Primary School Teacher (6 years) looking for sponsorship to teach in NSW

[JP and A]

Hi all-

 

 

Came across this site and it's great to see a place where others can come together on their (hopeful) journey to Australia! I'm an American primary school teacher with British QTS qualifications who's been living and working out in London for the past 6 years with my wife (a German national). We love living and working out here in the UK but my wife and my dream has always been to move and live in Australia. It's not an easy dream as we both realize how difficult it is to get visas to live out there, especially as primary school teachers are a dime a dozen and my wife is a sales admin team leader, which isn't a job on the highly skilled list. I've come here to find as much information as I can about getting sponsored to teach in Sydney. We just returned from a wonderful 3 week trip down under and met fellow travelers who shared their experiences about getting sponsored to teach at schools in Melbourne and Sydney. I have always been under the impression that it is really hard to get a teacher sponsorship in Australia unless taking on work in the middle of the nowhere, and hearing this from teachers on our travels filled us with hope as it has always been our dream to move to Australia! I am hoping to hear as much information as I can about what it would take to get teaching work out in NSW.

 

Over the last week, I've been in touch with the Visa Bureau and was offered a Skilled - Nominated (subclass 190) visa which would allow my wife and I to live and work with no restrictions in Oz, but unfortunately this would only be offered for us to move to the Northern Territory (or Victoria if I could teach a modern foreign language, which I cannot). I had mentioned to the Visa Bureau that it would be preferred to live in NSW as we have friends and family friends out there and was told that my best option is to try and obtain an employer sponsored 457 visa, which is a temporary visa that allows you to live and work in Australia based on receiving sponsorship from an eligible employer. She then told me the following important information:

 

 

How can I apply for an employer sponsored 457 visa?

The first step is locating an employer to sponsor you. Unfortunately, this isn’t something we can assist you with but once you have done that, feel free to get in touch and we can work through the requirements for that visa. There are no websites listing approved sponsors so you will need to seek employment through regular channels such as recruitment agents or enquiring directly with potential employers etc. Please understand that we cannot discuss this visa with you until you find a sponsoring employer, as so much relies on their circumstances.

 

This is what leads me here! Most teachers looking to find sponsorship go through the Working Holiday or Working and Holiday visa route, which allows them to do casual work at schools around the areas they want to live in Oz and hopefully one of the schools will offer sponsorship after having taught at their school and getting to know you. Unfortunately, as I'm in the middle of the school year teaching right now here in London and turn 31 in about a month's time, this option isn't available for me so I have to heavily depend on finding sponsorship at a school without having stepped foot into their school before. I understand this makes my chances of finding a school to sponsor me very small, but it is worth a try asking for help.

 

If anyone out there has any information about finding sponsorship to teach at a school that could be passed on to me, that would be greatly appreciated! I am sure there are countless other teachers in the same boat as me out there who could benefit from this information as well.

 

 

Much thanks and kind regards in advance,

JP

[Britpop]

So long As you apply for the WHV before you turn 31 you can activate it once over, you get a year. May not be the best option but it is still an option until the day of your 31st. Good luck!

[JP and A]

So long As you apply for the WHV before you turn 31 you can activate it once over, you get a year. May not be the best option but it is still an option until the day of your 31st. Good luck!

I would apply for the WHV in a heartbeat, but unfortunately my wife has already done two WHV's and wouldn't be able to come with me making this option not too preferable.

 

But just for inquiry-sake, when you say I can activate it once over, do I have one year to activate it meaning I could essentially move to Australia within a year of receiving it and still get 365 days in the country from the day I get there? Or does the time start counting down once the visa is approved?

[JP and A]

To add more info, I've got my four year bachelor's degree specializing in Elementary School teaching (minor in Communication Arts) from DePaul University in Chicago. I've taught all 6 years of my career at the same school here in London.

 

but unfortunately my wife has already done two WHV's and wouldn't be able to come with me making this option not too preferable.

Correcting what I just responded with above, my wife has done only one (not two) WHV, in 2005.

[Britpop]

I believe you have 1 year to get to the country and then 1 year to stay from the date of entry. I applied a few days before my 31st in April, it was granted after my birthday and we came late October.

Did your wife by any chance complete her regional work in order to get a second year? Take a look at the immi website, I dont know if you have to apply for the second year directly afterwards or if she could do it now if she is eligible??

 

I would think that being in the country would put you in a much better position to find a sponsor. If your wife isn't eligible, you don't want to be apart for any period and could survive on just your income for sometime you could come on WHV, your wife on a tourist visa and hope that you can secure the sponsorship and then have her added to your visa once secured enabling her to then work, she could use the time to have a good look around.... I'm pretty sure that would work, in sure someone will correct if wrong.

 

I know an early years teacher who lives in Northen Sydney and her partner and I believe they did as above (thy were both on WHV but now on her visa and he has his own company) she was only here a few months before the sponsorship was offered. I do my know how obliging a sponsor would be to get the process completed quickly but you could potentially do it in the time your wife has on a tourist visa I believe.

[JP and A]

Thanks for taking the time to respond again, Britpop! I appreciate your feedback. Unfortunately my wife isn't eligible for a second year (she's 31 now). If I were to go the WHV route with her joining me on a tourist visa, we'd both be quitting secure jobs and taking two steps back moneywise which is a very daunting thing to do after age 30 without having a promise of a sponsorship waiting in the end. I agree with you though, being in the country would put me in a better position to find a sponsor. It's just a shame there aren't websites out there listing schools looking for teachers to fill positions who wouldn't mind sponsoring.

[Sammy1]

Thanks for taking the time to respond again, Britpop! I appreciate your feedback. Unfortunately my wife isn't eligible for a second year (she's 31 now). If I were to go the WHV route with her joining me on a tourist visa, we'd both be quitting secure jobs and taking two steps back moneywise which is a very daunting thing to do after age 30 without having a promise of a sponsorship waiting in the end. I agree with you though, being in the country would put me in a better position to find a sponsor. It's just a shame there aren't websites out there listing schools looking for teachers to fill positions who wouldn't mind sponsoring.

 

The reality is that it would be extremely hard to find a school willing to go through the hassle of sponsoring you when there is an over supply of 'home grown' experienced teachers and fresh new graduates in Australia.

 

If you are serious about coming and have the opportunity to work in the NT and are able to get a visa, then why not do it? It would be your entry to Australia and would lead to other opportunities.

 

Otherwise, you will need to put in some serious foot work and approach all of the private schools in NSW to see if they would sponsor you, there will be no magic list, just good old proactive research.

[Quoll]

Primary teachers are a fine a dozen so you are going to struggle to find sponsorship - unless it is in a hard to fill position which isn't likely to be all that attractive. If you can get a permanent visa, go where you can get one in the first place then work from there.

[Britpop]

Ah well, worth replying just incase.

Indeed, that would be nice lol if it were that easy everyone would be doing it I'm sure. Sponsorship in the job you want in the area you want at the click of a button! Unfortunately that aren't crying out like some would have you believe.

Perhaps set yourself up Job Alert emails from the Aussie job sites for keywords sponsorship, teacher etc in the areas you like.

Bear in mind though that a sponsorship can be terminated easily and it's a very insecure visa so it's always going to be volatile if security is a priority for you (I can't see schools being too much of a risk to be fair)

sure some teachers will be along soon to guide you. Good luck!

[JP and A]

If you are serious about coming and have the opportunity to work in the NT and are able to get a visa, then why not do it? It would be your entry to Australia and would lead to other opportunities.

 

Primary teachers are a fine a dozen so you are going to struggle to find sponsorship - unless it is in a hard to fill position which isn't likely to be all that attractive. If you can get a permanent visa, go where you can get one in the first place then work from there.

 

Appreciate the responses and suggestions. It all seems like a lot of work, but all worth it. I've been through it all before when moving out to London from the States in 2008. If I were to go the Northern Territory route, how long would I have to live and work there before being considered able to work in other states (such as NSW)?

[Del70]

I was under the impression that Northern Territory ask for Primary Teachers to ' provide evidence of having received an offer of employment in their nominated occupation or a closely related occupation ' in order to get State Sponsorship........

 

http://www.migration.nt.gov.au/visa/sol.html

[JP and A]

I was under the impression that Northern Territory ask for Primary Teachers to ' provide evidence of having received an offer of employment in their nominated occupation or a closely related occupation ' in order to get State Sponsorship........

 

http://www.migration.nt.gov.au/visa/sol.html

 

Copy/pasting directly from the e-mail I had with the Visa Bureau, in regards to obtaining the Skilled - Nominated (subclass 190) visa:

As a Primary School Teacher, you will need to be assessed bya skills assessing body before lodging your visa. Attached to this email is a description of your occupation classification according to its designated ANSZCO code, which details the tasks and duties that your assessing body and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will expect you to have carried out through your previous employment in this occupation. Please read this occupation classification and, if you don’t feel that it is an appropriate match, do let me know so we can locate a more suitable ANZSCO code for you.

The states currently offering nomination to people working in your occupation are : the Northern Territory and Victoria (as long as you teach a modern foreign language).

[Del70]

[TABLE=class: table_primary, width: 100%]

[TR=class: bg_beige, bgcolor: #D9AD6C]

[TD=width: 20%]241213 *[/TD]

[TD=width: 45%]Primary School Teacher[/TD]

[TD=width: 35%]Offshore applicants must provide evidence of having received an offer of employment in their nominated occupation or a closely related occupation[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

 

Hi! The above exerpt is from the NT link I posted, which is from the 190 Visa NT page....... but maybe I'm misunderstanding something? Let me know if the agents tell you different.

 

We are Primary School teachers, and in the last year have seen WA put Primary School teacher on Schedule 2, meaning you need a job offer, Victoria saying that you need to be able to teach at least one language from their list, and NT saying that you need a job offer....... It's just getting harder and harder! It's because we aren't in demand any more..... Hope it starts getting put back on state lists! Good luck with everything, and let me know if you hear anything positive!

:biggrin:

[JP and A]

Thanks for the detailed information, Del70! The Visa Bureau didn't mention anything about needing an offer of employment before going through with a visa to get work in NT. I see that you're from Wales. Have you been able to find a teaching job in Oz yet?

 

Will keep all posted on my progress (if any)! In the meantime, if any other fellow expat teachers have success stories that they can share with any advice to give, please do so!

[Del70]

We are still in Wales - did a Teacher Exchange a few years ago in Australia and would love to go back, but it isn't easy! Have you had your skills assessed with AITSL yet? It's a lot of paperwork to gather, and can take a few months for the assessment to come through.

[JP and A]

We are still in Wales - did a Teacher Exchange a few years ago in Australia and would love to go back, but it isn't easy! Have you had your skills assessed with AITSL yet? It's a lot of paperwork to gather, and can take a few months for the assessment to come through.

I've not had my skills assessed yet with AITSL. Only in the beginning stages of looking into it all now! How did the Teacher Exchange work for you? Did you have to return to the school you started off with after the exchange was through? Was it for 1-2 years only? A good friend of mine from Sydney's father did this with a school in Canada when my friend was a child and she has nothing but fond memories of the experience.

 

Are you looking to return? If so, through what visa route?

[Del70]

Yes, part of the contract with the Exchange is that you return to the same school. Exchanges are usually for a year, starting January (beginning of Oz school year). Amazing experience!

For us it would have to be a 190 Visa with state sponsorship as Primary School Teacher is on the CSOL not the SOL, which means you need state sponsorship. We have no option really but a 190 visa, as we're getting on a bit!