Rebecca Wills Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Hi myself and my husband moved to Bunbury WA on a state sponsored 475 Visa 3 months ago. We are in our late 20's and managed to get state sponsorship because my husband is a carpenter by trade. I think its fair to say we are both very upset and confused and have had at least one big blow out argument every week since being here. First of all I have no idea why carpentry and joinery is on the WA regional skills list as there are very little jobs available in regional areas. My husband has just been going from job to job as a subbie (with no work for weeks in between) but with no long term opportunities available. We got here just before the government election so everyone said it would be quiet but would deffo pick up after....didn't happen, now everyone is saying its coming up xmas so will be very quiet for at least a month. Its safe to say we are so scared about what will happen if my husband cant find a regular income. He had an interview this week to work for a carpet cleaning company which he would be happy to do but it just breaks my heart that he should have to leave his profession.......he could work as a carpet cleaner in UK....its not why we came here! They also kept asking him why he would want to work for their company when its such a drop in money, i don't think they trust he will stay with them for long so he probably wont get the job anyway. I only work as a waitress and get about 18 hours a week. as you can imagine our savings had nearly disappeared through finding a place to live and buy basic furniture which is seriously expensive here in the South West. I have been trying to find a full time job everyday since we got here but with no luck and I seriously believe its my visa subclass that put employers off. Secondly we are just very upset because for some reason something just doesn't feel right.....how do we know we have made the right decision? I know we have only been here a few months and everyone I speak to says it will all come good in the end you just have to wait to out....are they right? I think one main issue is my work hours I work evenings and all day sat and Sunday until late at night. We don't see each other that much and my poor husband has to spend all weekend by himself not really doing much. Sorry for rambling but I haven't stopped crying all night, just so stressed and confused. Has anyone been in the same situation and had it come good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legoman Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Its that dreaded 3 month brick wall syndrome, hits many including myself. All I can say from experience is keep at it looking for that work it will come, I got out of my trade, tried a job I was offered and love it, maintenance and it gives me time to study too. 3months with such a big upheaval plus getting settled and having those usual doubts all add up to stressful times. keep going and dont miss out on the experience of an aussie christmas, enjoy it as much as you can then forge ahead in 2014 things will ease Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melbkitty Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Don't underestimate the effect that being out of work can affect your self-esteem and create negative thinking in all areas! You think you can prepare yourself mentally for a few months unemployed but in reality it is very draining. It took me 6 months to find a job in my industry (I was seeking sponsorship so different situation but still took a while) and I felt I was taking a huge step back in a casual role in a backpackers so I could have an income - even now 4 years later I'm still not up to the professional & salary level I was on in the UK. Your self-worth can take a real battering and yes it can affect your relationships. I was ready to return to the UK and almost turned down my current job when I eventually received an offer as I was so depressed and exhausted (and skint) by that point. It was worth it for me to persevere though and I think it's a lucky few that have a completely stress-free moving/settling-in experience. Those night-time crying sessions wondering what on earth I was doing with myself are a distant memory. Wishing you all the best, stay strong and support each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikolettaR Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Hi All, Unfortunately, my email will not give you the solution you might expect, however, it shows you are not alone in this situation. I arrived in September this year on a State Sponsored visa to Adelaide, SA and have been experiencing difficulties securing a position, as well. After receiving only rejection letters (applied for both low skilled jobs, part-time, casual, out of profession, profession etc) and friends telling me to wait (election, Xmas, February) and be patient, I submitted my Aussie CV to jobs in the UK for testing it. Resume checked by the HR Consultant from the Immigration meeting, organised by the government, which I think a good event for immigrants here, anyway. So, I could not be bothered to change my CV back to the UK-style, but I received invitations for interviews only. And that made me re-assess my situation in Adelaide and decided to go back home (Cambridge) in January as I am still waiting for my winter clothes to arrive since August. This is a beautiful place and I could only say good things about the people I have met here. The sea, the hills and the laidback lifestyle are great, but unfortunately, I realised I am not willing to sacrifice more than 6 months out of employment as I don't have the security net behind me to help me out in case of emergency. (I set up a deadline as 6 months originally, maybe I was too confident.) I love working in HR and I have serious doubts of taking a major set back or change career path in order to stay here. I had done my fair bit of babysitting, cleaning, production line...etc after I graduated and could not find a job. I feel like 2 years of doing these sort of jobs was just enough. 10 years later, I have made a very good progress in my career and I might be selfish here, but I don't want to go back to the end of the line again. :-) I wish you all the best and hope you will find the solution for yourselves. Whatever is the best for you guys. Don't worry about crying, sometimes it helps. But, remember there is always a reason in life and we all learn a lot each day. I felt ashamed about going back after this unsuccessful adventure, but I think it is my life to make either good or bad choices. At the moment, I choose to work in my profession.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Hi myself and my husband moved to Bunbury WA on a state sponsored 475 Visa 3 months ago. We are in our late 20's and managed to get state sponsorship because my husband is a carpenter by trade. I think its fair to say we are both very upset and confused and have had at least one big blow out argument every week since being here. First of all I have no idea why carpentry and joinery is on the WA regional skills list as there are very little jobs available in regional areas. My husband has just been going from job to job as a subbie (with no work for weeks in between) but with no long term opportunities available. We got here just before the government election so everyone said it would be quiet but would deffo pick up after....didn't happen, now everyone is saying its coming up xmas so will be very quiet for at least a month. Its safe to say we are so scared about what will happen if my husband cant find a regular income. He had an interview this week to work for a carpet cleaning company which he would be happy to do but it just breaks my heart that he should have to leave his profession.......he could work as a carpet cleaner in UK....its not why we came here! They also kept asking him why he would want to work for their company when its such a drop in money, i don't think they trust he will stay with them for long so he probably wont get the job anyway. I only work as a waitress and get about 18 hours a week. as you can imagine our savings had nearly disappeared through finding a place to live and buy basic furniture which is seriously expensive here in the South West. I have been trying to find a full time job everyday since we got here but with no luck and I seriously believe its my visa subclass that put employers off. Secondly we are just very upset because for some reason something just doesn't feel right.....how do we know we have made the right decision? I know we have only been here a few months and everyone I speak to says it will all come good in the end you just have to wait to out....are they right? I think one main issue is my work hours I work evenings and all day sat and Sunday until late at night. We don't see each other that much and my poor husband has to spend all weekend by himself not really doing much. Sorry for rambling but I haven't stopped crying all night, just so stressed and confused. Has anyone been in the same situation and had it come good? I must admit I am not a fan of these regional state sponsored visas at all. I cannot for the life of me work out why there is the extra (points) incentive to go for one of these as so many have trouble finding work once they get there. I don't really have anything useful to say, other than you are not alone, keep at it and make a concerted effort not to turn on each other, you need to keep each other up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maggie2012 Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Yes, you are not alone, so you know. We have arrived into ACT and find the same situation. here since September and very few interviews. And Canberra has even less opportunities being a smaller city. And we'd take any jobs just to stay afloat, but we are rarely getting any replies or being told that we are overqualified (even to be a janitor). It is not easy to stay positive, but hope one must have. It is financially draining as well and we are going through our resources quickly. Don't know what to say, keep up hope. We are too, all we have for now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Is there work elsewhere in the state? You don't have to stay in Bunbury do you? If not, then could he get a job in his trade back in UK? Pragmatism over dreams for me any day of the week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 What a horrible situation to be in. I thought 457 visas involved sponsorship though- didn't know you could just arrive and then look for a job? The trouble with WA is that it is a small population and not that many jobs unless you are in the mining industry. Any chance you could come over to the Eastern states where there is a much bigger population and correspondingly more jobs? Round here they are always looking for good carpenters, a lot of building and renos going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 What a horrible situation to be in. I thought 457 visas involved sponsorship though- didn't know you could just arrive and then look for a job? The trouble with WA is that it is a small population and not that many jobs unless you are in the mining industry. Any chance you could come over to the Eastern states where there is a much bigger population and correspondingly more jobs? Round here they are always looking for good carpenters, a lot of building and renos going on. OP is state sponsored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 The problem is that the 'popular' regional areas, close to the beach and offering a desired sought after lifestyle, have far fewer jobs. The rural areas (miles from the beach and cities) have jobs, but if you come over from the UK, it is not very appealing. Everyone on the regional visas either seems to go for Mandurah or Bunbury, hence the lack of jobs. People really need to widen the search and do their two years and perhaps look at the bigger picture. There is still a huge misconception that there are many jobs available in the mines. Well, the number of redundancies says otherwise. I spent five unhappy years in the outback, so I do get it. Hang in there and consider other areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Is there work elsewhere in the state? You don't have to stay in Bunbury do you? If not, then could he get a job in his trade back in UK? Pragmatism over dreams for me any day of the week! I was going to suggest this too - is it worth looking elsewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sussex boy Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Hi there, I live in Bunbury area as well, sorry to hear your struggling to find work. I know many of the the building firms are still hard at, famers market and regional arts centre etc. Have you tris Perkins builders? What type of chippe work do you usaually do best? Pm me and good luck with the job hunt. I work servcing most of the local builders and subbies in the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo and Monika Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 This won't be much help either, but we left Perth in September after 18 months - my wife is sponsored 457, but I lost my job so we decided to move to Melbourne. Her employer agreed the transfer which was great, I couldn't find anything thanks to mining affecting pretty much all other industries there. I work in recruitment and found that even central Melbourne pretty much closed for Xmas in mid-september! Like Perth, it seems that you have to have a local network in order to find anything and I'm climbing the walls. It's incredibly hard to keep positive for me, so god only knows what its like for the two of you, but I have to agree with others - you have to stick together and enjoy the time you do have together. Luckily there is a bit more to do in Oz thats free vs the UK, and summer is here. Wish you both all the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow9999 Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 hi we arrived here in march and have the same problem I could only get casual work afternoons so was working 2pm till 11pm so we hardly seen each other my partner got a job doing days but it minimum wage which is not enough to live on over here and to top it all off we are back to square one as the place I was working has closed down and shipped it all overseas and my partner has just been laid off just before Christmas, we also keep getting very down and have said we will give it 12months if it not any better by then we will be going back to the uk. you have to decided what best for you both and go with your gut feeling its usually right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fryertuck Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Hi myself and my husband moved to Bunbury WA on a state sponsored 475 Visa 3 months ago. We are in our late 20's and managed to get state sponsorship because my husband is a carpenter by trade. I think its fair to say we are both very upset and confused and have had at least one big blow out argument every week since being here. First of all I have no idea why carpentry and joinery is on the WA regional skills list as there are very little jobs available in regional areas. My husband has just been going from job to job as a subbie (with no work for weeks in between) but with no long term opportunities available. We got here just before the government election so everyone said it would be quiet but would deffo pick up after....didn't happen, now everyone is saying its coming up xmas so will be very quiet for at least a month. Its safe to say we are so scared about what will happen if my husband cant find a regular income. He had an interview this week to work for a carpet cleaning company which he would be happy to do but it just breaks my heart that he should have to leave his profession.......he could work as a carpet cleaner in UK....its not why we came here! They also kept asking him why he would want to work for their company when its such a drop in money, i don't think they trust he will stay with them for long so he probably wont get the job anyway. I only work as a waitress and get about 18 hours a week. as you can imagine our savings had nearly disappeared through finding a place to live and buy basic furniture which is seriously expensive here in the South West. I have been trying to find a full time job everyday since we got here but with no luck and I seriously believe its my visa subclass that put employers off. Secondly we are just very upset because for some reason something just doesn't feel right.....how do we know we have made the right decision? I know we have only been here a few months and everyone I speak to says it will all come good in the end you just have to wait to out....are they right? I think one main issue is my work hours I work evenings and all day sat and Sunday until late at night. We don't see each other that much and my poor husband has to spend all weekend by himself not really doing much. Sorry for rambling but I haven't stopped crying all night, just so stressed and confused. Has anyone been in the same situation and had it come good? 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…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausborn Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 What a horrible situation to be in. I thought 457 visas involved sponsorship though- didn't know you could just arrive and then look for a job? The trouble with WA is that it is a small population and not that many jobs unless you are in the mining industry. Any chance you could come over to the Eastern states where there is a much bigger population and correspondingly more jobs? Round here they are always looking for good carpenters, a lot of building and renos going on. Thats not neccesarily correct. Not having a dig at you either. Western Australia mainly around Perth and Sydney are the busiest places in Australia for people in the building trade at present.From my knowledge Sydney is expected to fall behind Wa and Brisbane in the next few years. I know this doesn't help the op , i realise what a terrible situation it is to be in but I would suggest try to see if you can relocate. Along with queensland , Wa will see the biggest growth in housing next year in the country according to sources that are easily accessible on the net. The building trade is going into boom times again. I've been in it long enough now to see it already coming and the growth has really started to happen in the last half of this year. Most tradies now are just over run with work. I have family and a few work mates that left the east coast for Perth because of the amount of work and money to be made there. Some info. [h=1]Western Australia still top-performing economy as housing sector picks up nationwide: CommSec[/h] "We have seen improvement in Western Australia in things like the jobs market and also the housing market, so it's still at the top of the leader board," Mr James said."But we are seeing a transition of the growth leadership in Western Australia from the mining sector to the housing sector."He says if WA were to lose top spot, it would be in 6 to 12 months' time.The Reserve Bank will welcome news that housing construction and demand for home loans is picking up across the country as investment in the resources sector slows, Mr James says."We are seeing stronger growth in terms of dwelling starts, we're seeing stronger growth in terms of housing finance and in a number of the state and territory economies, we do have now dwelling starts which are above the longer-term average." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph1 Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I can't really help but didn't want to read and run. Do the British thing and keep your chin up and like others have said, don't turn on each other as you need each other more than ever right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Wills Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 Hi Everyone thank you for replying. It means a lot. Its safe to say that there seems to be a lot of people in a very similar situation. We have had a much better week this week and haven't argued for a while haha. we love each other very much and know we will get through anything. my husband still has work up until Christmas and has been offered a full time position with a Bunbury carpet cleaning company. Its great news because we will have a back up and should have no problems getting our PR however the pay is horrendous so will be much worse off unless i can find a well paid full time job as well. I had an interview last week and didn't get the job, was devastated but am always applying for more. I think my husband will continue to make contacts in the building industry and hopefully he will be able to return as a carpenter quite quickly. I have made myself be a lot more talkative at the restaurant where I work and got chatting to some very lovely people who i have exchanged numbers with.....some work contacts for chris and some potential friends as well so that's great. Me and my husband have decided to just stick to a plan for the next two years which is to save as much money as we can and then it will give us options, stay here and buy a house, go home and buy a house or go somewhere else. To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up going back to the UK at some point but on the other hand people are right in that maybe its just WA and we may well be better on the east coast or nearer a city which is something we can think about when we have PR. We are not ready to give up yet!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Hi Everyone thank you for replying. It means a lot. Its safe to say that there seems to be a lot of people in a very similar situation. We have had a much better week this week and haven't argued for a while haha. we love each other very much and know we will get through anything. my husband still has work up until Christmas and has been offered a full time position with a Bunbury carpet cleaning company. Its great news because we will have a back up and should have no problems getting our PR however the pay is horrendous so will be much worse off unless i can find a well paid full time job as well. I had an interview last week and didn't get the job, was devastated but am always applying for more. I think my husband will continue to make contacts in the building industry and hopefully he will be able to return as a carpenter quite quickly. I have made myself be a lot more talkative at the restaurant where I work and got chatting to some very lovely people who i have exchanged numbers with.....some work contacts for chris and some potential friends as well so that's great. Me and my husband have decided to just stick to a plan for the next two years which is to save as much money as we can and then it will give us options, stay here and buy a house, go home and buy a house or go somewhere else. To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up going back to the UK at some point but on the other hand people are right in that maybe its just WA and we may well be better on the east coast or nearer a city which is something we can think about when we have PR. We are not ready to give up yet!! Good on you for pulling through a tough patch and not losing your heads over it. Ok , so not out of it fully yet but you sound a lot more positive and more confident in yourself. Having work and a bit of security and normality can make a huge difference. Ok wages not great but it's something and that is a good thing. Beats sitting round not working and then having time to dwell on everything. Can really affect your mindset. You are right, elsewhere in Aus may be something to consider in the future. Lots more options I think. Anyways, keep us posted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel byrne Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 If it doesn't feel right, it might not be right.I have spent 13 yrs feeling like I am in the wrong place and finally my husband has agreed that we can move back to the UK in 2014.I know that I have a greater appreciation of what we need to be happy and having hot weather, a bigger house and more space isn't always the answer.I wish you all the very best and trust me, you are not alone.Keep your husband close though xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtothis Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 sorry to hear you are struggling with finding work. Its hard enough without that added stress. We live in Margaret River, we arrived on a 457 visa from the UK in March. I cant work as theres just no childcare places here (we have two small boys) and my partner works really long hours as a chef. Its hard...but my gut feeling tells me we are doing the right thing and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. If you ever fancy a chat with a local (ish) fellow pom, send me an inbox...sending you lots of best wishes for a happy future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRK AND CO Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Hi myself and my husband moved to Bunbury WA on a state sponsored 475 Visa 3 months ago. We are in our late 20's and managed to get state sponsorship because my husband is a carpenter by trade. I think its fair to say we are both very upset and confused and have had at least one big blow out argument every week since being here. First of all I have no idea why carpentry and joinery is on the WA regional skills list as there are very little jobs available in regional areas. My husband has just been going from job to job as a subbie (with no work for weeks in between) but with no long term opportunities available. We got here just before the government election so everyone said it would be quiet but would deffo pick up after....didn't happen, now everyone is saying its coming up xmas so will be very quiet for at least a month. Its safe to say we are so scared about what will happen if my husband cant find a regular income. He had an interview this week to work for a carpet cleaning company which he would be happy to do but it just breaks my heart that he should have to leave his profession.......he could work as a carpet cleaner in UK....its not why we came here! They also kept asking him why he would want to work for their company when its such a drop in money, i don't think they trust he will stay with them for long so he probably wont get the job anyway. I only work as a waitress and get about 18 hours a week. as you can imagine our savings had nearly disappeared through finding a place to live and buy basic furniture which is seriously expensive here in the South West. I have been trying to find a full time job everyday since we got here but with no luck and I seriously believe its my visa subclass that put employers off. Secondly we are just very upset because for some reason something just doesn't feel right.....how do we know we have made the right decision? I know we have only been here a few months and everyone I speak to says it will all come good in the end you just have to wait to out....are they right? I think one main issue is my work hours I work evenings and all day sat and Sunday until late at night. We don't see each other that much and my poor husband has to spend all weekend by himself not really doing much. Sorry for rambling but I haven't stopped crying all night, just so stressed and confused. Has anyone been in the same situation and had it come good? Hope things workout I know the feeling to well when your down on your luck god bless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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