Options for step son to join us in Aus

[JEM44]

Hi all, I am looking for possible options (and estimated costs if anyone can help). This is our situation:

 

We move to Perth next week, myself, hubby and 2 teenage kids. My hubby has a son (almost 21) from a previous relationship, who lives with his mum at present. He was not on our application for PR.

 

He he has no driving license, no job and no qualifications to speak of. I would like to look at options for him coming with us that are more than just a WHV with the option of 2 years assuming he did the 3 month rural work. He is a lovely lad, but gets no support from his mum and with us being at a distance it has been hard. Now that he is getting older and "wiser" he has now said that he wishes he had lived with us as he knows his life would have turned out differently.

 

Sadly, we know that if he stays with his mum, he will continue to do nothing with his life. Whilst I know you need to have some kind of drive in life, but with us he would at least be pushed and supported (and pushed!!!!)

 

Is is it possible that there is a way he could get some kind of visa to come out and study for something like a trade apprenticeship with a view to then getting either sponsorship afterwards or even PR. And if that is possible, how would we go about that?

 

Thanks for for any advice etc that anyone can offer.

[VERYSTORMY]

Student visas are possible for him to attend TAFE, and in theory, he could do a trade with this. However, first, it would be incredibly expensive - many thousands per year. Second, he would be very unlikely to get sponsored afterwards and would not be able to get a PR visa, as he would not have the experience to pass a skills assessment.

 

The only subjects that come to mind where he would be able to study and then pass a skills assessment are accounting, nursing and engineering. Though of course there is the risk that at the end of it, the occupation is no longer on the skills list. These would also be incredibly expensive in course fees

 

The only real option at the moment would be a working holiday visa and hope he meets an Australian girl.

[ricco56]

WHV is a great opportunity for a young man to have a good look at Australia, broaden his horizons and pick up some useful experience, particularly if he can rely on having you folks in Australia as a back up.

 

I've worked with many young people over the years in my role as a TAFE Lecturer, and have observed over and over again that independent young men can't be 'pushed' until they are ready to be 'launched'. Some launch early and others take a while.

 

WHV is low cost, low risk and flexible way to 'launch' into a new country, new culture, new friends, new experiences, new possibilities for the future.

[JEM44]

WHV is a great opportunity for a young man to have a good look at Australia, broaden his horizons and pick up some useful experience, particularly if he can rely on having you folks in Australia as a back up.

 

I've worked with many young people over the years in my role as a TAFE Lecturer, and have observed over and over again that independent young men can't be 'pushed' until they are ready to be 'launched'. Some launch early and others take a while.

 

WHV is low cost, low risk and flexible way to 'launch' into a new country, new culture, new friends, new experiences, new possibilities for the future.

 

If they can't be pushed, can they be dragged (kicking and screaming!)?

 

the problem is, is that he has been sat on the sofa for the past 12 months and if we don't take him with us, he will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

 

WHV may be the way to go.

[Bungo]

If they can't be pushed, can they be dragged (kicking and screaming!)?

 

the problem is, is that he has been sat on the sofa for the past 12 months and if we don't take him with us, he will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

 

WHV may be the way to go.

 

He is an adult and there is nothing you can do to help him with a visa.

 

He is on his own but perhaps this is an opportunity to encourage him to work towards a career in order to join you in the future.

[ricco56]

As identified above there are student visas which may be of assistance if your step son was ready for study and had the resources to go down this track. The transition from 'sofa to study overseas' may be a bridge too far. A better transition may be 'sofa - life outside - life overseas - followed by study and/or work'.

 

Just to clarify the situation with apprenticeships. In Australia an apprentice needs to be employed as such by a host employer (or group training company) and then as part of the apprenticeship agreement the employer releases the apprentice to attend training at a registered training provider (RTO). Typical RTO's include TAFE and private training providers.

 

Most temporary visa holders and training organisations that host temporary visa holders are not eligible for subsidies provided by State and Federal Governments for various education programs including Apprenticeships and Traineeships. Employers would not generally employ apprentices unless they are already permanent residents or Australian Citizens.

 

As a WHV holder your step son might pick up work as a 'Trades Assistant' for example which would give him an opportunity to look at one or more trades at close quarters. Based on that experience he can make informed choices as to whether he might pursue trade qualifications (in the UK) or go down some other career path. Abbatoir work is quite useful for young people. The rewards can be substantial and most casual participants find the experience quite educational.

 

 

 

Is is it possible that there is a way he could get some kind of visa to come out and study for something like a trade apprenticeship with a view to then getting either sponsorship afterwards or even PR. And if that is possible, how would we go about that?