Bubble not yet burst, but quickly deflating!

[ali]

And my point is that the citizens should try a bit harder because an employer is only going to hire the best candidate. WHV people make a lot of money for the country, we are essentially tourists after all. I got my job over Aussies in a group interview, because I was the best option.

 

I think there is a difference if you're looking to employ someone long term when someone on a WHV can only work with you for 6 months.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Yes 9-5, but also bars, cafes, and recently hotel night shift work. I came on here, hoping to find some support because I'm upset and struggling, not to be attacked about my attitude. I see you're in the UK, and I' guessing coming over here soon, I genuinely wish you well and hope you have more luck than I have.

Britchickx has been out twice now and is currently saving up to come back so she does speak from experience. Like she says WOOFing and HelpX offer lots of free board and lodgings.

You aren't being attacked we are trying to help from our experiences. I could be more blunt but I don't want you to take it personal so I haven't, but there are hundreds of Aussies out here at the moment who would jump at a job whether its minimum wage or not. My eldest is 19 and his wage is crap, but like he says its a job and pays his way through uni. If you have come back to Aus to travel why limit yourself to one area. If you will do volunteer work in Asia why not here?

[legoman]

A job is a job and can only enhance your cv if you have some aussie employment no matter what the job. I said it before, I arrived 2003 and the woman in the bank when I picked up my cards etc said 'dont be too picky when going for that job at first'. Ihad a clutch of tradie certs when I arrived which meant nothing,my son took his first job detailing cars at the airport ( cleaning)

[Guest]

I think therein lies the problem for you. You were hoping to get a decent well paid sort of job. Not a casual WHV type job. And because you've wanted to land something decent, you've maybe missed the bigger picture with the WHV. From the Aus immi website

 

 

The Working Holiday and Work and Holiday programs encourage cultural exchange and closer ties between arrangement countries by allowing young people to have an extended holiday supplemented by short-term employment.

 

 

Treat the WHV exactly for what it is. A holiday where you work to supplement your time there. You've chosen to go to Sydney, the most expensive city in Aus pretty much where casual work is probably hard fought for with uni students, part timers and more. The better paid more skilled jobs are also highly contested and on a WHV you probably won't get much joy when there are others who can work for longer without restrictions.

 

You need to plan and look outside of Sydney as your base. I think you'll be very hard pushed to make a go of it for a year in that city on a WHV without some serious funds behind you. If you've already travelled round Aus then perhaps consider a smaller city or another state. And travel a bit where the work is for WHV people and make some contacts and so on. And then once in a better position return to Sydney (perhaps with others so you can afford a rental or something) for a few months when earning money isn't such a key thing.

 

 

[Guest51810]

Try the volunteer route, helpx looks a good website. Im just about to sign upto it aswell. Can use it for loads of countries so even if you did decide to go to asia could probably use it for that too

[xxlornaxx]

Was not making assumptions, just sounds like u didnt fully understand what the whv was before u came out...ppl who do it tend to do it to travel, meet new people n wrk a few crap job's to supplement this..and there is lots of opportunity to do that. It will be very difficult to find a well paying job when u wont b staying with them long...but u must have known that. You should enjoy aus as much as u can n when the money dries up go back home, its what alot of ppl have to do..no big deal. I think aus makes it clear what this visa is for n how to use it to your advantage. Good luck though n hope you have enjoyed the time you have spent here x

 

QUOTE=Tipswell;1936296434]Please don't make assumptions about backpackers. I've been here 7 weeks and I've had one night out, and that night was to visit a friend who was just in Sydney for one day, and he bought me 2 glasses of wine, I didn't spend a penny except the bus there and back. And I would never work anything but hard, but I'm 28, not 18, I won't be treated like I have no rights and should work stupid hours for next to nothing. I truly find it unfathomable that there is no reciprocal agreement on how people are treated. 6months for 1 employer for minimum wage, or Australians who come to the uk on the same visa, who can work for 2 years with the same employer.

And the UK has been going through a recession too, actually more so than here, and it would be beyond comprehension for an employer to state only EU citizens and residents need apply.

[CaptainR]

I hope you find the job that you think the world owes you mate. Wish I could be that picky...

[ramot]

Please don't make assumptions about backpackers. I've been here 7 weeks and I've had one night out, and that night was to visit a friend who was just in Sydney for one day, and he bought me 2 glasses of wine, I didn't spend a penny except the bus there and back. And I would never work anything but hard, but I'm 28, not 18, I won't be treated like I have no rights and should work stupid hours for next to nothing. I truly find it unfathomable that there is no reciprocal agreement on how people are treated. 6months for 1 employer for minimum wage, or Australians who come to the uk on the same visa, who can work for 2 years with the same employer.

And the UK has been going through a recession too, actually more so than here, and it would be beyond comprehension for an employer to state only EU citizens and residents need apply.

 

Sorry to hear you are struggling but I think perhaps your expectation level was a bit too hopeful. My daughter came on a WHV over 18 months ago, aged 30, pretty well qualified and had had some interesting jobs before coming here. Also went to Sydney was on her own, but was prepared to take anything. Started by putting posters in shops, bars and cafes for an upcoming music festival, then offered work in the office, met lots of people and it went from there to a 457 visa. Met a man!!!! applied for a partner visa and still here. Not being critical, I know she found Sydney hard to start with, but was realistic enough to try anything to get a foot in the door. Hope your luck changes soon.

[Chortlepuss]

Sounds like you've been trying hard to find a job. I've got some great work experience including 7 years in Australia, am a citizen and still struggled to get work. At least two really well qualified Ozzie mates of mine have left Brisbane for Melbourne to get work. It is tough out there, IMO much tougher to get a job at any level than in the UK despite what the employment stats indicate. Dept of immigration are very slow to react to job shortages, and there's a whole industry out there making profits from immigration, despite Oz being far from the 'wanted down under' dream. We hear of nurses struggling to get work. I'm in IT and my skills are still on skills in demand list - so people would imagine plenty of roles in that area. Not true. I'd say to anyone coming to Oz to work, prepare for a period of unemployment and bring at least 6 months funds to support yourself. Hope you find something soon

[Guest hill billy]

Well then it looks like my time in this country is up. And unfortunately, I don't even know whether I will ever even come back on holiday. It's definitely not the country my grandmother loved so much she took Australian citizenship!

 

Your grandmother would have probably taken almost any job in the begining, as have a lot of people me included, don't blame Australia.

[Petals]

Well racist or not, I just wish I'd known that whv holders are not treated the same as they are in the uk! I probably wouldn't have wasted my savings on what is basically now an extended 'holiday' in which I haven't seen the sights outside of Sydney, and I might have actually gone out for a drink every now and then rather than saving it!

 

Your remark is rather wide I am sure there are lots of people on holiday visas in the UK who are finding it just as hard as you are.

 

What people do not get is that just because a country takes migrants does not mean they will get a job and migrants are not doing the country a favour by coming. Its the reverse.

 

It can be just as hard for people who are Aussie moving from one State to the other.

[Tipswell]

I never thought that I would come on a forum like this and in a way have people tell me it's my fault, and that I think the world owes me a good job. I hope I would never do that do a person, who when reading with fresh eyes the following day just sounds upset and frustrated, but mainly upset. Thank you to those who wished me well, and thank you in a way to those who weren't, you have made my decision to leave this site so easy. I wish you all well for the future, and hope if there are others struggling to find a job, then I hope you find one soon.

[BritChickx]

I never thought that I would come on a forum like this and in a way have people tell me it's my fault, and that I think the world owes me a good job. I hope I would never do that do a person, who when reading with fresh eyes the following day just sounds upset and frustrated, but mainly upset. Thank you to those who wished me well, and thank you in a way to those who weren't, you have made my decision to leave this site so easy. I wish you all well for the future, and hope if there are others struggling to find a job, then I hope you find one soon.

i'm not sure what you were expecting? I tried to help saying to wwoof or find farm work, if you want to stay in this country that much you would try those first. You don't seem to really care if you go home, and that's fine but normally a WHV is a once in a life time thing. We're not being nasty we're giving you insight, everyone that has commented has lived in aus or has been on a whv.

[Guest51810]

I havent been to australia but the other people have and gave you some good advice. If you want to stay for a bit longer then please use the volunteer websites to save your money. If your on a whv you cant be fussy

[Wellers and Whitehead]

The opportunities of the whv are not what it used to be, I got paid quite well 13 years ago and had no problem finding work in Sydney, however even with permanent residency its a struggle to find a semi decent job. At Christmas I heard lots of groups of backpackers saying they were going back to the Ul as couldn't find work, rent too expensive and just couldn't afford to keep travelling with no income.I think Sydney is a tough nut to crack, if you wanted to stay in Oz I would advise another state as competition is high here in Sydney. Good luck :-)

[Quoll]

I never thought that I would come on a forum like this and in a way have people tell me it's my fault, and that I think the world owes me a good job. I hope I would never do that do a person, who when reading with fresh eyes the following day just sounds upset and frustrated, but mainly upset. Thank you to those who wished me well, and thank you in a way to those who weren't, you have made my decision to leave this site so easy. I wish you all well for the future, and hope if there are others struggling to find a job, then I hope you find one soon.

You're right, some have come across as being unpleasant and unhelpful. Sadly, I think you are maybe just suffering the repercussions of a highly competitive environment along with a downturn in employment combined with a fairly usual Australian slower turn around time - a triple whammy! You definitely aren't the first to post on here bemoaning the lack of work (other temp visa holders especially!) and I suspect you won't be the last! I'd suggest (again) a move to another city/state where, perhaps the pressure on casual employment isn't quite so hot.

[grahamffc]

Your remark is rather wide I am sure there are lots of people on holiday visas in the UK who are finding it just as hard as you are.

 

 

 

Obviously not an exhaustive sample, but of the Aussie friends I have made in London in the last 4-5 years all on WHV's, one worked as a podiatrist, one in a solicitors office, one as a palliative care nurse, three as teachers, and one as a dental nurse.

 

I can totally understand the OP's frustration given how much easier it seems for Aussies going the other way. I think the reasons for the differences are that the UK allows people to work for an employer for up to two whole years (as pointed out earlier), and that that no city in Australia has an employment market even half the size of London - which is where they all head to. I imagine if they headed to Manchester or Birmingham that might find similar problems.

[LKC]

Thats a bit different. I took it to mean an ad for a company advertising for Australian workers only, which I don't think any company would do or be allowed to do.

 

I do agree that Australians rightly feel peeved if they are losing out on jobs to 457 visa holders or WHVs.

LKC stated her hubby got a job as a 457 as the company could find no-one in Australia to fulfill the role. I find this very hard to believe, although I don't specifically know what he does.

 

But generally speaking if Australian unemployment is rising over 6% and perm Aussies can't get jobs we really should be stopping all these 457s and WHVs etc.

 

I do apologise that this is so hard to believe, and that we had such an easy move to Australia. My OH, having worked for his company for 16 years, was headhunted by his own company to move to Australia, as an already successful partner, because they wanted to expand over here and needed experienced staff to 'hit the ground running' as it were. Since not many Australians were working for the company at the time (i.e. few to none, it being a British company), and since they wanted people with exact experience of working not only in his profession but also who had experience of working within their business model and whom were willing to invest a rather large sum of money in company shares, he fulfilled the criteria where others did not.

[Parley]

No offence its just I'm always a bit sceptical when I hear this line that there is no-one in the whole of Australia who can do something so we have to have this foreigner do it.

 

Maybe your case is a legitimate example, but I can't believe it is true very often.

[Guest51810]

Parley are you australian?

[jimmyay1]

you say you worked in middle management etc in the UK and wanted to do that in Oz but you also worked for the last 6 years doing bar work in the UK? i am not surprised bar work is what you are being offered, at least to begin with.

[LKC]

No offence its just I'm always a bit sceptical when I hear this line that there is no-one in the whole of Australia who can do something so we have to have this foreigner do it.

 

Maybe your case is a legitimate example, but I can't believe it is true very often.

 

Well maybe that is for DIAC to decide, and maybe that is why we were subsequently granted PR and Citizenship.

 

My point with the 457's is that yes, there may be companies who exploit the visa, who bring people over to Australia where a local person could have filled the position. However, to lump all 457 visa holders in to this category, would be the same as assuming that every person who is brought over to Australia on a partner/prospective marriage visa, is entering in to a sham marriage, solely for the purpose of gaining entry in to Australia. We all know that this isn't the case, although it does happen, so why is the 457 vilified as being a back door way in to Australia more than any other visa. Those of us who stay, still have to qualify for PR and citizenship in exactly the same way as everyone else.

[grahamffc]

No offence its just I'm always a bit sceptical when I hear this line that there is no-one in the whole of Australia who can do something so we have to have this foreigner do it.

 

Maybe your case is a legitimate example, but I can't believe it is true very often.

 

Of course there will be people in Australia capable of doing whatever job we are talking about. However the important bit in the original post was being able to 'hit the ground running'. Companies don't want to spend time (potentially months or even years) familiarising people with their industry and internal systems, hence it makes perfect commercial sense to try convince someone in their existing workforce to relocate overseas.

 

I would estimate that less than 0.1% of people are genuinely irreplaceable and would be limited to sports stars etc.

[LKC]

Of course there will be people in Australia capable of doing whatever job we are talking about. However the important bit in the original post was being able to 'hit the ground running'. Companies don't want to spend time (potentially months or even years) familiarising people with their industry and internal systems, hence it makes perfect commercial sense to try convince someone in their existing workforce to relocate overseas.

 

I would estimate that less than 0.1% of people are genuinely irreplaceable and would be limited to sports stars etc.

 

Believe me, my OH is irreplaceable :err::mad::confused: but probably not in the way you mean!

[Parley]

Yes. Although born in the UK. Dual citizen.

Why?