Don't come without a job, Australia is not working!!!!!

[blueshift86]

To anyone coming to Australia without a job, don't come delay your migration. Australia is not working every state is down, I've applied for over 200 jobs, you don't get a call, you don't get a email you get nothing it all goes straight in the bin.

 

we've been here 8 months, spent $35,000 dollars and running at a loss of $1500 a month.

 

i would advise anyone coming here without a job, DON'T, wait till the last minute before you activate your visa, there isn't any work here, were in Brisbane, government cuts cuts cuts and believe me, it's far far worse than anything in the UK.

 

im a senior project manager, worked on the Olympics can't get a thing, lucky the wife has a job otherwise we would gone back at Xmas.

 

believe me guys, stay where you are Austarlia is not working for thousands of expats, many going back.

 

Sounds like london, lol! Sorry to hear the job market there is crap. I've been job hunting for 2 years and i've only been able to get temp work - nothing permanent. All this fancy education and i can't get diddly squat. My mum's telling me to go to australia illegally on a holiday visa and get a job there, but I told her it doesn't work like that, and you've just given me another reason not to pursue a dream job down under!

[Beddy]

we came without jobs six months ago OH got a job within three weeks ...1st interview they turned him down because the pay didn't match his skills and said he was worth more .....2nd interview his skills were too advanced for the job but was too good to lose so they created a job for him . His pay is far better than in the uk ....job -mechanical engineer ......which was on the jobs skills short list . I guess it is what industry your in .

[mw291073]

Freytruck - I can sympathize but rather than giving up I think you should try Sydney or Melbourne if you are able to. I've been here 2 months and while January was complete dead February has been far more positive. I've now got 2 offers to juggle, I work in IT. Like another has said apply directly and best of luck. By the way, there is a simple reason agencies aren't returning your calls, it's more than likely they don't have jobs available despite what they advertise.

 

Chortlepuss - From previous posts I know you've been struggling in the IT market, I would again encourage you to try Sydney or Melbourne if you are able to. The job market is OK, it's not flush with jobs but if you have right skillset it's still possible to find positions. Good luck!

 

Hi Bromney. Do you mind me asking what sector of IT you work in?

 

Cheers

[jim bugg]

i guess it depends on the industry.

airline jobs, and most of the ancillaries of them are pretty much all in Brisbane now.

the best jobs and the highest wages in Australia are all there.

 

Hi, are you in the aviation business? im in the process of gaining my B1.1 license prior to moving out, so interested in any toptipsforwhere to go looking for airline jobs, we are thinkingabout brisabne area, but would consider other east coast areas.

 

cheers, jim

[armitchell]

Do you think the economy and market is the same for backpackers looking to come to Oz for a year on a WHV looking for restaurant jobs?

 

No I wouldn't worry the WHV is set up so that you are more or less restricted and used to fill the crap jobs the Aussies don't want to do you will find getting fruit picking the easiest ...................................well that was my perception when I had it 11 yrs ago but then it was different you could only work for one employer a max of 3 months and it only lasted 12 months!

 

best of luck

[Chortlepuss]

Freytruck - I'd like to also add that I suspect that your level of experience is a real stumbling block for employers in QLD. There aren't that many senior jobs anyway, and outside of mining (where you need direct experience) a low demand for good senior PMs. The Brisbane market is very frustrating for those without significant connections once you learn how it works. As an example, I joined one organisation where the outgoing PM (on $1,000 per day) had decided that the job was not for him - he had been in post for one year and was struggling to put together the project plan (a minor project). He was a very close friend of the Programme Manager, who was sad that he was leaving as he was 'such a good bloke', The same programme manager refused to allow me to develop a business case for our project because 'If you do a business case, the users will stop the project' I have so many more examples to give, but the fact is that someone like you may be seen as threatening to such individuals (Programme mgr has never been out of highly paid work but has brilliant connections). It is bewildering, and I keep hoping it's the exception. I've recently completed a junior BA assignment - Was I the best candidate? hell, No - but someone put a word in for me. The vast majority of work I've got in the past 6 years was via connections. I've never got a job via Seek, despite many applications.

 

Yes, I'll be trying Melbourne - I know the bar is much higher, but hopefully this will screen out poorer candidates and I'm happy to take my chances with the skillset I've got. I do wish you luck, but try not to get too despondant - Brisbane is the weirdest, most nepostistic environment I have ever worked in!

[armitchell]

To anyone coming to Australia without a job, don't come delay your migration. Australia is not working every state is down, I've applied for over 200 jobs, you don't get a call, you don't get a email you get nothing it all goes straight in the bin.

 

welcome to Australia well in my case Melbourne settled here for many years on and off and this is all I get !

[colinmaclec]

I don't think the job market is what people expect here. Its not like you get off the plane and walk in to a well paid job. It takes time to find the right job and you have to work your way back up again. To be honest its understandable. Once you get local experience then more opportunities will open up to you. You just have to accept that you might not be doing the job you really want for a while which is hard if you gave up a decent career in the UK.

[JJJB]

Its not just QLD either. In my sector in mining, you have to be mad to come out now. Far more jobs available in the UK and for the first time, salaries are dropping sharply.

 

Excellent point. The strong dollar is having a devaluing effect on the domestic economy in many respects. Salaries are dropping, but so too is the general cost of living, food prices, rent, mortgages etc. (I know there are exceptions to this). Rising energy costs are doing the most harm, the carbon taxes are having their effect on household bills, manufacturing and energy intensive industries. Prices at the pump don't make since either given the high dollar. If Australia doesn't make the same mistake as the UK, Spain & Germany etc of over investing in renewables and instead invest in projects like the 100 dams projects(which includes hydro power generation) proposed by Abbott, then Australia will start to reduce unemployment and grow strongly again.

[deanoshello]

Well after a 2 years we've been here 8 months applied for over 200 jobs, with covering letter and 3email returns telling me I don't have Queensland experience, so I can work on an Olympic program of works in London, senior project manager working on millions of pounds worth of projects yet I can't build a shed at the end of the garden in Australia.

 

i would say to anyone coming to Australia, delay it, don't come. Australia is not working at all. It looks after it's own 1st and there are lots of ozzies out of work they will come 1st, then the expats. ONLY COME IF YOU HAVE A JOB.

 

its not the dream anymore, it's not paradise anymore as it once was, there isn't any work, recruitment guys don't get back to you your totally in the dark, we've spent $35,000 dollars in 8 months, the wife is working otherwise we would be gone by now..

 

be warned don't come without a job, Australia is not working!,,,,,,,,

 

Can relate to this post in many ways...here's my own tale of woe. I've been here (Melbourne - although have been applying nationwide) around 4 months and had nothing but flat-bat rejections from all. I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum to you, just 3 years experience as Site/Project Engineer for a principal contractor in the UK, MEng in Civil Engineering and there is still nothing - so I don't think its your wealth of experience counting against you. My job back home seems to broken down into about 3 or 4 different roles here (Engineer, Surveyor, Coordinator etc.)...applied for the lot and still nothing. Applied for entry level roles, including chain boy roles, in the hope of getting a foot in the door. I've applied for entry-level Graduate jobs. Still nothing. Everything short of offering to make the tea all day and polishing the boss's boots. Even got told I needed local experience for the chain boy job! That one did cause me to seek refuge in the pub for the rest of the day - which actually helped! Like you I've been haemorrhaging money on a weekly basis. Luckily I have no financial commitments other than myself. During this time I've given up with recruitment agencies....they are nothing short of oxygen thieves and they destroy your confidence with their lies and fake jobs. I've seen completely different jobs advertised months apart with the exact same description, and when you call them up and ask to 'discuss further' said job it becomes painfully clear that no job exists. Anyway I could go on and on....I applied for a job (direct to an employer) in NZ (Christchurch - obviously!) and shock horror I got an interview on the first attempt and am now awaiting my reference checks with a view to starting in a few weeks. I really did want to stay in Melbourne and I feel I gave it a good crack - but I need a job, and a job that will improve my future prospects, not picking fruit in 40 degree heat! There are worse places to land a job.....

[whatsitallabout]

Like a previous poster said a lot of people think that it is easy to land a job once off the tarmac!! In reality its tough out there. MY OH had a job lined up in Melbourne which was a blessing for us as it took me a year to find work & really couldn't believe how expensive OZ was but once I secured a job it opened many doors for me. Dont give up apply one will come along Good Luck

[armitchell]

Can relate to this post in many ways...here's my own tale of woe. I've been here (Melbourne - although have been applying nationwide) around 4 months and had nothing but flat-bat rejections from all. I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum to you, just 3 years experience as Site/Project Engineer for a principal contractor in the UK, MEng in Civil Engineering and there is still nothing - so I don't think its your wealth of experience counting against you. My job back home seems to broken down into about 3 or 4 different roles here (Engineer, Surveyor, Coordinator etc.)...applied for the lot and still nothing. Applied for entry level roles, including chain boy roles, in the hope of getting a foot in the door. I've applied for entry-level Graduate jobs. Still nothing. Everything short of offering to make the tea all day and polishing the boss's boots. Even got told I needed local experience for the chain boy job! That one did cause me to seek refuge in the pub for the rest of the day - which actually helped! Like you I've been haemorrhaging money on a weekly basis. Luckily I have no financial commitments other than myself. During this time I've given up with recruitment agencies....they are nothing short of oxygen thieves and they destroy your confidence with their lies and fake jobs. I've seen completely different jobs advertised months apart with the exact same description, and when you call them up and ask to 'discuss further' said job it becomes painfully clear that no job exists. Anyway I could go on and on....I applied for a job (direct to an employer) in NZ (Christchurch - obviously!) and shock horror I got an interview on the first attempt and am now awaiting my reference checks with a view to starting in a few weeks. I really did want to stay in Melbourne and I feel I gave it a good crack - but I need a job, and a job that will improve my future prospects, not picking fruit in 40 degree heat! There are worse places to land a job.....

 

 

 

Hmm as I said earlier welcome to Australia - for me slowly over the years I'v slowly come to realise that the Australian system is set up so as to protect Australian jobs and exploit immigrants. Although I can not obviously say that this is always the case as some people do make a success of it no doubt after investing considerable amounts of money associated with immigration and visa's. But how many people from the UK do actually realise that all you do is pour more and more of your money into the Australian economy by having to retrain and do courses and then not being excepted for work positions that are available so then you feed all of your savings into the Australian economy. I think the emigrating to Australia lark is pretty much a scam by the Australian government who seem to be doing pretty well out of it. How can the Australian government say for example plumbers and electricians are on the critical skills list and that your visa and PR status are given but as soon as you arrive in Australia your existing qualifications aren't good enough even though you have passed the assessments and critieria !and you will have to invest in retraining and pour your personal savings into the Aus economy to survive and support your family while you do all of this.

Same with the Working Holiday Visa with the restrictions set in place and the time limit its a good way for Australia to gain the cheap labour and labour needed to fill the jobs the Aussies don't want to do.

Shame UK doesn't do the same with its immigrants and Australian trades men (forced to retrain) they should also make living within the UK for 2yrs before claiming benefits compulsory like Australia I'm sure it would help with the much needed extra revenue the UK coffers needs!

 

Well this is my take on it..................................I'm sure no doubt I will get shot down by somebody on here though !!!!:biggrin:

[Sustain]

Hmm as I said earlier welcome to Australia - for me slowly over the years I'v slowly come to realise that the Australian system is set up so as to protect Australian jobs and exploit immigrants. Although I can not obviously say that this is always the case as some people do make a success of it no doubt after investing considerable amounts of money associated with immigration and visa's. But how many people from the UK do actually realise that all you do is pour more and more of your money into the Australian economy by having to retrain and do courses and then not being excepted for work positions that are available so then you feed all of your savings into the Australian economy. I think the emigrating to Australia lark is pretty much a scam by the Australian government who seem to be doing pretty well out of it. How can the Australian government say for example plumbers and electricians are on the critical skills list and that your visa and PR status are given but as soon as you arrive in Australia your existing qualifications aren't good enough even though you have passed the assessments and critieria !and you will have to invest in retraining and pour your personal savings into the Aus economy to survive and support your family while you do all of this.

Same with the Working Holiday Visa with the restrictions set in place and the time limit its a good way for Australia to gain the cheap labour and labour needed to fill the jobs the Aussies don't want to do.

Shame UK doesn't do the same with its immigrants and Australian trades men (forced to retrain) they should also make living within the UK for 2yrs before claiming benefits compulsory like Australia I'm sure it would help with the much needed extra revenue the UK coffers needs!

 

Well this is my take on it..................................I'm sure no doubt I will get shot down by somebody on here though !!!!:biggrin:

Pretty good assessment really.

[paisleylass]

It sure aint easy! Employers do tend to like previous Australian experience. I'm here as a 457 dependent, and in the time leading up to our move I did everything I could to get in touch with the relevant people in Brisbane in my (very specialised) field. I met with a director from Queensland Health in our first week here for an informal chat, and all was looking good - but this was in the context of restructuring and my main contact left, and there were no suitable positions for a long time. I got on with applying for anything else suitable(ish) and after 3 months got a research assistant post at a hospital - which I quickly relised I did not enjoy! All the time I wanted to go work in my field for Queensland Health. Eventually a post did come up, which matched my expertise almost exactly - and then Campbell Newman happened and recruitment was frozen!! Long story short, I got there in the end and am still there some 9 months on with a view to staying on contract for another 16 months fingers crossed. What I'm trying to say is a lot of this was down to establishing contacts with the right people, although of course I still went through a fair open recruitment process.

 

As an aside, we recently recruited for 4 admin positions which attracted 129 applicants, many of whom were made redundant from the QLD govt last year. After interviews we had a list of maybe 6 appointable people - 3 of whom already found another job! So things are not that bad at least for Aus citizens. And as for applying from abroad before moving to Aus, well from our perspective that's not a problem and we did do some phone interviews out of state and to New Zealand, and one guy applied from the UK but was in Brisbane by the interview date.

 

Last comment - make absolutely sure you always tailor your application to the job, never ever just send your CV in - write a personal statement, and not a generic one that you hope covers a range of positions. You must demonstrate what you can bring to the employer that fits the job description.

[starlight7]

I guess if the Australians just made it easy for foreign workers to get jobs over local people there would be a lot of unrest. What they should do is keep the list of wanted occupations more up to date. For instance, we certainly don't want primary teachers and yet quite a few attempt to come. We now also have a situation where some medical staff are being laid off which is scary because the shortages are there. IT is another area where there seems to be more people these days and the unis are churning out graduates.

[armitchell]

I guess if the Australians just made it easy for foreign workers to get jobs over local people there would be a lot of unrest. What they should do is keep the list of wanted occupations more up to date. For instance, we certainly don't want primary teachers and yet quite a few attempt to come. We now also have a situation where some medical staff are being laid off which is scary because the shortages are there. IT is another area where there seems to be more people these days and the unis are churning out graduates.

 

Very True I just wish the UK government would implement the same as Australia. I have had Australians take work over me in the past in the UK keeping me out of work and I have been on construction jobs where Australians even get a higher rate than us born and grew up in the UK carrying out the same job and tasks!

 

Sure is fair!

 

Do the UK governments give a toss (who ever is in government) ? no because it doesn't affect them directly!

[NicF]

To anyone coming to Australia without a job, don't come delay your migration. Australia is not working every state is down, I've applied for over 200 jobs, you don't get a call, you don't get a email you get nothing it all goes straight in the bin.

 

we've been here 8 months, spent $35,000 dollars and running at a loss of $1500 a month.

 

i would advise anyone coming here without a job, DON'T, wait till the last minute before you activate your visa, there isn't any work here, were in Brisbane, government cuts cuts cuts and believe me, it's far far worse than anything in the UK.

 

im a senior project manager, worked on the Olympics can't get a thing, lucky the wife has a job otherwise we would gone back at Xmas.

 

believe me guys, stay where you are Austarlia is not working for thousands of expats, many going back.

 

I came without a job. Applied for three, got interviews for two and was told my application for the other one was really good but they had people who already had experience with the systems they used (I didn't). After the first interview I had I got a call to say they were really impressed and I had all the skills necessary but they had lost a big contract and they were no longer recruiting (they were involved with the Olympic dam so I suspect it was that being cancelled that put a stop to things). After the other interview I had I was offered the job the following day. Funnily enough it was the same job in a different department of the same organisation of the job I didn't get an interview for.

 

My OH did have a job before we came but he hated it. So much so he quit after I was offered my job. I can't remember how many other jobs he applied for but he was applying from the end of October and before xmas he was offered two jobs and took one of them. And he hadn't actually applied for either job. One he got an interview for as a result of an interview at a different organisation and the other he phoned them to say he used to do what they do and did they have anything and he got invited in for an interview.

 

I work in finance administration and my OH works in IT. I'm not saying it's easy to get a job but it does very much depend on where you are, what industry you work in, how well you can match your skills and abilities to the job you are applying for and how well you come accross at an interview.

[flag of convenience]

I know things are not as great as they were in Australia however I don't think it is nearly as bad as the UK as you are saying. I know people who have struggled for over 18 months to get a job in UK and I know that one basic admin position advertised in UK had over 350 applicants. Suppose depends which part of UK you are in - just like Australia some parts are doing better than others. Brisbane has never been known as a state for having lots of employment - as others have suggested you would be better to look in other states - good luck.

 

Not forgetting Australia is usually some years behind UK. It wasn't long ago Perth wasn't a good place to seek out work either.

[flag of convenience]

Hmm as I said earlier welcome to Australia - for me slowly over the years I'v slowly come to realise that the Australian system is set up so as to protect Australian jobs and exploit immigrants. Although I can not obviously say that this is always the case as some people do make a success of it no doubt after investing considerable amounts of money associated with immigration and visa's. But how many people from the UK do actually realise that all you do is pour more and more of your money into the Australian economy by having to retrain and do courses and then not being excepted for work positions that are available so then you feed all of your savings into the Australian economy. I think the emigrating to Australia lark is pretty much a scam by the Australian government who seem to be doing pretty well out of it. How can the Australian government say for example plumbers and electricians are on the critical skills list and that your visa and PR status are given but as soon as you arrive in Australia your existing qualifications aren't good enough even though you have passed the assessments and critieria !and you will have to invest in retraining and pour your personal savings into the Aus economy to survive and support your family while you do all of this.

Same with the Working Holiday Visa with the restrictions set in place and the time limit its a good way for Australia to gain the cheap labour and labour needed to fill the jobs the Aussies don't want to do.

Shame UK doesn't do the same with its immigrants and Australian trades men (forced to retrain) they should also make living within the UK for 2yrs before claiming benefits compulsory like Australia I'm sure it would help with the much needed extra revenue the UK coffers needs!

 

Well this is my take on it..................................I'm sure no doubt I will get shot down by somebody on here though !!!!:biggrin:

 

As perhaps some folk have come to realise immigration is but another business in Austrtalia. It keeps rent and house prices inflated,is liked by business and brings shekels into government coffers.

 

Ask yourself why so many foreign degree holders drive taxis? Why an applicant doesn't need to have a job already in hand prior to getting an immigration visa is beyond me.

[flag of convenience]

Very True I just wish the UK government would implement the same as Australia. I have had Australians take work over me in the past in the UK keeping me out of work and I have been on construction jobs where Australians even get a higher rate than us born and grew up in the UK carrying out the same job and tasks!

 

Sure is fair!

 

Do the UK governments give a toss (who ever is in government) ? no because it doesn't affect them directly!

 

The government wouldn't be allowing in so many folk if they gave a toss for the average worker. For the population 200,000+ immigrants is a lot to absorb. Not only jobs but housing competition as well.

[Rupert]

Hmm as I said earlier welcome to Australia - for me slowly over the years I'v slowly come to realise that the Australian system is set up so as to protect Australian jobs and exploit immigrants. Although I can not obviously say that this is always the case as some people do make a success of it no doubt after investing considerable amounts of money associated with immigration and visa's. But how many people from the UK do actually realise that all you do is pour more and more of your money into the Australian economy by having to retrain and do courses and then not being excepted for work positions that are available so then you feed all of your savings into the Australian economy. I think the emigrating to Australia lark is pretty much a scam by the Australian government who seem to be doing pretty well out of it. How can the Australian government say for example plumbers and electricians are on the critical skills list and that your visa and PR status are given but as soon as you arrive in Australia your existing qualifications aren't good enough even though you have passed the assessments and critieria !and you will have to invest in retraining and pour your personal savings into the Aus economy to survive and support your family while you do all of this.

 

 

Whilst I think that anyone that expects to be met off the plane with a job offer is a bit deluded, it is also not the case that everyone struggles. I can understand why some trades would be frustrated by having to get licences and tickets, but in many / most (?) occupations there is no licencing or re-training to be done and it is perfectly possible to secure a good job from the start.

[starlight7]

Yes- I guess the moral of the story is - do your homework before you get here!

[whichway1]

I do agree its pretty hard to get a job anywhere at the mo. But what really gets me is that employers don't even have the decency to send you an email. Just a generic thanks for applying to the unsuccessful candidates, its rude I think.

 

Sent from my GT-P5110 using Tapatalk 2

[armitchell]

well as i say had experience of Oz for the past 11 yrs from a trades mans point of view done all that was necessary to get registered licensed etc! I am all legit! except I have always have struggled to get employment in my trade here ! so ping pong back and fourth between here and the UK where I can always get employment easier!

 

Yes I did my homework by spending 12months traveling around each part of Australia 11 years ago and getting a feel for the place before deciding to move here, so knew and expected it to be always hard. Except even though having gained my PR and jumped through all the hoops I still struggle to secure long term work or even a start in the first place. The only way I have got work here in the past is through other people. Now those contacts have dried up. If I apply to jobs / positions directly I hear nothing back at all not even an acknowledgement! but a week later the same job position is being readvertised.

If I phone up nobody usually answers so a message is left and I never hear anything back! If somebody does manage to answer they say they are not interested!

[jgt]

just back from perth and lots o work:err: