Fryertuck

We've tried every state to get work, but nothing in our professions, I wish everyone the best of luck in Queensland. Unions have a major say in Oz, some sites here in the last week shout because of labour fees, not returning to work for a month, but hey doesn't concern me now, not bitter, not twisted just a realisation that Queensland wasn't for us...

Melzo, yes we did research it, it's more the process and ignorance to lack of understanding the bricks and mortar are used worldwide, the build process is the same, the same as HR it's the same process yet Queensland seems to think it's on planet mars, rallyman, thanks I did only say Brisbane, or Queensland, all other states have different rules and regs I was on pointing QLD only but thanks, the biggest problem we haven't been given a chance to prove the skill base, very much union based as well, we know that as well but I don't want to go there...

Well some will see from earlier post were are returning home, so an insight to our experience on searching for construction work. We came to Brisbane, Im a trained/certified Project manager, I worked on the London Olympics, German government buildings, train stations, golf courses and hotels, Tower blocks etc, I've been in construction all my life from 15, Im also a apprentice trained Stucco craftsman by trade, I believe I have reasonable experience at 23 years. I came to Brissy to be a manager and work my way back up the ladder, beginning at any level i was prepared to enter the market place and its dead, totally dead. Any how to enter at site manager level you need a license 'Builder license" or "Small developer license" or high rise license, you get the idea every level of site management needs a license, my PMI certificates do not matter. BE WARNED when you land in Queensland no matter where you've worked, what you've done or how you've done it, any certificate will not be recognised you will have to be certified in Queensland before you do any work over $3:300 dollars, you can do handyman work up to $3:300 but nothing else, yo may seem $3;300 is ok, but this must included GST, materials and when you consider the cost of materials its not a great deal with the cost of living, also every person you work for will ask for a QBSA number, if you don't have one look out, every one pulls a fast one and uses that to get you on any fault, whether it be a fault or not, they will use that against you, you MUST HAVE A Signed contract before you do any work of any nature, otherwise if they report you, its a $800 dollar fine, if they complain to any authority, your done, you have to be so careful before you pull a nail. So to be registered, to be licensed, you must get exactly that. You must join the Master builders organisation, you must get skill asserted and qualified which costs around $1800 including GST, you must join the Master builder $550 plus GST, the whole process takes around 10 Weeks, then you must go down the QBSA route to get the certificate which costs around $1200 and 6-8 weeks wait and assessment time. My trade certification is "Stucco craftsman", I can plaster Internals / Externals rendering etc, I can drywall or dry lining (UK), Set cornices/coving, Tile & Waterproof using tanking and sealant systems, now in Queensland that equals 4 licenses at over $3,500 a license at around 14-16 weeks a license you can do 2 license together, you must provide 4 years back experience, you have to fill out endless paperwork, past references, photos all that will be crossed checked and be working for a site assessment at the time of assessment, if you thinking getting into australia was differ cult, wait till you enter this process. You can not use you entry visa paperwork into Australia as a statement of works or experience, I have been skills assessed to get my PR 176 visa, they are not interested in any of that paperwork lodged at visa stage, they will say as they said to me " That could be any ones paperwork and certificates, I have a certification for working in Germany on KNAUF & WEBER render systems there not interested, I have certification for working with DUNLOP and ZYPEX waterproofing system, not interested, I've got a HANDWERKSKAMMER CARD certificate, for trade master to work in Germany, they are interested in any past experience, certification or qualification, you have to lodge a totally new format of paperwork, they do not or will not entertain any form of European or UK certification, they have to witness it first hand with 4 years past experience, if you try to short cut it they knock you back, back to start the whole process again, new fees. This is not a winging Pom, this is posted for the interest of Construction management & workers coming to QUEENSLAND, you will face and have to kick down a lot of doors to be able to work for yourself or get a job here its a nightmare, its as if they don't want skills people to enter the construction industry, be prepared for a hard slog to get the paperwork to get a license to operate, otherwise its $28-$35 dollars an hour at very best and treated like a dog, good luck to all those who try. They say in AUSTRALIA there is a lot of work for trades persons, well there isn't, and what there is, is for QUEENSLANDERS around Brisbane, the reason there is a lack of tradesman is because the doors are locked to outsiders wanting to give it ago, good luck to all those who try, every City, Place or Town has nepotisum around but Brisbane has a check to call itself a CBD, it really is a small town so be prepared for he said, she said, oh bollocks not again. If you read my earlier posts you'll see where on our way home, its much the same with HR work, my wife has all the digits, letters after her name, after working for a finance company in London, we took 8 months getting her certificated to Australian standards here in Brisbane at an expense of $800 dollars, still she searches for work, WELL NOT ANY MORE, as I said this is to help those coming, I've tried to get on the bottom rung of the ladder as has my wife to no avail, good luck to all those who have tried, we've given it 19 months now, business is closed now until MARCH 2014 after the holidays, who ever fills our space, I wish you the best of luck..BUT please bear in mind we jointly wrote over 280 covering letters to get jobs over 18 months and got 1 interview each to be turned down for not having Queensland experience,What a beautiful place it is, we will miss it, but for professional reasons we have to go back to what we know with, we tried to live the dream, we tried very hard, in-fact we slagged our guts out, we hold our heads up high with no regrets good luck with your dreams, at least we tried………. Regards FT.

Johndoe,I don't think you understand, my wife and I have offer to go to the bottom of the ladder of our skill sets to get jobs, my wife is a HR CONSULT and would take an assistant HR officer role but been reject many times, I've applied for finishing foreman, site manager, senior site manager, project manager, you get the idea, we get told the same to experienced for the role, don't have Queensland experience, your not a member of the union, your not Queensland this that and the other, so please don't teach the teacher, we gone to the bottom of the barrel to get roles.........it's not us it's the market place.....end

weve applied for jobs nationwide, and offered to pay all relocation costs, to no avail...sadly

To be fully trained, qualified, experienced to fulfill a role and be told sorry we can't take you because of a lack of Queensland experience is a complete cop out, maybe even Union related who knows, it's so frustrating, we've met so many people who have struggled, I feel for 457 visa people, we have PR visa, but after the struggles we've had, my wife and I stopped applying 4 weeks ago, I have written over a 100 covering letters to no avail..time to say that enough, we will enjoy what time we have left but sadly we go, but with found memories and heads held high, we leave a space for others to try and full fill there dreams..

Thanks to all with positive notes, very kind.. for balance for some I have Project management institute trained, I worked on the London Olympics programme or works award winning, my wife was HR consultant, in senior role for a finance company, we've tried to get work and move ourselves around Oz to secure our future and in 18 months, not a sniff, very sad, but that's life. my post was just a little sample for others on the way here, to help know it will be tough. Boring comment, Brisbane is very expensive as is Oz in general without a job you can't do everything, we do go out and enjoy the place, but if people think Oz is sports mad, sorry think again..oh and the TV isn't to clever, but we didn't come for that either...we will enjoy our last warm Xmas...as I hope you do, thanks for reading...

To all, lack of planning maybe but being turned down for jobs because of a lack of Queensland experience, sorry not having that. We've tried it, we're very happy to do so, since we have been in Oz we've applied for jobs nation wide to stay here from Perth to Melbourne Sydney, to no avail.. We have family who have lived here for 8 years who have helped in there own way, but we landed 2 months before the massive job cull, so no matter wat we did, planned or arranged it was always going to be hard, but that made it impossible..on the positive we loved the experience, would not want to live a life wishing we tried, we can leave happy we tried, great memories, just not our home, sold the dream by immigration agents maybe, family friends and our previous trips, onwards and upwards.....

Ive sent you a PM…thanks

Getting a job here is a nightmare, they expect you to have Queensland experience, we've been here 18 months and nothing I mean nothing, the government sacking 16000,00 civils last year killed it, lets be honest Brisbane is named a city, but in theory a small town, rent around $500 a week, food bill $200, plus electric & water, you got to bank on a $1000 a week to live in the Brisbane area, a good car will be $10/15 grand, as for kids we have a 3 year old looking to school him, names have to be down now to get a placement but choosing a school, well good luck with that. The weather is great, friendly people, but unless you get a good job, you'll need to have a salary around $120 to enjoy all that brisbane offers, its very very expensive, but with GOLD COAST and SUNSHINE coast near by, all can be forgiven for a time, but when you have no salary it gets very demanding….good luck.

Ok, we got sold the big picture about living in Oz, we have family in Brisbane we've been before and we knew what to expect or so we thought, so cutting to the edge, my wife and I are in management, me a PM in construction, my wife A HR consultant, I gave up getting a job after 150 plus applications, my wife gave up 120 both on seek and through networks, every time we had an interview we were told we lack QUEENSLAND EXPERIENCE, like we used to work in LONDON on mulit-million pound platforms, its the same systems in both our professions. So we sent money on courses, my wife joining the HR organisation and still no luck, and to be honest, unless you have a job secured in Australia, there job cuts every where here in Brisbane, we now have the 3 months of no employment because everyone basically takes 3 months off for holidays as it is so hot. We've found it very boring, there are so many times you go to the park, or go swimming, everyone is in bed at 8:30 /9pm up at 4:30 /5am to beat the heat, we've done all the beaches, the whale watching, turtles, barrier reef, now were heading to wheat i can only say is not xmas, not as you know from the UK or we are customed too, the weather is lovely, you can't beat it, but meeting new friends, securing a job we've found impossible. were fed up renting, we pay more rent in 1 week then out mortgage in the UK, our car a 10 year old jeep cost us $20,000 dollars and its not about import taxes, the cost of living here is so extreme, so we are heading him win Jan 2014, were going to sydney for new year then heading home, i use the term home as we've never settled here, its a lovely place, but home its not, but being sold the big dream about lifestyle, easy jobs, great salary, living in the sun, no…sorry its not like, don't be fooled, great the job first, buy the house don't rent, then you maybe in a better situation, but a dream it hasn't been, but good luck to all who try..

renting, cost of living, sunscreen, parks, all good notes, families and friends we've been in Oz 18 months and as much as we try, they just don't mingle..in bed at 8, up at 4:30……dark at 6 every night on balance…only contract jobs, for us the only good thing about Oz is the weather, the wildlife, as for lifestyle they don't have one…Were heading home, i must say its bloody boring place I've ever been too……..

We've been 18 months in Brisbane, its the same….were heading back after xmas after 18 months, applying for so many jobs you would never believe, I'm in the building trade and its a waste of time moving to OZ if your a builder tradesman, we've meet so many builder tradesman who say its now a waste of time coming to Oz to work, we know 4 families who have gone back in the last 6 weeks you must have a license done in Oz, here you must also join the master builders, its a crazy system needless to say the dreams they sale you, the visa process, then you arrive to find its a empty bucket..Thanks Oz just image how much the government makes on visa application alone…its not a dream, but a bloody nightmare….

To anyone making the move I would jump at it, the employment rate is the only down side, budget well and be prepared to spent $5 grand a month if you coming to Queensland. Its a lovely place and employment can only pick up, it can't get worse, well lets hope not. Good luck.

Paul. Can you call me or me you please ???