Any other employer sponsorship options to ENS121?

[mandymark]

Would be grateful for clarification please. As we are currently in the long queue, not expecting our 175/176 visa to be processed before the end of 2012, we are looking into employer sponsorship.

 

We were aiming towards ENS121, but it seems difficult to convince employers into this sponsorship route. Therefore, I wonder if anyone could tell me simply - are there any other employer sponsorship visas which are more widely recognised by employers/used in Australia, that also carry top priority processing?

 

We have flights booked, arriving in Brisbane on 9th Feb 2010 and were hoping to have our visa by then, but looks like these will be return flights now. We're going to send speculative letters/CV to lots of companies. We've already sent a few out but basically mentioning ENS121, so I wondered whether there were any other visa options open to us. Ideally we'd like PR from the start, but would consider other options.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Mandy

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Hi Mandy

 

Your public profile says that OH is an Engineering Technician/Technologist in the RAF. I understand from your earlier posts that he will be leaving the RAF for good early in 2010.

 

With employer sponsored visas there are various possibilities but they depend on where the employer is based and what the employer is willing to do.

 

Most employers in Aus have heard of the temporary subclass 457 visa even if they have never been involved with sponsoring a migrant employee, simply because the 457 has had a lot of column inches in the popular press:

 

Temporary Business (Long Stay) - Standard Business Sponsorship (Subclass 457)

 

Theoretically the visa processing can be completed very quickly with a 457. One of the biggest deterrents to sponsoring migrants is their inability to move to Oz quickly. Employers are not interested in waiting 6 to 9 months for an employee to arrive in Oz and be ready to start work.

 

The 457 is seen as a fast track way to get the employee out to Oz but if this bit works, the probability would be that OH would have to go to Oz on his own, leaving you to pack up the household and to organise most of he move on your own. How would you feel about that?

 

You have been right to consider the ENS 121 visa if the employer is a civilian employer which is based in or close to Brisbane ot Gold Coast City.

 

However if the employer is based in Regional Australia then an RSMS visa is often a more attractive route to PR from the employer's point of view:

 

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Subclass 119/857)

 

Employer Sponsored Migration Booklet - Australian Immigration

 

I haven't a clue about how the armed forces are organised. Is there any possibility of Hubby transferring to the RAAF? If so, they use a special type of employer sponsored visa called a subclass 120 Labour Agreement, which gives the employee Permanent Residency from Day One. I have a feeling that Temporary Residents cannot serve in the Aussie Defence Forces, the Police, the Fire Fighting service and similar.

 

Labour Agreements

 

I also don't know whether the RAAF have a presence in QLD?

 

I think that if you are serious about hoping to find employer sponsorship, you will have to accept that your search will need to be Australia-wide and if you are lucky enough to secure an offer of a job + visa, you would have to be prepared to go to wherever the employer wants you to go. Beggars can't be choosers, hon.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest Mandymil]

Hi

We have been sponsored on a 457 visa, we are just waiting for our sponsorship number so we can apply for our visa.

It takes up to about 8 weeks as far as we know, but my husbands employer has not sponsored before, apparantly it takes about 4 weeks to set up to become a sponsor, they sent their paperwork in 3 weeks ago so should hear very shortly.

It can be very quick if you are on the MODL list (my husband is a floorlayer & greatly in demand)

not sure if this will be any help to you.

[Guest Freaks]

Hi Mandy,

 

A friend of mine who was just about to completle his 22 in the british army, managed to get a transfer to the ADF, he did this by 47ES with a labour agreement from the ADF in QLD. He lodged on 28th September 2009, Visa arrived 30th October 2009. Food for thought?

Hope this helps.

 

Freaks

[mandymark]

Hi

 

Many thanks for all your replies, thats exactly the info that I wanted. I was wondering whether they were still processing visas such as the 457 quickly, so I'll take a look at the links now.

 

Gill, I didn't even think about updating my public profile. Right at the very start you may remember we weren't sure what trade Mark would be classed as - he's an Engineering Technician (Weapons) in RAF with ONC in Engineering, HNC/HND in Mechatronics (Control Engineering) and BSc in Management of Engineering Technologies. After researching various avenues we realised that 'Fitter' gave him 60 points rather than 40 and was on both the Qld and SA SS list at the time. Mark then managed to gain a positive assessment from TRA as Fitter. We've seen various job vacancies which would have been ideal for him, such as Weapons Engineer and Missile Analyst, but have learnt that without being an Australian Citizen he is unable to obtain the security clearance that is a requirement of Defence jobs.

 

The thought of possibly arranging a move on my own does not bother me one bit, infact I'm used to that. In 2002 we moved from North Yorks to Norfolk, then 2006 back to North Yorkshire. Both times, Mark has had to go on ahead to start work while I've either waited for school holidays or, as in 2006, I've arranged Estate Agents etc before moving. We have already talked about Mark staying out in Australia with his Mum for a while to look for an employer, while I return to the UK as scheduled on 1st March with our boys.

 

Unfortunately the RAAF stopped lateral recruitment on 13 March this year (it was a Friday 13th BTW). We'd already approached them. The reason given was 'due to the increase in Australian Citizens applying'.

 

Mandymil, thanks for your reply which was useful to know how quick these visas can be. Best of luck with your visa and move.

 

Thank you all once again. I'm going to amend the speculative letter that we've been sending out as I had a feeling it was too restrictive mentioning ENS121.

 

Mandy x