Newspaper Article - Skilled Migrants having trouble getting jobs?

[Jessica Berry]

This article was on page 3 of Mondays Advertiser.

 

I wondered how it compared to peoples experience of finding a suitable job. Perhaps we could put a timeframe on gaining a PERMANENT job from arriving in Adelaide.

 

I work as an Administrator and it took me 10 weeks from the date we arrived.

 

My partner works in IT and it took him 3 weeks from the date we arrived.

[Guest BAZnDAF]

I will need a job within 5 months of arriving, after that we will have no money, and be in a pretty bad situation, but then the way things are here I have no garantee of a job.

 

I'm in I.T. but i do have a secondary skill of plastering, so I hope I can get money in to cover the rent.

 

Here's hoping.

 

Barry

[Guest cazzie]

Yes, I read that article and can identify with it. As has been posted before, the SA government won't accept my GTP teaching qualification, therefore I have to retrain at great cost and time to be able to teach. I don't think I can stomach retraining, neither can I afford it. However, I am doing my best not to stress over not having a job. Suzer is helping me with my resume and I will apply for jobs after our Queensland holiday at the end of the month. I do think it can be more difficult than it needs to be for new migrants as the Aussies are very bureaucratic. I also accept that sometimes we have to take steps backwards to get on the right path again. Good luck to anyone job seeking.

[scooterdan]

Hi,

 

I landed 2 jobs within 2 weeks of being here....

 

I did a lot of research online and phoning in the UK....and when here got interviewed by 4-5 places in the first week.

 

Some ppl will find it more difficult with qualifications being re-assessed etc...but some times just cold calling and researching works.

 

Dan

[Jessica Berry]

Hi,

 

I landed 2 jobs within 2 weeks of being here....

 

I did a lot of research online and phoning in the UK....and when here got interviewed by 4-5 places in the first week.

 

Some ppl will find it more difficult with qualifications being re-assessed etc...but some times just cold calling and researching works.

 

Dan

 

 

Where these permanent jobs?

 

My partner was offered contract IT work within a week of arriving, but we were both keen to settle preferably into permanent jobs for various reasons and both got lucky and got permanent roles. We have noticed in the 18 months we have been here, permanent IT jobs advertised in the newspaper seem to be getting less and less sometimes down to only 3 or 4 adverts.

 

When we applied for our mortgage they wanted copies of our contracts of employment and having permanent jobs definitely helped even though we had a good deposit to put down.

 

I just wondered if others on PIA were in permanent jobs or on contract or temp work.

[suzer]

Where these permanent jobs?

 

My partner was offered contract IT work within a week of arriving, but we were both keen to settle preferably into permanent jobs for various reasons and both got lucky and got permanent roles. We have noticed in the 18 months we have been here, permanent IT jobs advertised in the newspaper seem to be getting less and less sometimes down to only 3 or 4 adverts.

 

When we applied for our mortgage they wanted copies of our contracts of employment and having permanent jobs definitely helped even though we had a good deposit to put down.

 

I just wondered if others on PIA were in permanent jobs or on contract or temp work.

 

My husband works in IT and was offered 3 jobs within 2 weeks of arrival in April (2 temp, one of which was temp to perm, and 1 perm, which he took). We both were working in 2 weeks (myself in Insurance), but I have now been out of work for 7 weeks (as I resigned my role after 6 months), and he said last night if he were to be looking now it would be much much more difficult. It's mostly to do with the economy, otherwise with good planning and a decent resume, I don't think it would be that hard for many of us (career & experience dependent of course).

[Guest graandjac]

:)A huge part of the article which is the as far as i can see is that the biggest problem was down to non "english speaking migrants", i think the article was along the lines of 80% of permanent migrants spend on average 6 months looking for work or are either working outside there skilled occupation. But then added that the biggest problem was down to NON english speaking migrants. Iam not saying thats its easy to get a job as for us has been the hardest part , but i dont think it should be a panic point just yet.

[Guest BAZnDAF]

Getting a bit worried as to whether I will be able to get a job in I.T. now.

 

[Guest smit]

Hi,

 

I landed 2 jobs within 2 weeks of being here....

 

I did a lot of research online and phoning in the UK....and when here got interviewed by 4-5 places in the first week.

 

Some ppl will find it more difficult with qualifications being re-assessed etc...but some times just cold calling and researching works.

 

Dan

also depends on what indusrty you are working in:),some are easier to get jobs than others.

[Moosh]

My piece of advice is this. Take any job offered to you at first. You need an Australian referee as employees and agencies are not going to contact your UK ones. Agencies are not interested if you are not living here in Australia either. Get some experience behind you and temp if needs be as it is better than nothing. Don't be too fussy about money at first either.

 

I'm looking for experienced engineers for my company, so PM me if you are interested, loads of vacancies for this type of work where I am.

[scooterdan]

Hey,

 

Yeah both this jobs are permanant....

[duncan-clan]

i work as a motor mechanic and with-in a week of arriving i had a full time job, i just walked it to nearest garage they lent me a tool box only thing i had to wait for my monster tool box to arrive....as for that article its crap all depends on what you do for work..

 

 

alex

[Guest tooeasy]

I found it really easy to get work we were here 3 weeks before i started looking and got offered the 1st 2 jobs i rang up about and have been offered more since starting work had to go to peer to get oz qualifications but other than that found it really easy.

I aman electrician

[Guest sjs]

as someone has already said i think it probably depnds upon the type of work you do - but i think this is a really useful thread for those about to come over.

 

we came on the 175 and my husband is a chef. he was offered a job one week after arriving. it is a part time position (that suits us just now as we have so many other things to take care of) but there are other keen full time positions where the employers have been chasing him and saying that if the position he has accepted does not work out then to give them a call.

 

so all in all we have discovered that chefs are in demand here - it was on the mod list after all - but you really have to put yourself out there we found. if we could email a resume we would but sometimes you would have to hand it into the place or sometimes, as with the position he got, it said to email the resume but we just found the place took it in and my oh could introduce himself and show he was really keen.

 

good luck to everyone looking for employment

 

sjs

[Guest Carl Hallam]

Hi Moosh, we are moving Aug 18 2009 i am Electrician in Uk Fully qualified just wondering if and how to go about working in Aus, IE: Could i get a job with your company when i arrive (ish as i want a couple of weeks of as not had a day off in year and a half) i understand i need to do something called ARTC which is already in the post to me and also the AUS3000. by theway not holding you to this or expecting a job just hypothetical.

[Guest Fancy a Beer]

I think it depends what you are looking for! My OH was offered 4 jobs on our rekkie trip on arrival they were all confirmed but they were not really what he was looking for!

 

In the end he took a part time job just to get a reference and some cash coming in and to start networking etc. Things have worked out great for us as we now have our own company but there were times when the whole job thing could of sent us back as he was the main bread winner and really not happy at work which meant he was really unsettled.

 

Money I think is the main thing with expats its not as good as the UK, but then it is all about weighing up the pros and cons! Personally I know where we are better off, less money but so much happier!!

[Guest Martin and Val]

We arrived on 22nd Oct and I had an interview two days later which I had sort of lined up from the UK and confirmed upon arrival. I didn't get the job as they say they promoted from within as I would have needed 3 months to learn the company which they didn't have time for me to do. Since then I have applied for many, had three more interviews one of which again promoted from within and then two with agencies which if you want the truth were a waste of my time!

Maybe the job I had in England is no good here or simply I'm just useless!!!

Agencies don't get back to you I say this with respect to any reading but it's the truth.

 

The agencies well at least one that I had an interview with did take up my references and did indeed ring my old boss in England who then in turn rang me to tell me all about it. Unless he is full of **** which I know he isn't he gave me a glowing ref and they haven't even bothered to call me back since.

 

We came on a 475 visa with me as the main applicant, Val secured a full time permanent position as an accounts manager with a large company located in the CBD, within 7 weeks and has settled into it very well.

 

I just bum around the house and swim in the pool which is great but I can't do it forever, because she wont let me!!!

 

Without my head swelling to much the interviews I have had, I knew the job the person interviewing me didn't!!

[The Flinns]

It isn't true that recruitment companies are not interested in you if you are not over there yet.

 

Through Financestaff.com.au I managed to secure two job offers and I'm not even over there yet.

 

I was also lucky enough to gain my necessary Australian qualification by distance learning so that I will be able to work the moment that we land. (I appreciate that people with trades will not be able to do this)

 

Lastly, I also read into the piece that the main prohibitor in attaining work from those surveyed was a lack of or poor english language skills.

 

Good luck everyone.

[Guest Martin and Val]

Sorry, I will add to my previous post.

In my experience when an agency has a post to fill they go all out to fill it, but once they have filled the particular role that they had advertised that's it! You can go and fall into a big hole and they will not notice!! Yes they may well look at you on future applications but sorry to say, if they add you to the list for future jobs, forget it you need to apply not wait for them as it won't happen!!!!!

I don't wish to upset anybody with my answer's this is just my opinion and what we have experienced so far.

I will add though, we are both happy and wouldn't change a thing, If you have the qualities that are wanted at the time the job will probably be yours, I on the other hand need to re evaluate things.

Martin

[Guest Martin and Val]

I must add that now I have read the article in question it also States the problem has also been said to be "Lack of Permanent residency" which is what I've come across a couple of time's not just "lack of English Langauge".

[Guest caoimhe]

We have been here 8 weeks and my O/H has applied for 35 jobs and not received 1 interview. A few of the jobs were only just advertised when he applied but when he rang to chase them up he was told they had promoted from within the week before

[The Flinns]

I must add that now I have read the article in question it also States the problem has also been said to be "Lack of Permanent residency" which is what I've come across a couple of time's not just "lack of English Langauge".

 

Sorry to hear about your problems and I have a feeling that, much like in the UK, these jobs are already taken and that they are using the 'Not PR ' as an excuse.

 

The jobs that I applied for are where there are genuine shortages, i.e. beggars can't be choosers and so I can't really comment on something of which I have no experience. I noticed from another thread that you had mentioned that you had even shown some employers the letter from SA Gov http://www.migration.sa.gov.au/public/download.jsp?id=1461 and that this has not swayed them?

 

I think that it is just a case of not giving up and I am sure that someone as intelligent and articulate as yourself (that's how you come accross on your posts) will find a job soon.

 

Good luck

Howard.

[Guest Martin and Val]

Securing a job is not as straight forward as it looks...

 

"Promoted from within" is common. I've also tried for jobs at the position where I was many years ago and then told that I'm to qualified for it.

 

So what are we supposed to do?

I feel for people like "Caoimhe" who have children to consider.

We are able to fend for ourselves and will have to muddle through.

 

I feel a change in direction is required!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest Martin and Val]

Sorry to hear about your problems and I have a feeling that, much like in the UK, these jobs are already taken and that they are using the 'Not PR ' as an excuse.

 

The jobs that I applied for are where there are genuine shortages, i.e. beggars can't be choosers and so I can't really comment on something of which I have no experience. I noticed from another thread that you had mentioned that you had even shown some employers the letter from SA Gov http://www.migration.sa.gov.au/public/download.jsp?id=1461 and that this has not swayed them?

 

I think that it is just a case of not giving up and I am sure that someone as intelligent and articulate as yourself (that's how you come accross on your posts) will find a job soon.

 

Good luck

Howard.

 

Thank you Howard for your very kind words,

I do not wish to be alarmist in any way and I am sorry if it comes across as such to anybody reading this post.

The PR thing really is an issue as far as I've found here, and although not all but some of the jobs I've applied for have stated from the outset that only citizens or PR may apply.

I even had a call from one who was, I think, at the point of offering me a position and then asked me about my residency at which point promptly said sorry I couldn't be considered any further.

 

I will also add that once Val started to apply for work she was successful within two weeks, however this was directly with the employer and not through any agency, who she had no luck with whats so ever.

I don't often get all political on here but I like this thread and it has brought out some truth in the job market that does differ from one occupation to the next but never the less it does highlight an issue.

 

It's not all bad the Sun shines most days and good luck to everyone.

[Guest nottingham]

hi, just wondering what sort of engineers you are looking for? im a structural & thick plate engineer,working in the petro chemical indutries( plater) also ive worked in the aero-space industry(rolls-royce)sheetmetal fabrication.weve just got back from adelaide after the best month ever.just need to sell our own home in the uk,not looking good at the moment.