner. As nice as it is nice weather etc etc the work needs to be there and ongoing. In the 23 yrs in the industry and over this time hardly out of work the odd few months here and there over that time it's been pretty sweet back there for me. It was always a worry what if it does not work out,what if there is not enough work etc. in the 17 months of being here I have only had about 4 months work if that. Pretty sick of just getting the odd job here and there and nothing more steady,getting messed around and the endless applying for jobs and some not even getting back to you etc. Each and everytime having to get a medical. There has been a lot of bad timing on some work and just as said being promised but nothing. i do find they could not care less of there workers here ok they are not 100% at home but I find they care more and I myself I hardly need to call them they are always calling me asking if I want work. But it's like I sold my house left funds in uk to see how it went here,ok it's something but not enough to buy a house here and with getting silly jobs here the way it's going I just wanna own again and I'm not getting any younger. i know I would pretty much get work asap if moved back home it's such a carry on here to get on one and on the jobs I have been on the guys around me have way less yrs in the industry or experience and even guys in charge of me and above,it's really opened my eyes coming here and seeing these guys on the jobs while I keep trying etc. As much as it would be nice to stay here I think the lack of work I have been offered etc has just put me off and it's just got worse by being annoyed buy there driving here to many other things,ok most don't settle and some never do,but I do wonder if oz was ever for me. Unless things get much better soon then it's time to go back me thinks,As I really can't go on like this I have done pretty well supporting my wife and bub and savings have taken a huge hit but if I move back I know I be back on my feet soon again.i rather be broke I think in uk near family than over here with none. Such a waste of a pr for us and shame it was not 2yrs for citizenship as feel it would not have been a complete waste coming over here but hope we are not those ones that want to come back to oz wishing we never left in first place. God it's a hard one.

Im wondering if most people how are in my line of used vetassess to gain oz trade cert or also to migrate to Australia or gain pr.I been told as I already have pr and only need a trade cert use rpl? As its much easier and less hassle, im sure vetassess offer both worlds for gaining pr and to get trade cert as well as trade cert only. I just wonder why they can take 6 weeks, when some places I know can give you the cert in a day. Whats the difference with vetassess vs rpl they give you the same cert right? Im about to send my stuff off to vetassess but now that I was told about rpl and can get cert in a day why bother with vetassess? Anyone give me advise on the above as there have im sure been many on here for migration and for trade cert used vetassess or rpl and why.

It would be worksafe

Does anyone know if a ewp license from oz is transferable in the uk just out of interest.

Because the agents want money for there services and i have paid out way too much over the years on tra's,visa etc etc and i dont know why i would need a agent for this many others on here have not used one for the above.

bump

Ok guys need your help i see there have been a few post about guys doing there assessment with vetassess,some of you pipefitters and some other trades. Im a pipefitter from uk,who trained for almost 4 years with a well known company back in uk and the training board,with both on and off job training.This was about 20yrs ago. I came to australia last year,lets not get into why been here a few times and wanted to give it a try. I have had some jobs but not many and some have said you need to get your skills recognised,others including some employers i was with said its load of crap not really needed,so to be honest not really bothered with it. One reason being pipefitter is a trade in eu,uk,usa and most other places but not here,and as i already have papers and did my time why need to pay and get them recongnised here,and pay for it also. I also did the traveling thing back in 2004 and found it very easy to get work without any quals ie oz ones,But then i was not living here but traveling.so probably get away with it,but to be honest i thought as pipefitter was not a trade here and as i was one then not be required.But i do find that more and more employers are asking for them now or advertising with wanting this. I even have been knocked back several times from one company asking if i have it and they say i can get a job unless i have it. So i have decided i maybe better if i have it,if i remain in australia thats another thing, as its not been as planned so far due to lack of work,this maybe down to just not getting the jobs as i have not got the quals or just unlucky.It sure is nothing to do with experience. If this australian quals opens more doors and finds me the work more then i will see if i wish to remain here but as of now,i have been talking about going back as never been out of work much back in uk. My questions are,what do vetassess need from you i have all the stuff in front of me and it goes on about a load of things and a little confused about it all,my pipefitting goes back 21yrs,so how far they want me to go back? When i decided to move here i did not get in as a pipefitter,i got in as a welder yes and im not even a welder,i did night classes in welding long ago and also one some old training scheme way back,i did put down as a metal fabricator but tra messed up and had me as a welder. The guy who did my tra an agent for it said look dont worry about it, you have the points you needed and now you can apply for the visa,lets say its was all done by agents and an ex tra agent for the tra part. As i said im far from a welder and im here now,could have been here years ago but came before my visa expired,im a qualified pipefitter and again i see my trade best matched as a metal fabricator and have talked online with others who where also pipefitters and passed as a metal fabricator. As i have been in the game so long i have done many different duties and tasks some not even related to pipefitter or normally would have been done by other trades in the uk. I have worked on some jobs here as a mechanical fitter as the so a lot of pipeys work,well they do what we do in uk.I also done a lot of plating work,again this maybe classed as a boilermaker here,and as said various other things. As im a pipefitter thats what my quals are in and what i have mostly worked as. I have when i applied for my visa all them letterhead letters from employers which im sure will be usefull but how many or how far back do they want me to go?I also have some pipefitting certs showing what modules was completed,i then have my craft cert,nvq level 3,ace card etc.I have my tra as a first class welder,lol and papers on welding that was used to apply for tra,but if it came down to picking up a welding machine and welding i probably struggle as been years ago since i did it.I have letter headed papers from other employers showng or saying i worked for them. I take i would not add any jobs i have had in oz as not really been any pipefitting jobs,so really no point as be nothing to do with mechanical fitter.I have one or two references from a few years back,but have phone numbers from a couple of supervisor from uk just before i left to come here. Some letters from oil companies on a good job well done and awarded a gift. Photos well its not really something i have had done or needed to do,as in have someone take some while doing a job to see me complete it,but i have pics from newspapers,and a company photo from the training days,would this help my assessment? I really have no tickets/licenses here apart from white card and my refresher for foet for offshore,i did used to have all them other things when in ok working at height,confined spaces etc etc,but they maybe expired now and my ex employer in uk might have some valid stuff on file still.I also have msic. It goes on about reference template i take giving them my own reference from employers is all thats needed there and what is the third party reports? Whats the self assessment qualifiations it mentions and self assessment questionare? It also goes on about taxation records or payslips well before moving to oz i had lots going back many years but binned them,i may have like one p60 from before i left to come here,and who knows i maybe have but unsure yet some old pay slip in an email somewhere but if not is this really needed? Bank statements is not really going to make much difference as i moved over here a year ago and so will they need me to get statements from when i was paid and if so when and how far back as i have been in this industry for 21 yrs,and some companies i know are no longer around. I maybe looking into this in too much detail but i sure have the trade papers,and the letter head papers to cover many jobs over the years,but how deep do i need to dig or provide to them,it be great if someone who has been through this was to help me out a little. God its like applying for a visa again but then i never did my own visa when coming over here i used an agent,and sure would not be for this as cant afford it. Just need a little help on what you guys provided,i not looked into this in great detail but can this be done online or paper based and what did it cost im being told $1850 and did you get your quals without a tech interview or practical or was one a requirment? Also im based in perth so if i had to go to say a venue and show what i can do where would this be? as by the looks of it they have moved from the places that was pretty close to me. It does annoy me i even have to go this route,and pay this money etc but then there be a load of you guys who have thought the same but had to. I may provide them with not enough stuff or too much and i really am not sure how much they want from me. I believe some of you guys may have done this to get into australia for migration and some who are already here well im one thats already here so not sure if that makes any difference in what they require. Sorry for the long post,but just needed to get my message out there.lol

In regards to the metal fabricator how recent have you done this and what was your fees,looking at there site its has various fees and i dont know what they all mean.i also was wondering if this all can be done from perth as im sure it was mentioned can be done online as well as a venue,i noticed in my older emails when i first looked into it that there was a place not far from me but looks like they are moving to city,i take if they want to assess you then this can be done at there place? Im not working so cant be done at place of work. Also anyone thats done this as metal fabricator please pm me just so i have a better idea whats needed,what you did and anything else thats good to know,i do have the advantage i have references from many of my employers when i did my own visa some years and others stuff they ask for as well as my pipefitting certs etc. It might be something i need have to help with getting jobs,but i have been putting this off for a while now and thing it maybe best to have it.

Im the same been thinking of this from day one of arriving in australia,im a pipefitter with 21yrs expereince both onshore and offshore,trained with a well known uk company as well as ecitb for a number of years have all the certs and yes even certs from way back when yts was on the go for basic welding. I am far from a welder but have done some over them years but not a lot and not much tacking up jobs due to the locations of work i been on,I have a nvq level 2 as well as a craft cert,ace card and many papers from ex employer from where i worked to prove i was working on them jobs. I am still finding the jobs but im probably being knocked back on more,some employers are telling me its a load of crap not needed and some employers say no oz qualification no job. Anyone did it lately what was total cost and what was involved,as said im a pipefitter with some welding expereince but not much and very basic tacking experience,but other experience in other roles other trades do in uk due to where my job loctaions where and being flexible which will mean nothing towards metal fabricator. Be good to get full details by pm of what you had to do,what you got asked,pretty much all involved as i may still go ahead and get this or carry on without or may end up moving back to uk where this be a waste of time.

Yes you might be right there just add many yrs to expire date but I would need to check my grant letter im sure it said expired in august 2013 as that needed uploaded I will have to check out letter.

I may have to apply for a rrv if work needs it,i see you can apply online as well as going to a dept and getting one. Anyone know how long it takes to get it? Also when your on immi site and check out costs you can use the calculator and it says 3 months. Im sure someone said to me that you can get a 1yr visa?I have been here just over a year now and i know that next year i could get a 5yr rrv. But how does the calculator know how long you been here or what your able to get as its only saying three months and no questions asking about how long been in oz. Ideally the 5yr visa would be great but i not been here 2 yrs yet,is there such a rrv as 1 yr,i thought it was just 3 months and 5 years. Out of interest is the 5yr rrv same price as the 3 month one?

Its a oguk i have but also has my ex employers name on the cert from the uk im wondering yes as you say i can use it,if its an issue with another company name on it,they paid for it and i had worked for them,and its just a emailed copy i dont own the orignal copy.

I was wondering if anyone had knowledge of what the standard rate was working offshore,yes i know it depends on what you do,who the employer was etc. I am a tradie well pipefitter by trade but with mechanical experience,plus have done much more and was contacted by an ex employer i worked with on a shutdown,who said the might have something for me offshore. I have been doing it for over 21yrs now over here i believe pays well,but i have no idea what. I know that my ex employer when i worked for them on the shutdown i was paid straight time,no double or time and half weekends,while other companies on same job was and even on a holiday was not paid any extra or due the day another time.To be honest all the guys in the squad was annoyed about all but did not have the bottle to ask manager who never replied or did anything about it. To be honest i said it was a job and money in the end but feel they was taking the pee. I am going to see them again tomorrow and im sure they said be same rate as i was on and i must say was not that great for being onshore never mind being offshore and said there be an uplift also for being offshore. I have no idea what be said tomorrow or whats on offer or even how long the job be for, maybe 2 months ok yes i not been here long and we all start from the bottom again and work up, but i have been in the game a long time and would hate to be taken advantage of, yes we can all say what we want and what we hope for but not know whats the going rates its hard to haggle. thanks

Cause i have worked in the offshore industry for many years and always had my medical for offshore paid for by company,i was wondering if any guys who are in oz work offshore and know the score on medicals for offshore here. Im based in wa and i have a emailed copy of my offshore medical from my employer in uk. I was lead to believe that you can use this here as well,and that really the only use the same ones. I hear that this might be upto the client or employer about using a uk offshore medical anyone know?and im unsure if its got another company name on it if an employer would want? Does anyone know if needed to do another,where i can search for places that does the offshore medical and best prices as im sure there are some costing more than other places. I still have a year left on the one i have and hoping i can use it but im thinking maybe its not possilble. thanks

If my work involves going overseas then i may not have any options but to get a rrv,on what i understand i would only get a 1yr rrv,would have been great if it was 5yr visa.So what do i tell them to be honest im surprised why i have been asked about it. It was asked on the application online about my visa so entered the issue and expire and they contacted me to say to update it or give them a call,could not reach them on phone,but other employers have never had any issues with my visa,and im sure they would have checked to make sure they are not breaking the law.lol So what shoudl i say they do next.

I have been in oz now for almost 12 months my pr visa expired in august 2013,but i only should have issues with that if i have to go overseas or need to work overseas. I had an employer ask me today they need a valid visa as mine has expired,no other employers have asked for this,and to be honest my pr visa allows me to work and stay in australia as long as i wish. I thought it was only an issue if i went out of australia,what should i do or what do they require. I only came here in 1st june 2013 so i think dont qualify for a 5 yr rrv until next year. Thanks

When you have private health can you choose what one you wish to use at the time of the problem,like yours above you may have not been here anymore if not for the health cover but say for example wife has a baby and goes private all paid for vs out of pocket with health cover,do they know if you have private health and make you used it or are you then marked off the Medicare system for having such cover confused why say someone would say have a baby and be out of pocket when going through Medicare mostly free.

thing is i never got any letter from medicare when my year is up??so what do you recommend?I am registered with gov.au where you can access medicare and all other stuff.

whats so bad about the bechtel site then?

I noticed this on private health site,how does one know when the signed up for medicare? its got on my card expire 05/2018 but surely it cant be from 05/2013 as i did not arrive in australia until 1st june and im not sure when i applied for it after that may have been a week or two after cant rememeber,this is what i read. I've just become a permanent resident; can I purchase private hospital cover without Lifetime Health Cover loading? Yes. If you are over 31, you have one year from the date you registered for Medicare benefits to purchase private hospital cover without incurring a loading. See Lifetime Health Cover for further information.

I contacted hcf as i read somehwere they was able to help someone who just passed the 12 months and started the policy from the month it started ie i should have seen about on or before 1st june,but my problem is if its really required and what sort of cover i would need,been a crap year as in work and not really got on my feet since arriving so,paying this would be more strain on paying out more money,then again my luck might be changing and start earning and get regular work.

So is anyone on this bechtel job as a mechanical fitter,if so what are you clearing per week or per roster 4/1?If you prefer to pm me this please do. I have just been working for an employer for past month on a shutdown and has offere me a position on this job for approx 3 months. He did mention approx how much i could earn a week gross and sent me an agreement from site,but to be honest cant get my head around it or whats on offer. I am also being offered or should i say in the process of being picked for a pipe fitters role in a bhp billinton construction site this im told would be 5 months,they again emailed me rates etc but again im confused as to what can be earned on this job,as they mentioned about other payments etc. Being a newbie to oz and having a very bad year last year as in work they seem to be coming from everywhere now,but im used to overseas working a working week and then overtime kicks in and on sat and sun time and half and double time,i think this is called penalties here right. So i take the same works here standard rate for so many hours per week and then overtime after that. One employer said 7.2 hrs standard rate,then next 2 hrs time and half and after that double,im thinking after you have worked a set hrs per week your paid the overtime/penalties. I should be greatfull of any job offers im getting but both are 4/1 and im just trying to get my head around how things work here and work out who is better paying and what job maybe the best for me,one might not even come off yet as going through references right now but incase it does need to pick one.

I may have asked this a few times in past but its regarding private health cover is it really required or medicare enough, I arrived here last june 1st and I just remember something about you get upto 12 months to get it or you get charged 2% for ever year over 32 I take as the 1st june has past im too late?Or can I still get it.time has flown by since arriving and just wanted a heads up on it all.

Anyone know if my wife while on a trip to the uk could use my qantas flyer card and will she be able to us it below: If you are a Bronze or Silver Qantas Club member, you'll continue to use your Qantas Club card to access all the benefits of your Qantas Club membership, including entry to Qantas Lounges across Australia and around the world. The card is in my name.