Job Offer Advice Needed

[sazm2k12]

I'm currently in Australia on a WHV and am on a 6 month contract. I absolutely love the job I work in and am really happy at the moment. The only problem is that I want to stay in Australia. I have asked about the possibility of sponsorship and unfortunately have been told the company will not sponsor anyone other than senior management, as much as they would want to.

 

I have recently attended an interview with another company who have offered me a job. Initially in the interview they seemed really interested in retaining me and said that sponsorship is definitely a possibility and asked lots of questions about my qualifications. They have since offered me a temporary contract until my visa expires and have said they would possibly look into sponsoring me somewhere down the line but this involves a completely new interview and a series of testing and there is no guarantee. The more questions I ask, the less interested they seem in sponsoring me and HR at the new place seem very unaccommodating and quite grumpy.

 

I wondered if anyone has been in a similar position and could offer any advice? Do I take my current employer's word they won't sponsor me or try and persuade them to make an exception? Do I take this other job on the chance that they may sponsor me, or stay at my current job knowing that at least I will be happy for the remainder of my time in Oz? I have heard that lots of employers use sponsorship as a metaphorical carrot to get and retain staff for the 6 months they can work on a WHV without any intention of ever carrying it out.

 

I'm really grateful for any advice anybody can offer me. Unfortunately I'm not eligible for skilled migration, however there is a chance I could be eligible for state sponsorship but this requires a lot more investigation. Help ... please!!!

[Guest The Pom Queen]

It's very hard because even though they may want to sponsor you legally it may not be possible. Also a lot of companies are very wary of sponsorship as it costs them a fortune and then the employee ups and leaves. Personally I would be looking for a company who can guarantee you sponsorship, neither of these seem to be able to provide that guarantee.

[sazm2k12]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will continue my hunt for somebody who will sponsor me, if there is such a company out there!

[wakeboard1980]

Stay where you are and look for someone else. Make it quite clear to the new company that has dangled the sponsorship carrot that you aren't accepting the job because they won't guarantee sponsorship.

 

If you are happy with your current job stay there

[Rupert]

I'm currently in Australia on a WHV and am on a 6 month contract. I absolutely love the job I work in and am really happy at the moment. The only problem is that I want to stay in Australia. I have asked about the possibility of sponsorship and unfortunately have been told the company will not sponsor anyone other than senior management, as much as they would want to.

 

I have recently attended an interview with another company who have offered me a job. Initially in the interview they seemed really interested in retaining me and said that sponsorship is definitely a possibility and asked lots of questions about my qualifications. They have since offered me a temporary contract until my visa expires and have said they would possibly look into sponsoring me somewhere down the line but this involves a completely new interview and a series of testing and there is no guarantee. The more questions I ask, the less interested they seem in sponsoring me and HR at the new place seem very unaccommodating and quite grumpy.

 

I wondered if anyone has been in a similar position and could offer any advice? Do I take my current employer's word they won't sponsor me or try and persuade them to make an exception? Do I take this other job on the chance that they may sponsor me, or stay at my current job knowing that at least I will be happy for the remainder of my time in Oz? I have heard that lots of employers use sponsorship as a metaphorical carrot to get and retain staff for the 6 months they can work on a WHV without any intention of ever carrying it out.

 

I'm really grateful for any advice anybody can offer me. Unfortunately I'm not eligible for skilled migration, however there is a chance I could be eligible for state sponsorship but this requires a lot more investigation. Help ... please!!!

 

Could you confirm how much time there is on the WHV and how much time you have left and how far you are through the current 6 month contract? I think depending where you are might put a slightly differnet slant on things.

 

Regarding your current company, I probaly would not hold out hope that they will change their mind and sponsor. Especially if they are a large company, they probably have strict policy on these things.

 

Regarding the new company, there is the danger they are kidding you to get you in for 6 months. On the other hand maybe they want to try you out before going to all that time and trouble. As you are on a WHV you are obviously young-ish so perhaps have not built up your career credentials yet? Perhaps your bargaining position is not strong enough to really insist upon things like guaranteed sponsosrhip. Is there any danger you have been pestering the HR person who sounded grumpy? Perhaps you are coming off as a little pushy? I am just suggesting these as possibilities, not stating my opinion of course as I don't have one!

 

If you are near the start of the WHV and coming to an end of the 6 month contract on the curent role, then I would be tempted to take the new job anyway on the off chance it does turn into sponsorship. That is why I asked where you were time wise up front. You would need to use an element of your intuition here, how much did you trust the person who interviewed you. I have learnt over the years that I should trust my intuition when it comes to making decision about interviewers and jobs.

[sazm2k12]

Thanks for all of the feedback, its really helpful and I am leaning towards staying put.

 

The company I currently work for is a large company so I agree that they are unlikely to change their minds. When I asked, I was told it wasn't a decision about me and they wish they could but the company just won't do it and they have tried on a number of occasions in the past. Although I'm only in my second month at my current job, I have worked there before on my first year visa so my manager knows me fairly well and seems happy with me. I have 5 months in total until my 2nd visa is up.

 

In terms of my background, I'm mid 20's, University educated, and have worked since I was 16. I've got a years good work experience in what I really want to do and around 5 years admin experience mainly from working part-time when I was at Uni. I agree though, I don't think my bargaining position is that strong as a years experience isn't a lot - I asked for the sponsorship in my covering letter to the company as didn't think I had anything to lose and wanted to be up front. I don't think I was pestering HR though, after being offered the job they gave me time to think about it. I then followed up with a phone call to ask a few questions, they were supposed to put something in writing and I'm still waiting.

 

Since being in Australia I've had a couple of bad experiences with employers not being honest, and HR at the new place mentioned somebody was going on holiday. My fear is that they are just going to use me as a temporary fix because I would be cheaper than going through an agency. I am really happy in my current role, love my lifestyle and can't help but wonder if its better to enjoy the remainder of my time here.