MattMGM Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Hi all; Just starting out on our journey to emigrate to Australia. I am married with 3 children, when we hopefully emigrate they will be 15,13 and 7 I am a qualified electrician and have been for 21 years now - i have my own registered company. What I am trying to find out is - 1) What qualifications are needed to operate as an electrician over in Australia. 2) Is there a great deal of demand for electricians. We are looking at relocating to Perth. As much advice would be much appreciated (it’s a minefield) TIA Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 (edited) Do you know whether you can even qualify for a visa yet? If not, that's your first step. Make an appointment with a registered migration agent. All the reputable ones will give you an initial consultation free of charge. The reason I ask is that if you've been in business that long, I assume you're in your forties. That may make it difficult to get enough points to qualify. If you're over 45, you've missed the boat. You could get a short-term visa for a few years (which I wouldn't recommend with kids, as it's too disruptive to their education) but you've got no chance of migrating permanently. Unless your wife is younger and has an occupation that would qualify her to apply. You will need to do a training course when they arrive in Australia, then work as a trades assistant (similar to an apprentice) for several months, before they are allowed to work as an electrician in your own right. I know that sounds mad when you've been an electrician for so long, but that's the way it works. Edited January 12, 2020 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattMGM Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 Thank you for taking the time to reply. I am 38 years of age and will be 39 when we are planning on moving, hopefully I am still young enough to emigrate. On my 'to do list' is a phone call to The Down Under Center on Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 1 minute ago, MattMGM said: Thank you for taking the time to reply. I am 38 years of age and will be 39 when we are planning on moving, hopefully I am still young enough to emigrate. On my 'to do list' is a phone call to The Down Under Center on Monday. You may find this fact sheet helpful, the Aus licencing can be a pain despite any skills recognition you do to get the actual visa. If you look into the WA rules carefully you will know what to expect and can budget for it. https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/atoms/files/r098_-_fact_sheet_-_information_on_otsr_pathway_0.pdf Heres a few more links i found - https://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au/programs-tss-skills-assessment/licensing https://migration.wa.gov.au/services/skills-recognition-pathways/electrician Good luck with everything Cal x 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattMGM Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 Many thanks I shall take a look at the links now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 (edited) 29 minutes ago, MattMGM said: Many thanks I shall take a look at the links now. If you're 38 then I would get the ball rolling fast. The 189 visa (the main permanent visa) is a competitive visa. You need to score a minimum of 65 points to apply, but then you are up against other applicants, and the applicants with the most points win. Currently, you need to be able to score 85 points or more to stand any chance of being selected. That affects you because you get points for age - and the older you get, the less points you get. The whole process of getting a visa takes at least a year. If you are lucky enough to get a visa, then you just have to pop over as a famliy to make an "activation visit", then you have five years to get your act together and make the permanent move. So there's no reason to delay even if you don't want to move for a year or two. Edited January 12, 2020 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulya Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Why WA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jsmull87 Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 To answer the questions without going into visa stuff. 1. To work as an electrician, you will need an electrical worker licence. To obtain this you will need to a. Pass your migration skills assessment and obtain an OSTR b. Complete x amount of supervised hours on the job in Australia (a licensed spark will sign off your job card each week) c. Complete a 3 week gap course/ capstone at a local trade school. When you have done A,B&C you will be issued a certificate iii in electrical work which then gets you a full licence as an electrical worker. If you want to be self employed, you have to do all that and then do a contractor course and then apply for a contractor licence, In some states this part can be expensive i'm told. 2. The demand is similar to most big cities in the UK. If you put the effort in and be pro active when you land you should pick up work. The initial problem is companies can pick up 1st,2nd, 3rd year apprentices up cheaply from local trade schools for however long suits them, like an agency. This makes it slightly harder for a 38yr old spark who is new to the country but definitely not impossible. Get all your visa stuff sorted out first. Don;t bother tyre kicking jobs etc. 99% wont even reply until you're in the country. If you have linkedin have a nose around and you will likely find guys who have moved out to Perth from the UK. Don't need to make contact, just look at companies that first took them on and target the bigger commercial ones just before you fly out or when you land. A lot of companies don't understand what's involved for foreign sparks so shy away altogether. The companies that have had UK guys will know they get well skilled labour for the rate of an apprentice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the Hat Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 On 12/01/2020 at 11:26, Bulya said: Why WA? Less smoke!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulya Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 10 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said: Less smoke!?! Good answer, but not enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the Hat Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Bulya said: Good answer, but not enough Fewer people. Less traffic. Closer to the UK. Better weather. Beaches as good. Your GBP goes further buying a home (vs Sydney, Melbourne anyway). Edited January 15, 2020 by Jon the Hat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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